Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies
Here are my submissions for the August Revolution playlist:
All That Remains - "Not Alone" (3:30) from The Fall of Ideals (2006)
Amaranthe - "Countdown" (3:01) from Helix (2018)
Electric Callboy - "Everytime We Touch - Tekkno Version" (3:17) from Everytime We Touch - Tekkno Version (2023)
Emmure - "Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth" (3:50) from The Complete Guide to Needlework (2006)
Iris - "I'm the Animal" (4:36) from Goliath's Throne (2019)
Killswitch Engage - "The Signal Fire" (3:05) from Atonement (2019)
Trivium - "Brave the Storm" (4:29) from Vengeance Falls (2013)
Total length: 25:48
Here are my submissions for the August Infinite playlist:
Arcturus - "La Masquerade Infernale" (2:00) from La Masquerade Infernale (1997)
Dødheimsgard - "It Does Not Follow" (8:24) from Black Medium Current (2023)
Evergrey - "Recreation Day" (5:21) from Recreation Day (2003)
Sólstafir - "Svartir Sandar" (8:22) from Svartir Sandar (2011)
The Ocean - "Subboreal" (4:46) from Holocene (2023)
Total length: 28:53
Here are my submissions for the August Gateway playlist:
Asking Alexandria - "Psycho" (4:00) from Bad Blood / Psycho (2023)
Breaking Benjamin - "Never Again" (3:43) from Dark Before Dawn (2015)
Five Finger Death Punch - "Mama Said Knock You Out" (2:47) from The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1 (2013)
I Prevail - "Paranoid" (2:24) from Trauma (2019)
In This Moment - "Rise With Me" (2:07) from Blood (2012)
Lacuna Coil - "Never Dawn" (4:49) from Never Dawn (2023)
Parkway Drive - "Wishing Wells" (5:04) from Reverence (2018)
Poynte - "In My Head" (4:32) from Discreet Enemy (2015)
Total length: 29:26
Here's my submission for the July Guardians playlist:
Avenged Sevenfold - "Heretic" (from Hail to the King, 2013)
As part of my semi-hiatus, like I said, I asked someone else to work on The Revolution playlists. You'll find out who it is when he posts the thread for his first Revolution playlist in the beginning of August (unless he would like me to reveal who it is early, to which I'll just edit this comment). Don't worry, I'll still be submitting some tracks in the playlist suggestion threads so he won't have to do it all on his own when doing The Revolution playlists. However, I think I have time to squeeze in working on The Sphere playlists during those 3 months. They're easier for me to do than the playlists for other clans because there are only two subgenres in the clan (industrial metal and cyber metal, now I consider Neue Deutsche Härte as part of conventional industrial metal instead of its own subgenre), and since I seem to be the only active Metal Academy member familiar with The Sphere, I don't wanna have to put the Sphere playlists to a halt. Anyway, I'll still comment on my Sphere playlists, but for each of the playlists for my other clans that I worked on for July, I'll spread out the commenting throughout these next couple months. I'll comment on my Gateway playlist on Monday (slight delay as I need some rest due to a saw throat- Sorry, sore throat and cough), my Infinite playlist in the beginning of August, and my Revolution playlist in the beginning of September. Stay tuned...
