Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

My thoughts on some tracks (including my suggested ones):

Moonspell – “The Hermit Saints” (from “Hermitage”, 2021)

4/5. The prog-ish gothic metal foundation is laid for, one of the heaviest, most bombastic songs Moonspell has done recently in their new album Hermitage. That's probably the best example of Pink Floyd meets Paradise Lost!

Divide & Dissolve – “We Are Really Worried About You” (from “Gas Lit”, 2021)

4.5/5. I have a few things to say about this fresh drone doom composition. It's quite and unforgettable track to listen to, with bulldozing guitar fuzz crawling and crushing everything in a path of blocked sunlight. It starts with an ambient illusion of lightness that fades into tiny harmonies that are steamrolled by massive doomy riffs and dense drums. The heaviness is helped out by the tempo changes. And the rest is spoken by the music...

KYPCK – “2017” (from “3epo”, 2016)

5/5. This doomy monster is also too awesome to put into words, so I'll let the music speak for itself.

My Dying Bride – “It Will Come” (from “Like Gods Of The Sun”, 1996)

4.5/5. Though it fits well as a separate doom song, it's almost a prelude to the big ambitious finale of its album Like Gods of the Sun (not including the album's orchestral outro). The ultra-unique guitars and sinister-sounding keyboards add to the oppressing doom mood with more of the elegant violin.

Black Sheep Wall – “Ren” (from “Songs For The Enamel Queen”, 2021)

3.5/5. This is a decent 10-minute epic, but I'm just not entirely into the whole avant-garde sludge style...

Cult Of Luna – “Leave Me Here” (from “Salvation”, 2004)

4.5/5. ...Except for post-sludge, of course! This one has a killer first verse, then it slows down for an amazing mellow beat going on for the next two minutes. Sometime during those two minutes, anyone expecting a buildup back to heaviness might be surprised that they didn't get it right away. The drums and vocal chants stop leaving the mellow riff there. Then the heaviness crashes in again. A lot of good unexpected parts can be found in the song, but it's all centered around a heavy changing riff.

Officium Triste – “Roses On My Grave” (from “The Pathway”, 2001)

4/5. Originally recorded in the two EPs before this album, the song begins fast then changes the tempo into heavy slowness. Quite a good opening song for its album The Pathway, and a good introductory song for newcomers.

Paradise Lost – “Medusa” (from “Medusa”, 2017)

4.5/5. Contemplative emptiness in crawling doom. Excellent suggestion, Ben!

Thanks Ben!

Thanks Ben!

Adding the Hardcore Punk tag would add plenty more to this site, but no, this isn't the Hardcore Academy, saxy. I'll just add your vote to the tab:

Metalcore: 0

Non-metal: 6

That Heccra track (please disregard the last 45 seconds of silence) doesn't sound as noise-ridden as the F***ing Werewolf track, but all I'm gonna say is, it's basically a short progressive punk track with video-game synths with no metal in sight. Also, with all this talk about that Horse the Band song being non-metal, looking back at it, I can hear that you're all right. Sure there are small bits of metal, but it's not enough to make a full metal song. So...

Metalcore: 0

Non-metal: 5

I think at this point, the Nintendocore subgenre becoming non-metal is inevitable. Daniel, please discuss with Ben before making our next move.

I did my review, here's its summary:

Throughout their 25-year active run (1989-2014), The Gathering had really made an odd sound evolution. They started in the early 90s as a death-doom band, but starting with their third album, they begin losing their extreme aspects, and by their fifth album, their metal sound is gone (similar to Anathema and Katatonia, but the latter would regain some metal elements later on). Even their extreme albums had this hard-to-describe weird spacey vibe. Perhaps it was the at first unusual mix of gothic metal and death metal; synthesizers and female singing put together with death metal riffs and growling. Feeling like moving away from death-doom, their second album, Almost a Dance was a full switch to cleaner gothic doom metal, which was fine except for the lead singer Neils Duffhues sounding like the REM singer if he was tone-deaf. Realizing how horrible he was at singing, they fired him and possibly the female vocalist Martine van Loon. It was then that they came to the conclusion that a female lead singer would sound much better than their earlier male vocalists and would make their atmospheric doom metal sound more uniquely fresh. Thus came Anneke van Giersbergen and their third album Mandylion! Sounds kinda odd but more in a unique fresh way instead of just weird. I'm not kidding about the weird parts of Mandylion. Like what's with the tiki head in the album cover, odd sounds such as mechanical breathing and synthesized doorbells, and the general unearthly atmosphere? Unusual, but I love it! I think this album might've inspired Anathema to move out of their death-doom style to the Dead Can Dance-esque dreamy darkwave-infused gothic metal next year in their third album Eternity. It's clear that Mandylion and Anathema's The Silent Enigma stand out as two of the best gothic doom metal albums in 1995, while the vocals are more inspired by Dead Can Dance singer Lisa Gerrard. A great inspiring gothic doom metal combination provided in 8 long yet super-interesting songs! Mandylion is often considered a gothic doom classic, recommended to explorers of ethereal atmosphere. Many modern bands have followed the brilliant path built by this album, even gothic rock band Fields of the Nephilim that later made their move to atmospheric melodic gothic rock/metal. Anyway, with clean female singing and haunting atmosphere, Mandylion is one of the most unique gothic doom releases ever!

5/5

Update due to Xephyr's vote:

Metalcore - 1

Non-metal - 4

Update on my list (I'll update when I listen to some more of the bands whose albums were recently recommended to me):

Late 1970s/1980s (classic oldies):

1978: Riot - Rock City (yes I know, everyone says the year is 1977, but I don't quite suspect that as its true release year, more info about that in this separate thread reply: https://metal.academy/forum/28/thread/362#topic_6048)

1979: Accept - Accept

1980: Accept - I'm a Rebel

1981: Accept - Breaker

1982: Accept - Restless and Wild

1983: Accept - Balls to the Wall

1984: Voivod - War and Pain

1985: Accept - Metal Heart

1986: Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory

1987: Voivod - Killing Technology

1988: Riot - Thundersteel

1989: Running Wild - Death or Glory

1990s (old-school but newer):

1990: Sanctuary - Into the Mirror Black

1991: Coroner - Mental Vortex

1992: Sadus - A Vision of Misery

1993: Katatonia - Dance of December Souls

1994: Running Wild - Black Hand Inn

1995: Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II

1996: Katatonia - Brave Murder Day

1997: Strapping Young Lad - City

1998: Meshuggah - Chaosphere

1999: Botch - We are the Romans

2000s (higher original quality):

2000: Isis - Celestial

2001: Dolorian - Dolorian

2002: Isis - Oceanic

2003: Lost Horizon - A Flame to the Ground Beneath

2004: Disillusion - Back to Times of Splendor

2005: Rosetta - The Galilean Satellites

2006: Persuader - When Eden Burns

2007: Annihilator - Metal

2008: Grand Magus - Iron Will

2009: Animals as Leaders - Animals as Leaders

2010s (new and improved):

2010: Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy

2011: Trivium - In Waves

2012: Woods of Ypres - Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light

2013: Bring Me the Horizon - Sempiternal

2014: Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel

2015: Bullet for My Valentine - Venom

2016: Vektor - Terminal Redux

2017: Enslaved - E

2018: Voivod - The Wake

2019: Grand Magus - Wolf God

2020s (the newest and greatest to make up for the worst of the world):

2020: Trivium - What the Dead Men Say

2021 (first half): Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 3

2021 albums I'm looking forward to getting:

Born of Osiris - Angel or Alien

Attila - Closure

High quality US power metal from New York with a symphonic edge. For fans of Manowar, Savatage & Jag Panzer.

A great part of an album that proves how conceptual metal operas work away from the progressive metal field and add to the epic vibe of power metal...

Brilliant mid-80's heavy/power metal from Florida USA for fans of Queensryche, Savatage & Virgin Steele.