July 2023
1. Motionless in White - "Disguise" from Disguise (2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
2. Omega Lithium - "Infest" from Dreams in Formaline (2009)
3. Gothminister - "Liar" from Anima Inferna (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
4. Deathstars - "Everything Destroys You" from Everything Destroys You (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
5. Pain - "Party in My Head" from Party in My Head (2021) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
6. Ministry - "Search and Destroy" from Moral Hygiene (2021)
7. Megaherz - "Komet" from Komet (2018)
8. Oomph! - "Come and Kick Me" from Defekt (1995) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
9. Misery Loves Co. - "Private Hell" from Misery Loves Co. (1995)
10. Schwarzer Engel - "Endzeit" from Sieben (2022)
11. SKYND - "Jim Jones" from Chapter II (2019)
12. Erdling - "Rabenherz" from Helheim (2021)
13. Ost+Front - "Ikarus" from Dein Helfer in der Not (2020)
14. Rammstein - "OK" from Zeit (2022)
15. Static-X - "Sweat of the Bud" from Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)
16. Fear Factory - "Suffer Age" from Soul of a New Machine (1992) [submitted by Daniel]
17. Strapping Young Lad - "Aftermath" from Strapping Young Lad (2003)
18. Danzig - "Cult Without a Name" from 6:66: Satan's Child (1999)
19. Red Harvest - "Sick Transit Gloria Mundi" from Sick Transit Gloria Mundi (2002)
20. Viral Millennium - "Destroy" from Vomitosis (2014)
21. Avulsed - "Pastvoracity - Frozen Speed" from Cybergore (1998)
22. Assimilate - "Apparatus" from EP (2014)
23. Herrschaft - "Rat in Cage" from Les 12 Vertiges (2010)
24. Neurotech - "Brighten" from Stigma (2015)
25. S.U.P - "In Those Times - Demo" from Transfer (remix) (1996)
26. Yutaka Minobe - "The Last Way" from SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK (2006)
27. Dodheimsgard - "Completion" from 666 International (1999)
28. Godflesh - "Forgive Our Fathers" from A World Lit Only by Fire (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
July 2023
1. Rorschach - "Mandible" from Protestant (1993)
2. Trivium - "The Sin and the Sentence" from The Sin and the Sentence (2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
3. Converge - "The Broken Vow" from Jane Doe (2001)
4. Botch - "Mondrian was a Liar" from We are the Romans (1999)
5. Burst - "Two-Faced" from Two-Faced (1997)
6. Earth Crisis - "Unseen Holocaust" from Firestorm (1993)
7. Unbroken - "The Setup" from Life. Love. Regret (1994)
8. Vision of Disorder - "D.T.O." from Vision of Disorder (1996)
9. Living Sacrifice - "180" from Reborn (1997)
10. The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Texas Dolly" from Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear. (2005)
11. Demon Hunter - "Storm the Gates of Hell" from Storm the Gates of Hell (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
12. 36 Crazyfists - "Kenai" from A Snow Capped Romance (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
13. Strife - "Will to Die" from In This Defiance (1997)
14. Morning Again - "Minus One" from The Cleanest War (1996) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
15. Ice Nine Kills - "The Nature of the Beast" from Every Trick in the Book (2015)
16. Bullet for My Valentine - "Eye of the Storm" from Scream Aim Fire (2008)
17. Amaranthe - "Dynamite" from Massive Addictive (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
18. The Browning - "Cryosleep" from Isolation (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
19. Parkway Drive - "The River" from Atlas (2012)
20. Polaris - "No Rest" from The Guilt and The Grief (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
21. As I Lay Dying - "Shaped by Fire" from Shaped by Fire (2019)
22. Make Them Suffer - "Ghost of Me" from Ghost of Me (2023)
23. Any Given Day - "Diamonds" from Diamonds (2022)
24. Brojob, Enda Vinera - "BARBIE GIRL" from BARBIE GIRL (2023)
25. Shadow of Intent - "The Coming Fire" from Elegy (2022)
26. Whitechapel - "Breeding Violence" from A New Era of Corruption (2010)
27. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - "Vicki Mayhem" from Danza 3: The Series of Unfortunate Events (2010)
28. Iwrestledabearonce - "Button It Up" from Ruining It for Everybody (2011)
29. Invent Animate - "Immolation of Night" from Heavener (2023)
30. Lorna Shore - "Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire" from Pain Remains (2022)
July 2023
1. Dream Theater - "The Alien" from A View From the Top of the World (2021)
2. Sons of Apollo - "Goodbye Divinity" from MMXX (2020)
3. Amorphis - "Bad Blood" from Under the Red Cloud (2015)
4. Between the Buried and Me - "Bicycle Race" from The Anatomy of (2006)
5. Opeth - "Burden" from Watershed (2008)
6. Evergrey - "For Every Tear That Falls" from The Dark Discovery (1998)
7. Watchtower - "Technology Inaction" from Concepts of Math: Book One (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
8. Devin Townsend - "Why?" from Empath (2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
9. The Ocean - "Firmament" from Heliocentric (2010)
10. Cult of Luna - "The Revelation Embodied" from Cult of Luna (2001) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
11. Rosetta - "Release" from A Determinism of Morality (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
12. Obscure Sphinx - "Nastiez" from Anaesthetic Inhalation Ritual (2011)
13. Maudlin of the Well - "The Ferryman" from Bath (2001)
14. Sigh - "Mayonaka No Kaii" from Shiki (2022)
15. Dog Fashion Disco - "Private Eye" from Adultery (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
16. Polkadot Cadaver - "Get Possessed" from Get Possessed (2016)
17. Cardona - "Insight" from Seasons (2012)
18. Reflections - "Lost - Redux" from The Fantasy Effect Redux (2022)
19. Entities - "Atlas" from Rebirth (2020)
20. Veil of Maya - "Disco Kill Party" from [M]other (2023)
21. Boyinaband - "Djentstep - Dubstep + Metal Genres Mash" from Djentstep - Dubstep + Metal Genres Mash (2012)
22. Fates Warning - "The Last Song" from Long Day Good Night (2020)
July 2023
1. Asking Alexandria - "Dark Void" from Dark Void (2023)
2. Dark Divine - "Dancing Dead" from Dancing Dead (2023)
3. In Flames - "State of Slow Decay" from Foregone (2023)
4. Breaking Benjamin - "Polyamorous" from Saturate (2002) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
5. POYNTE - "Hold On" from Discreet Enemy (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
6. Five Finger Death Punch - "Jekyll and Hyde" from Got Your Six (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
7. Saliva - "How Could You?" from Cinco Diablo (2008)
8. Soil - "Black Betty" from Play It Forward (2022)
9. Rob Zombie - "What?" from Hellbilly Deluxe II (2010)
10. Avatar - "The King Wants You" from Avatar Country (2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
11. The Word Alive - "Made This Way" from Dark Matter (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
12. Mudvayne - "Happy?" from Lost and Found (2005)
13. Celldweller - "The Last Firstborn - Klayton Remix" from Celldweller (2003)
14. Whitechapel - "Anticure" from Kin (2021)
15. Lacuna Coil - "Spellbound" from Shallow Life (2009) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
16. Korn - "Forgotten" from Requiem (2022)
17. Nothingface - "Ether" from Skeletons (2003)
18. Papa Roach - "Last Resort" from Infect (2000)
19. Limp Bizkit - "Hot Dog" from Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000)