I won't lie, this track shows how much the band has done to make Iron Maiden and Judas Priest proud and the potential to share those bands' reign in the 80s classic heavy metal scene. I also look forward to reviewing that Virgin Steele album a couple posts above...

Update due to Vinny's vote:

Metalcore - 1

Non-metal - 3

So now that there are 3 votes for Nintendocore to be non-metal as opposed to the one vote for the subgenre to be related to metalcore, what's next, Daniel? Shall we keep going until we get a greater amount of votes, or shall we close the Nintendocore experiment, prevent any more Nintendocore bands from being added to the site, and move on to my trancecore/trance-metal experiment?

A video I made to kind of advertise that video for anyone who hasn't heard of Agoraphobic News:

High quality progressive death/thrash from Leeds, England. For fans of Vektor, Voivod & Gorguts.

Sure is! But even though there are definitely death metal/Gorguts influences, I'm not quite too sure that their entire album sound is like that. Incoming judgement submission...

Ben, please add these non-metal releases in the middle of metal band's discographies to bridge the gap:

Eluveitie - Evocation I - The Arcane Dominion

Eluveitie - Evocation II - Pantheon

Machinae Supremacy - Jets 'n' Guns 2 (Original Game Soundtrack) (it IS metal, but I'd like that one added in as well please)

Theatre of Tragedy - Musique

Theatre of Tragedy - Assembly

Underoath - They're Only Chasing Safety

Underoath - Define the Great Line

I'm not sure if Ben could add Wardruna to the site, Vinny. Sure they're associated with metal because two of the members came from black metallers Gorgoroth, and a lot of metalheads enjoy this group, but Wardruna have always been ambient Nordic folk. And by the logic of tying their folk elements in with the North, a non-metal group like Two Steps From Hell could end up in The Guardians with its epic classical/choral sound. Sorry, Vinny, no Wardruna here... Hey that reminds me, have you all noticed that the cover art for their album Runaljod – Yggdrasil looks so similar to that of Woods of Ypres' The Green Album? It's a red symbol in a green leafy background! Here take a look:

Also thanks so much for starting this thread, Vinny! We can use this to request adding non-metal releases in the middle of metal band's discographies to bridge the gap. I'll start in the next post, since this one is getting a little too long...

Brilliantly brooding Florida heavy metal from the late 80's. For fans of Queensrÿche, Fates Warning & Savatage.

Indeed! The lyrics can be a bit cheesy sometimes, but seems like we both don't mind...

Early 2000's Swedish power metal for fans of Helloween, Gamma Ray & Blind Guardian.

Pure prog-ish Swedish power metal that can once again help re-ignite my earlier epic metal spark!

Going back to this topic, I'm glad to be in a metal community website (Metal Academy of course) where everyone respects each other's metal lifestyle preferences, unlike in this Pearls Before Swine comic parody (might offend those who are fully deaf):

Going back to this topic, here's a little something based on a Pearls Before Swine comic, when I realized the acronym DSBM sounds similar to a different inappropriate one:

I've already told you my hearing status in an earlier thread, but it bears repeating (and self-copying):

It is sad when your hearing is damaged and can't fully function anymore, but my hearing is actually still very good. Since my days of youth, not to brag but I'm pretty smart at figuring out the proper volume when listening to metal. I still can't stand things that are much louder than my computer at full maximum blast, like thunder which I'm still a bit scared of (don't laugh). Wearing earplugs when there's thunder and cleaning them every couple weeks is what prevents my ears from being deafened or infected. I'm really protective of my hearing and make sure they never get damaged because even though it's possible to listen to metal with damaged hearing, I fear that I might go deaf and never be able to enjoy metal again. Whenever I go out during the virus, not only do I wear a face mask but also big industrial earphones because I think ears are important to protect from the virus too.* Lol! Anyway, I've also had happy moments when listening to metal as an underage teenager, but those were my earlier epic melodic metal days and they're now long gone, though you guys helped me bring a bit of power metal back to my life. My current routine for my home days is filled with metal and a bit of writing. All of my metal is in my computer and a spare hard drive in case it breaks. My computer time is limited but sometimes I go a little overboard. I can't pay full attention when absorbing albums except in special occasions and when I have to, like when I'm writing reviews, so I just take what I think are the greatest hits from each album and just somehow be able to absorb them while playing Minecraft.