20. Linkin Park - "One Step Closer" from Hybrid Theory (2000) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
21. Slipknot - "The Dying Song (Time to Sing)" from The End, So Far (2022)
22. Mushroomhead - "Kill Tomorrow" from XIII (2003) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
23. Nonpoint - "Bullet With a Name" from To the Pain (2005)
24. Machine Head - "From This Day" from The Burning Red (1999)
25. Infectious Grooves - "Violent & Funky" from Groove Family Cyco (1994)
26. Faith No More - "Epic" from The Real Thing (1989)
27. Living Colour - "Cult of Personality" from Vivid (1988)
28. Primus - "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" from Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991)
29. Nuclear Rabbit - "Secretly Meaty" from Vicuna (1997)
30. Anthrax - "I'm the Man" from I'm the Man (1987)
31. Rage Against the Machine - "Wake Up" from Rage Against the Machine (1992)
32. Godsmack - "Lighting Up the Sky" from Lighting Up the Sky (2023)
June 2023
1. VOLA – Alien Shivers (2018) (49)
2. Scar Symmetry – Chrononautilus (2023) (6)
3. Azusa – Iniquitous Spiritual Praxis (2018)
4. Queensryche – The Mission (1988) (20)
5. Oceill – Course Bottom (2023) (7)
6. Burst – I Hold Vertigo (2008)
7. DVNE – Court of the Matriarch (2021) (19)
8. Evergrey – I’m Sorry (2003)
9. Slugdge – Crop Killer (2018) (36)
10. The Ocean – Unconformities (2023) (22)
11. An Abstract Illusion – In The Heavens Above, You Will Become a Monster (2022) (12)
12. In The Woods… - The Cave of Dreams (2016)
13. öOoOoOoOoOo – No Guts = No Masters (2016) (18)
14. Arjen Lucassen’s Supersonic Revolution – Odyssey (2023) (5)
15. Ne Obliviscaris – Misericorde II – Anatomy of Quiescence (2023)
16. Animals As Leaders – Arithmophobia (2016) (10)
17. Kardashev – Snow-Sleep (2020) (18)
18. Avenged Sevenfold – We Love You (2023) (37)
June 2023
1. Wheel – Tyrant (2019)
2. Breaking Benjamin – Red Cold River (2018)
3. Sleep Token – Euclid (2023)
4. Slipknot – Disasterpiece (2001)
5. Coldrain – Bloody Power Fame (2022)
6. Nonpoint – Divided… Conquer Them (2016)
7. Device – Vilify (2013)
8. Evanescence – Haunted (2003)
9. Puya – Ride (2001)
10. System of a Down – Streamline (2002)
11. Five Finger Death Punch – If I Fall (2011)
12. Of Mice & Men – Unbreakable (2018)
13. Yakui The Maid – Amyloidosis#2 (2016)
14. I Prevail – Bow Down (2019)
15. My Ruin – Silverlake (2008)
16. Lacuna Coil – Sword of Anger (2019)
17. Escape the Fate – Gorgeous Nightmare (2010)
18. New Years Day – Relentless (2015)
19. Parkway Drive – Shadow Boxing (2018)
20. Ektomorf – Ten Plagues (2014)
Here's my review summary:
It's interesting how the creators of the first side of Napalm Death's Scum, known as the founding album of grindcore, would go on to make their own industrial metal acts. Justin Broadrick would focus on Godflesh, and Mick Harris and Nick Bullen would create... SCORN. The debut album from this project fits well at home in the Earache label. Although Vae Solis mostly shows its industrial direction, there are slight traces of thrashy death metal that Harris was moving away from for the project. This is heard vocally from Bullen's growls though they're not too far from Broadrick's vocals. Also giving the album a Godflesh vibe is the guitar contributions from Broadrick. However, most of what happens in the album is strong spacey ambience with occasional reverb within the metal. The tracks can range from fast and thrashy to slow and doomy. While the guitars and percussion are worth hearing, Bullen's vocals are what stand out in the original tracks, ranging from direct singing to deathly snarls. I would've given the album a higher rating if I was only rating the LP edition, which is filled with decently solid industrial metal that can sometimes be brutal or ambient....
3/5
I haven't updated my top metal releases by year list in a few months, and I think this thread is a good one to continue updating, so here's my updated list:
Beginning oldies (1984-1989)/B.M. (Before Metalcore):
1984: Voivod - War and Pain
1985: Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
1986: Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
1987: Voivod - Killing Technology
1988: Sadus - Illusions
1989: Godflesh - Streetcleaner
Old golden classics and millennium transition highlights (1990-2001)/Metalcore's humble beginnings and light of day-seeing classics:
1990: Rorschach - Remain Sedate
1991: Old - Lo Flux Tube
1992: Sadus - A Vision of Misery
1993: Old - The Musical Dimensions of Sleastak
1994: Amorphis - Tales from the Thousand Lakes
1995: Fear Factory - Demanufacture
1996: Red Harvest - HyBreed
1997: Waltari - Space Avenue
1998: Embodyment - Embrace the Eternal
1999: Botch - We Are The Romans
2000: Extol - Undeceived
2001: Candiria - 300 Percent Density
Modern favorites (2002-2013)/Rise of the full Revolution:
2002: Killswitch Engage - Alive or Just Breathing
2003: Animosity - Shut It Down
2004: ISIS – Panopticon
2005: Trivium - Ascendancy
2006: Dog Fashion Disco - Adultery
2007: Dethklok - The Dethalbum
2008: In This Moment - The Dream
2009: Vektor - Black Future
2010: Whitechapel - A New Era of Corruption
2011: Trivium - In Waves
2012: Bury Tomorrow - The Union of Crowns
2013: Dethklok - The Doomstar Requiem: A Klok Opera
The best of the most recent (2014-present)/A greater new uprising:
2014: The Acacia Strain - Coma Witch
2015: Amorphis - Under the Red Cloud
2016: Insomnium - Winter's Gate
2017: Brendon Small - II: Become the Storm
2018: Amorphis - Queen of Time
2019: Northlane - Alien
2020: Code Orange - Underneath
2021: Trivium - In the Court of the Dragon
2022: Lorna Shore - Pain Remains
2023 so far: Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current
2023 albums I'm looking forward to getting:
Will Haven - VII
Freedom Call - The M.E.T.A.L. Fest (live album) (self-recommendation to get back in touch with this power metal band I used to like)
Voivod - Morgöth Tales
Dethklok - Dethalbum IV/Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar
The Word Alive - Hard Rest
Polaris - Fatalism
Sylosis - A Sign of Things to Come (self-recommendation)
Bring Me the Horizon - Post Human: Nex Gen
RIP Polaris guitarist Ryan Siew. A young fellow responsible for the band's melodic hooks in his guitar leads, gone too soon. And just over two months away from the release of their next album Fatalism...
Although I enjoy this comeback for both this band and my motivation to dive into doom metal/death-doom, it's this standout that as upbeat as the mid-90s albums of Katatonia and Amorphis that really hits the spot. I know, it's just my speed-enjoying self talking.
An abrasive standout from Godflesh's comeback of industrial metal purity:
RIP Dark Angel guitarist Jim Durkin. Though he's gone from this world now, the wicked thrash material he's made with Dark Angel shall rise in our hearts.
Just over 3 months later, another Dark Angel member has left this world. Lee Rauch, one of a few drummers the band had before the legendary Gene Hoglan. Rauch was also known for contributing to Megadeth's Last Rites demo. RIP
While we're on this topic, I found this Metal Trenches video. Have you guys heard of any of the albums mentioned in this video, and do you think some of them have a metal-like vibe? Personally the only one of these releases I'm familiar with is The Prodigy's The Fat of the Land, via the single "Firestarter" which, despite being a rave track, also has that upbeat energy and dark atmosphere similar to the metal that I like.
I used to listen to epic trailer music company Two Steps From Hell. Most of their tracks aren't metal, but they often have that upbeat energy and occasional dark atmosphere similar to the metal that I like.
Ben, please add the new Mental Cruelty album Zwielicht.
A modern revival of crossover thrash, the way it should really sound:
The band from the Metalocalypse realm has returned with their first single in over a decade! Dethklok fans, look out for the next Dethalbum and their upcoming Metalocalypse special Army of the Doomstar.
Thanks, Morpheus! The robotics class is just a separate thing, and it's only just basic robot building and programming, rather than complex engineering.