*(Hey people, ears are part of your face, they need protection too, if you don't want them to be infected! And while you're at it, please start calling the virus COVID-20, don't let the first year that did nothing take all the blame!!)

I included the unrelated Minecraft part as a reminder of a small Minecraft-related post I plan on doing soon. You may guess if you'd like, but what I write is what you'll get...

Here's my suggestion for the June Gateway playlist:

Disturbed - "Stricken" (from Ten Thousand Fists, 2005)

Chunky Swedish heavy metal for fans of Judas Priest, Manowar & Atlantean Kodex.

I love that one! Though its slowness doesn't stand out as well as the fast-paced songs in the album...

Intense metalcore from Liverpool-based alternative metalcore outfit Loathe. For fans of 36 Crazyfists, early Issues & the last couple of Northlane albums.

I checked out this track, and let me tell you, IT'S F***ING KILLER!! They have their own unique alt-metalcore style going on throughout the song, but the intro is a blast of Enslaved-like black metal, and the song ends with Deftones-ish soft ambience. I still look forward to giving the rest of this album a listen!

I plan on doing a review for this EP soon, and it would be the only Horde album review I would ever keep, you might understand why. RIP Alexi Laiho...

Instrumental progressive metal (that I feel like writing good lyrics for) for fans of Dream Theater, Dream Theater, and MORE Dream Theater!!

I was unsure about sharing the metalcore bands I've found last week because of one of the bands being a subject in our Nintendocore metal/non-metal experiment, but now it's in the site. Thanks Ben! So here they are, a few metalcore bands with electronic elements:

Here are my suggestions for June's Revolution playlist:

Amaranthe - "Amaranthine" (3:30) from Amaranthe (2011)

Born of Osiris - "Now Arise" (3:52) from A Higher Place (2009)

Bullet for My Valentine - "The End" (6:48) from The Poison (2005)

Converge - "Shingles" (4:13) from Petitioning the Empty Sky (1996)

Crossfaith - "Catastrophe" (3:32) from Ex Machina (2018)

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Fix Your Face" (2:41) from Ire Works (2007)

Loathe - "Heavy Is the Head That Falls with the Weight of a Thousand Thoughts" (4:18) from I Let It In and It Took Everything (2020)

Total length: 28:54

Here are my suggestions for June's Infinite playlist:

Enslaved - "Clouds" (6:09) from Vertebrae (2008)

Haken - "The Mind's Eye" (4:04) from Visions (2011)

Mastodon - "Once More 'Round the Sun" (2:58) from Once More 'Round the Sun (2014)

Ne Obliviscaris - "Pyrrhic" (9:50) from Citadel (2014)

Neurosis - "Crawl Back In" (6:52) from A Sun That Never Sets (2001)

Total length: 29:53

Here are my suggestions for June's Guardians playlist:

Angra - "Nothing to Say" (6:22) from Holy Land (1996)

Edenbridge - "Evermore" (3:48) from The Grand Design (2006)

Epica - "Storm the Sorrow" (5:12) from Requiem for the Indifferent (2012)

MaYaN - "Bite the Bullet" (5:19) from Quarterpast (2011)

Nevermore - "What Tomorrow Knows" (5:11) from Nevermore (1995)

Riot - "Thundersteel" (3:49) from Thundersteel (1988)

Total length: 29:41

Here are my suggestions for June's Fallen playlist:

Cult of Luna - "Leave Me Here" (7:15) from Salvation (2004)

KYPCK - "2017" (5:14) from Зеро (2016)

My Dying Bride - "It Will Come" (4:27) from Like Gods of the Sun (1996)

Officium Triste - "Roses on My Grave" (6:35) from The Pathway (2001)

Total length: 23:31