It's been 3 months since one of us shared what's been going on in our lives, and what better way to turn this thread back on than with a special announcement involving some big stuff happening in my life? Starting from June 26, I'll be having a lot of work going on every day for 3 months:
Monday and Tuesday: college course
Wednesday and Thursday: work internship
Friday: robotics class
Saturday and Sunday: writing and drawing my next book
Because of how super busy I'm gonna be during that 3-month period, I won't be able to contribute to a lot of the major activities in Metal Academy and will have to take a hiatus from them. So I asked Daniel to cross me out of the feature releases poster, and asked someone else to work on The Revolution playlists. You'll find out who it is when he posts the thread for his first Revolution playlist in the beginning of August (unless he would like me to reveal who it is early, to which I'll just edit this comment). Don't worry, I'll still submit some tracks in the playlist suggestion threads so he won't have to do it all on his own when doing The Revolution playlists. However, I think I have time to squeeze in working on The Sphere playlists during those 3 months. They're easier for me to do than the playlists for other clans because there are only two subgenres in the clan (industrial metal and cyber metal, now I consider Neue Deutsche Härte as part of conventional industrial metal instead of its own subgenre), and since I seem to be the only active Metal Academy member familiar with The Sphere, I don't wanna have to put the Sphere playlists to a halt. Anyway, while I'll be less active in the forums and ratings, I might still do the occasional forum post, rating, and review. So it's basically gonna be a semi-hiatus for me. It's only the feature release submissions and Revolution playlists I can't do during then. So once again, during those 3 months, I'll be less active in the forums and ratings and won't be able to do feature release submissions and Revolution playlists, but I can still do track submissions in the playlist suggestion threads and full Sphere playlists. Wish me luck as I approach these super busy times!
Ben, please add the new Saturnus album The Storm Within.
Ben, please add the New Godflesh album Purge.
OK, thanks Daniel.
The killer second single by Enda Vinera, still having that epic Lorna Shore vibe while more originally written:
Yes Daniel, but the tracks often favor one genre over the other. Here are a few of the tracks that are mainly heavy/power metal-based symphonic metal (which, looking back at now, also makes me think of a darker Trans-Siberian Orchestra):
And here are a few of the tracks that focus on melodic/symphonic death metal, whether in the instrumentation or entirely:
Getting back into more of the melodeath zone, here are a couple highlights from bands I've discovered, including one of the most melancholic melodeath bands from Finland besides Insomnium:
And a virtual band from the Adult Swim program Metalocalypse:
Some more metalcore bands I now enjoy thanks to what I discovered when assembling the Revolution playlists and listening to the Gateway playlists:
Ben, please add the new Omnium Gatherum EP Slasher.
Ben, please add the new In This Moment EP Blood 1983.
Here are my top 10 feature release discoveries, mostly centered around my main clans:
1. Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)
2. Gaza - I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die (2006)
3. Rosetta - The Galilean Satellites (2005)
4. Godflesh - Godflesh (1988)
5. Dir En Grey - Uroboros (2008)
6. Skycamefalling - 10.21 (2000)
7. Karnivool - Themata (2005)
8. Old - The Musical Dimensions of Sleastak (1993)
9. The Chariot - Long Live (2010)
10. Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current (2023)
THE FALLEN: Hexer - "Cosmic Doom Ritual" (2017) 3/5
THE GATEWAY: Katatonia - "Sky Void of Stars" (2023) 4.5/5
THE INFINITE: Dødheimsgard - "Black Medium Current" (2023) 5/5
THE SPHERE: Strapping Young Lad - "Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing" (1995) 4/5
This month went quite well for most of my clans. My Gateway and Sphere nominations are pretty solid albums that I would recommend to fans of their respective genres. That Dødheimsgard album is a perfect discovery (thanks Xephyr!). I like a good amount of that Hexer album, though some issues could've been sorted out for more than the 3-star rating I've given it. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...
A prime example of psychedelic progressive black metal:
I've done my review, here's its summary:
I was also late for the Dodheimsgard party. I've never heard of this band until just a couple weeks ago when I discovered their earlier masterpiece 666 International during my ongoing industrial metal exploration. And now I get to check out their latest album that's as fantastic as their earlier pinnacle! Since the aforementioned 666 International, these Norwegian progressive black/avant-garde metal masters have an 8-year interval between releases. I don't know if that's intentional, but the wait was worth it for longtime DHG fans with Black Medium Current! The band was formed in the 90s as part of Norway's black metal scene, then they took on a more progressive/avant-garde direction. Their determination to keep going has resulted in a successfully written album to give you the best of their recent times. With an epic blend of clean and harsh vocals, soft and heavy guitar, and some stellar synths, all this definitely makes many of the tracks worthwhile. With that, Black Medium Current is another grand magical experience from this band. The psychedelic synth moments are good for anyone up for DHG and any other progressive black/avant-garde metal band. My curious mind can certainly get the best rewards!
5/5
It's mostly in the last track, "Black Lava Flow". It seems to me that the atmospheric steam that has leveled up the album is lost, and therefore doesn't reach the earlier intensity.
I've given Cosmic Doom Ritual some listening and a review. The album is certainly post-sludge, but with its doomy atmosphere, it leans much closer to The Fallen than bands like Neurosis and Isis. It made me realize that post-sludge might have some Fallen potential alongside its strength in The Infinite. It wouldn't seem right for this album to have The Infinite as its sole clan, so it's quite a tough call. Also it might be possible for there to be a post-black metal subgenre. A few other albums I've reviewed, each from one of these bands; Agalloch, Alcest, Deafheaven, and Oranssi Pazuzu, make a seamless blend of post-metal and black metal with its immense ambience and broad experimentation. Of course, Alcest and Deafheaven have the more appropriate subgenre label of blackgaze. I'm not sure though, I'm never really a black metal connoisseur. Any thoughts all?
I've done my review, here's its summary:
What's expected in one of those "post-" genres is the immense atmosphere. It helps you live through the enjoyment of such a journey. Cosmic Doom Ritual is a title that may sound simple yet promising in the dreamy atmosphere. It also sums up what you might find in this offering; the cosmic ambience of Darkspace, the sludgy doom of early Isis, and the post-metal ritual of Neurosis, all combined into a savory space-doomy post-sludge sound... Cosmic Doom Ritual is the debut album by Hexer (whose band name appears to be inspired by The Witcher franchise). The band has projected their sound through the conceptual tale of a giant sea creature devouring its prey. They can really make a story similar to a Mastodon or Ahab album with a cosmic twist. There are 3 tracks, each with an average length of 12 minutes, all in good alternation with the post-rock melancholy. The vocals remind me of Godflesh and, to a lesser extent, Napalm Death. The melody has created an interesting soundscape. However, the tedious production, especially in the last track, is why I don't find it as awesome as the doomy metalheads would. Still the immense atmosphere has kept the band growing....
3/5
It's very unusual for The Ocean to actually have a qualifying song here, but its repetitive structure makes this a skippable stinker, and you wonder if this is the same band:
On second thought, this cover of a pop song my brother and I have known since before we started our rock/metal interests is a total standout that has blown my mind with how a rock cover is meant to be done:
Ben, please add Skynd.
A standout from another one of my brother's favorite alt-metal bands. My review for this album coming soon...
1. Gateway playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: 12)
2. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 18)
3. Revolution playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 30)
4. Sphere playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 28)
For the clans I've made the monthly playlists for, along with the one for the Infinite, I've listened to the entire playlists! I'm grateful to Saxy and Daniel for their playlist works. I really dig the tracks I've reviewed in the Gateway playlist made by Saxy, and I'm glad all those other playlists I've reviewed paid off. I recommend them to any fan of the clans' respective genres and anyone who isn't into those genres but wants to get into a great start in enjoying them. Thanks, Daniel, for accepting these playlists, and good work all! Also, all the best with overcoming your struggles, Saxy, and see you next month or two!
This 13-minute 3-part suite is epic, though not as glorious as Lorna Shore's Pain Remains suite:
A true industrial metal swansong from Devin Townsend's heavier band:
A massive war anthem of extreme industrial metal:
One of the heaviest songs I've heard in my life, arguably heavier than most death/thrash metal: