UnhinderedbyTalent's Forum Replies

I bought this album when it was released after being knocked out by their Preacher Man single and still have it to this day, along with the Preacher Man 12". It's been a while since I played it, but it's a pretty decent slab of 80's goth rock. Along with The Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, New Model Army and The Cult they made some of my favourite 80's rock and were where I turned when I fancied a change from thrashin' (or needed to give my neck a rest)!

Sort of only know most of these bands by name as opposed to having heard their music.  Playing The Mission "God's Own Medicine" now as getting a real penchant for this stuff at present.  Heard The Cult before, recall that "Electric" was in the pile of albums my older cousin let me borrow back when I first started to discover metal.  I am sensing the need to listen to less metal increasingly at the moment and so this seems like a convenient (if not relevant) avenue.

Fields of the Nephilim - "Danwrazor" (1987)

Not my usual bag until recently when I oddly discovered them after listening to Killing Joke.  Was not sold on the vocals initially but accept that they are perfect now for this style of music. 

Germany's Ravager caught my eye due to the frankly awful artwork (sorry Timon Kokott) that was only rivalled by the equally poor choice of title for their sophomore album. initially I had thought them to be South American but they are just five Germans with some awful concepts around art and marketing. Thankfully they play a frenzied style of thrash metal that reminds me of Exodus and the horrid packaging just not bear any resemblance to the musicianship on show.

Whilst most certainly not unique, Ravager are certainly passionate about what they do and give a fair old go to trying to capture that 80's thrash ethos as they largely race through nine tracks of average sounding thrash metal that strays just the right side of speed metal in places. They are not afraid to slow things down though and they can most certainly play their instruments. The longest track on here clocks in at just a shade under nine minutes and is probably a stretch too far for them overall as it does come off as a bit preachy. However, it does showcase some versatility in the bands ability and they do actually structure Slaughter of Innocents reasonably well. Pointing their criticisms firmly in the direction of politics and society at large the band also take their time to have a pop at war also. Oddly, for such a clearly sci-fi/horror driven band (in terms of their artwork at least) Thrashletics is lacking in these departments and so the album is less fun than I was hoping for given the cover art.

It most certainly is not flawless thrash metal and probably will not get much rotation at the Vinny Mansion but it does hold its own for forty minutes, sticking to a tempo and trajectory that it sets out from track two onwards (the opening track is a dull and pointless acoustic number). As I say, the fun element is a bit lacking for me and the album is strongest when they are just letting go a little more on tracks such as Pit Stop...Don't Stop in the Pit and Mindblender. Their more serious themed stuff can still rip though (see Kill For Nothing) but on the whole I just feel there is something lacking over the whole album to make it really standout.

3.5/5

Anyone who is a regular here at the Metal Academy will know that I am not always very positive about most of the content featured in The Sphere clan. Indeed, the very mention of Ministry makes me apoplectic, for example. All too often I find that the music of The Sphere is jumbled and done so just for the hell of it. My main problem with Ministry is that they seem to feel that the expression of their social, political, and cultural dissolution is fine to be exhibited with little care for structure beyond juvenile angst and reckless direction.

Thankfully not all music that dwells here in this industrial wasteland is terrible. Although arguably more than simple industrial in their content here, Killing Joke’s 2006 offering is an example of the rarefied atmosphere of genuinely captivating music within The Sphere. I recognise almost instantly this jumbled arrangement to all the tracks but here it feels more layered in approach as opposed to senseless piling of things on top of each other. The ability to combine many elements within a track (hell, even just a couple of different elements if they are disparate by way of comparison to each other) is not easy. Listening through to Invocation as I type this review just shows me what masters of this skill KJ are. The mechanical machinations of the track are balanced sublimely with those stabs of symphonia to create an imperious air to the proceedings here. That repetition is still there grinding away at the core of the track yet there is just enough variance in those symphonic elements and those tribal beats that roll through parts of the track to make this a real tour de force.

Switch to Walking with Gods just a few tracks later and we have a structure built on more industrial dance foundations that continually chops away at the listener. The invitation to “push yourself beyond the limits of human endurance” is made by a band who clearly practice what they preach with the relentless energy of this track. This does not always make for an easy listen with Hosanna from the Basements of Hell. The tracks are all varied enough in length, but it is the longer ones that really stand out for me, leaving the four- or five-minute ones a bit in their shade. That is not to say that the shorter tracks are bad, I just find I give them less attention overall.

The repetition is prevalent throughout and it serves as a constant tide almost to bring the music and me closer as the album goes along yet at the same time there are off-kilter rhythms (albeit very subtle), jangly alt-rock riffs and Jaz Coleman’s barking vocals that sound like a more accessible Lemmy to me in their style to keep me guessing where we are going next. Add to this odd sound effects that can sound like the squeaking wheels on a pram or deep and monstrous intakes of breath as well as the occasional maniacal laugh and this all adds up for one dizzying yet brilliant experience.

Whilst I get the sense that KJ do not really care if we like this eclectic “tension music” as I have heard the band describe their sound, they have put such clear effort into Hosanna from the Basements of Hell that it is hard for me not to be completely enamoured with it. It is an album that transposes the message of the artist with an ease that borders on being organic. It did not take many spins for me to feel in tune with this album and the ethos of Coleman and co soon bled through. As such it is one of a few records that I feel speaks to me and puts me at ease with its bonkers yet consistent methods of entertainment. In so many ways it is hard to describe yet in others it is so honest in its style it can appear quite basic at the same time. Extraordinary find for me.

4.5/5

Whilst no expert producer, nor a skilled musician myself there are two things likely to kill my enjoyment of an album in an instant. Poor production has its place in extreme music as we all know but clumsy and plain amateur efforts have no place anywhere (it’s not the eighties anymore folks) and Hellfekted (more on that later) just simply have no idea what they are doing with production. Horribly compressed to the point of it sounding like everything is being played through thick material, Woe to the Kingdom of Blood is over-burdened with a terrible production job from the second that promising intro stops.

Their sound is not that raw to justify them being able to get away with this and I hear little blackened style here beyond the vocals in all honesty. With clearly a limited repertoire of musical ideas and skills, Hellfekted become exposed very quickly with no sheen being to be applied to at least attempt to mirror their sloppy playing and predictable direction. Flitting between thrash metal and the occasional burst of NWOBHM the band seem to lurch around for the whole of the eight tracks on show. The bass which sits at the front most of the time soon loses its appeal and becomes grating and the horrible thocking of the drums just makes me want to claw my ear drums out.

Vocally there is not much to write home about either. The scathing attack soon becomes blunted along with everything else and as perhaps the most unaffected element in terms of that production job they really should carry this album a lot better than they do. I cannot help but feel that Hellfekted are just not ready for a full-length release yet and that they would be far better off sticking to an EP format, or even a split for the time being.

The band name is just nonsense and highlights the clear immaturity in the band. That artwork just contributes to this notion that the band are simply stretching themselves far beyond their capabilities and for a debut album they have probably done everything they should not have. Props for putting your own release out but I would suggest a lot more rehearsing and a lot of time on the road would help no ends here.

2.5/5

Saxy, Sonny, Vinny... do any of you guys feel up to sharing what each of you think are the 10 most essential songs in The Revolution?

Nothing from me.

Schizophrenia - "Recollections of the Insane" (2022)

The Belgian death/thrashers have returned triumphant in 2022 with their first full-length release. Coming back from the success of their Voices EP from 2020 was always going to be a challenge for the four-piece from Antwerp. The immediacy that was present on that five track release some two years ago does actually still remain somehow over the longer format. At the same time the band continue to show glimpses of expansion to their sound which is certainly leaning more towards the death metal part of the equation of their sound.

It is clear that with a rapid sense of maturity the band are now deploying almost progressive elements to their death metal lead work at least. The sprawling Sea of Sorrow showcases this really well and is a real standout moment just some three tracks into the album. Unafraid to stick with their more thrashy roots, tracks such as Monolith show that the guys are able to let rip in a more basic structure following their more established format. Recollections of the Insane probably qualifies better as memorable death metal that does not rely on overtly melodic delivery to stick to the old memory bank. The anthemic Inside the Walls of Madness is a fine example of anthemic metal that sacrifices nothing in the way of extremity yet leaves an accessible aftertaste in the mouth.

Schizophrenia - although rooted in the same death/thrash realm that Sepultura once inhabited - offer a different level of intensity to the Brazilians who's second full-length no doubt inspired the band name. I would describe the Belgian's sound as less heavy but a lot more racing and although I keep saying that they are more death metal than thrash there is always something inherently thrash about the attitude of almost every song they deliver here. Without necessarily straying into Sadus territory, Schizophrenia maintain that scathing attack to their sound and impose a tempo that befits a 90's heyday death metal band that started out as a thrash band before stretching their legs into the death metal world.

My only criticism is that whilst they are mostly definitely there, these moments of variety are so subtle that you really need to sit down to focus and catch them, which is not something I often do with death/thrash record in all honesty. No getting away from the fact that Schizophrenia are getting stronger with each release though.

4/5

Plummeting straight out of the ugly tree and hitting every branch on the way down, Bestial Warlust do not fuck around for one second of Blood & Valour. Despite their obvious ability to tear your face off, they do not rely on this capability alone to get their message across however. Time is taken to build some (loose) sense of structure on some tracks and yes, I grant you, these soon dissolve into furious blackened-death metal (or War Metal for some purists) that have little intention other than to be as loud and obnoxious as possible. The point is that even when they are not in full-tilt slaughter-mode Bestial Warlust can still scare the shit out of you.

Beyond just ticking boxes in the extreme world of metal, the Aussie three-piece create genuine torque in their music. Yes the horse-power on how fast they can go is impressive enough but the grunt that sits behind that speed is equally noteworthy. I would not say we ever reach warp-speed here and despite the production values the band deliver a clearly audible assault that carries rhythm the majority of the way. In a way it is an album that you only need occasional blasts of as it absolutely delivers with every play making it one of the most satisfying listens I could wish for.

 In terms of criticism, the instrumental track slapped bang in the middle of the album just feels showy and unnecessary. Without vocals, this level of extremity has its limits guys! I would have left that track out and just kept on with the more complete feel to the tracks. The album does feel a little disrupted by the instrumental track unfortunately, almost like it has to start again. I can cope with ugly but inconsistency is harder to swallow.

4/5

I have listened through angL on a few occasions this past week.  As Saxy calls out it is a lot like Opeth at the peak of their powers with Blackwater Park and whilst this is perhaps a back-handed complaint, it is important to point out as I feel it sacrifices a lot of the albums identity.  Not to say that this a clone of course as there is reference aplenty to Ishahn's genuine brilliance and enough Emperor call outs to keep the corpse-paint wearer in me satiated.  

Overall I find it a very succinct listen with the overall track structures sounding very compact despite them exploring some lengthy ground in the process.  I am not moved enough to add it to my listening rotation but it has served as a nice variation away from my regular listening patterns this week.

3.5/5

I had already called out similar to this in the Guardians version of this thread (both threads I am convinced are nonsense btw).  It's plagiarism of someone else's list right?  This other person has told you what they listen to and all of a sudden they are essential listens?

Hmm... Well if I give classic heavy metal a greater appearance in my list with new additions based on importance, here's what it would be:

1. DragonForce - "Through the Fire and Flames"

2. Judas Priest - "Breaking the Law"

3. Black Sabbath - "Children of the Grave"

4. Accept - "Fast as a Shark"

5. Iron Maiden - "The Trooper"

6. Savatage - "Hall of the Mountain King"

7. Iced Earth - "Dante's Inferno"

8. Kamelot - "Center of the Universe"

9. Riot - "Thundersteel"

10. Crimson Glory - "Valhalla"

So is that your true list Andi?  I mean until Sonny made a passing comment (which I believe was in jest) your list was quite different as you had identified that a specific category of the clan was your preferred list.  To me it just looks like you changed it because of what you may have perceived to be peer pressure?  Not saying that was Sonny's intent btw.

This is amazing Ben.  Thanks for sorting.

Glad you guys enjoyed it.  I do not have a lot to add to my existing review. I picked up on Vastum with their debut release back in 2011 and got to a point where I picked up most of what they put out right up until I heard Orificial Purge and just got bored by it really.  Hole Below was their last great release for me and I found Patricidal Lust a bit lacing in terms of comparison with the debut.  I toyed with dropping the debut as my featured release but I went for this in the end as a more modern reference.

I'm a big fan of all three albums, particularly The Desanctification. Didn't realise there was any sort of story behind them to be honest.

So, it might take me a few weeks to get all this correct but I have started my re-rating and reviewing of the whole trilogy tonight, beginning with Sect(s).

Blut Aus Nord’s “777” trilogy initially passed me by as being just “three more BAN records!” Foolish though my initial summary admittedly was there is no denying that taken as three sprawling soundscapes that explore the full dynamic range of one of black metal’s more experimental artists, this trilogy commands more than just a cursory listen. To truly unfold the ethereal and haunting and downright catastrophic tale they tell here requires time to be dedicated to the cause.

The theme (I suppose I could say the story at a push) behind the trilogy is essentially the death of mankind as we know it. Predictably perhaps, this does not happen in as simple a format as a nuclear war or even a deviant strain of some pandemic. BAN’s vision is much more terrible and is delivered with a real sense of there being a taunting applause reaching a steady crescendo, somewhere in the darkest corner of the universe.

Told in three parts, this macabre yet (increasingly) relevant scenario plays out with the upmost contempt for humanity that you can muster. Do not be fooled by the relatively tame artwork that adorns Sect(s). The bold silver and gold symbolism belies a cruelty without bounds. Capturing this vision of man being stripped of his belief systems, of his ideologies, of his very existence. Artist Daniel Valencia clearly understood the vision from his discussions with Vindsval. As the first third of the trilogy, Sect(s) sets out a bold undertaking in deconstructing the known foundations of life itself, pouring scorn on the selfish nature of humanity and assaulting the very principles of cultural, religious, and existential need.

“…there once was a star on which clever animals invented knowledge. That was the highest and most mendacious minute of 'world history' — yet only a minute. After nature had drawn a few breaths the star grew cold, and the clever animals had to die. One might invent such a fable and still not have illustrated sufficiently how wretched, how shadowy and flighty, how aimless and arbitrary, the human intellect appears in nature. There have been eternities when it did not exist; and when it is done for again, nothing will have happened.” Friedrich Nietzsche, On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense, (1873) – with thanks to Lurkersgrave.com for pointing me to this.

Nietzshce’s quote seems to be a perfect summary for the trajectory that Sect(s) starts us on for the rest of the “777” trilogy. It begins at a hopeless point of no return, without any reverse gear to select or handbrake to apply. This crude sense of humility that it flings the driver and all passengers head-first through the windshield and onto is the opening act of a series of events on an unimaginable scale.

To deliver all this BAN simply dip into their armoury of tormented chords and deviant rhythms that disorientate the listener. It is an album that you can lose all sense of narrative in and for once I have no issue with this – it is after all exactly how it was intended to be done. This is not supposed to be an easy listen. The tracks are all entitled “Epitome” followed by the relevant numerical order, but this order is against the values of the song writing of course and as such I find it has little traction.

By and large the more aggressive of the three albums, Sect(s) will appeal to the more traditional bm fan whilst also clearly setting a tone for the imaginative and the alien aspects of the style also. The opening track flies straight out of the traps leaving the listener in no doubt as to what they are in for. Niggling riffs flit about the place before the track breaks into a much more looming prospect. As with a lot of tracks on the album, BAN have this art of making riffs taunt one another. Like tormented serpents writhing in some biblical pit of reckoning; just as one thinks it has the better of another its opponent snaps its head away, prolonging the anguish of the game.

As we have come to expect with BAN, the album also has more than its fair share of ambient ludes/sections, often they appear when we least expect them, causing a sudden change of pace or tempo. These moments seem to just be placed to emphasise the misery of the unfolding story and can equally lead to melancholic melodies just as easily as they can charges of ferocious black metal. At the same time though there are arty rock moments that shimmer in their avant-garde nature, delivering a sense of maturity and total consciousness to the horrific subject matter. This is truly the beginning of the end, and the auditory assault will not let you forget that.

For an album that I hold in such high regard (now that I have taken time to listen properly to it over many spins) it is hard to find fault as so much of what goes on here only has value when explored in the context of the whole trilogy. As such there is very little wrong with Sect(s), despite its obvious deviance from the norms of extreme metal. For any first-time listeners – what the hell are you doing starting out here? Go and start at Ultima Thulee and build yourself up to this stage of the bands career. For the uninitiated, this is a hellish soundscape to comprehend. The undulation of the riffs, the constant subtlety of the drums that frustrates and compliments at the same time, finalised by vocals that you are never quite sure if they are there or not make for a dizzying experience. I have heard the word hypnotising applied to reviews of this album and I have to say that this sums my experience up perfectly. I am so in tune with the album that I can track the mesmerising dissonance that haunts the experience from start to finish. I look upon Sect(s) as being a collection of six rituals that defy linear narrative and yet are just as interesting and enthralling as any story, legend or myth you could care to think of.

4.5/5

April =

Killing Joke - "Invocation" (from "Hosannas from the Basements of Hell", 2006)

Mine for April =

Exodus - "Slipping into Madness" (from "Persona Non Grata", 2021) 05:33

Wraith - "Gatemaster" (from "Undo the Chains", 2021) 03:49

Hellripper - "All Hail the Goat" (from "Black Arts & Alchemy",  2019) 03:12

Ravager - "Dead Future" (from "Thrashletics", 2019) 06:34

Inhuman Nature - "The Hangman Draws Near" (from "Inhuman Nature", 2019) 04:02

Tymo - "Sanity Clause" (from "The Art of A Maniac", 2022) 02:54

Mortal Sin - "The Infantry Corps" (from "Face of Despair", 1987) 03:54

29:58 run time

My vinyl boxed set of Blut Aus Nord's 777 trilogy arrived today.  Complete with splatter effect vinyl, a turntable slipmat and multiple posters it is s et of albums I have been meaning to revisit for some time after initially giving them all a decidedly average 3 stars on the MA site originally.  Now I understand the story behind the series I am listening back through with a much clearer head now I understand the construct (and you really have to get the background to these albums to understand what the band are trying to achieve.

Whilst I cannot (and will not) pretend to like this, it is far less offensive than I first thought.  That album cover screams "bedroom project" and as such the overall structure and direction - or rather lack of it - plays to this impression.  I don't mind the inclusion of drum 'n bass elements.  In fact I would go as far as to say that they build rhythm quite well and compliment that endless rolling riff that plagues most of the album.

For an album that is not afraid to explore new realms though, it is surprisingly dull and one-dimensional.  The fact that it is all instrumental doesn't help either; with no vocals to focus on the music becomes centre stage and for me it is just not interesting enough.

1/5

That Spectral Wound album from last year was a banger.  Probably one of the most consistent bm releases of the year next to Mork.  Hard to not enjoy any track from A Diabolic Thirst.  Daniel has had a strong month with choosing that Mare Cognitum track.

Violet Cold are new to me although I have seen that Empire of Love album cover floating around.  This track is big on the melody in a typical blackgaze-fashion and is possibly a tad too melodic for my tastes.  It is listenable in an inoffensive way but not something that I have much requirement to revisit anytime soon.

Increasingly, I find I have to be in the mood for a sound such as Archgoat.  I did have a real War Metal phase for about 12 months or so when I got in Deiphago, so I do understand the merits of the sub-genre.  I just find myself looking for more depth in my bm nowadays and hence Archgoat are not appealing right now.  By comparison, Dark Forest are of interest with that eclectic mix of epic bm and some base, folk elements being applied to create quite a grand bashing affair.  Not keen on the vocals though as they steer the track towards viking metal which is not my preferred thing, got the head nodding though.

Vorga are a funny looking bunch if look at them on the internet.  Musically solid enough in a melodic/slightly atmo kind of a way.  Odium are previously unknown to me and I never really got overly excited about the symphonic side of bm but I will check out more of their stuff as they do seem to have a well established plethora of bm musicians in their ranks.

I do need to revisit that Leviathan album in all honesty as it has been a while, however that track reminds of what drew me to them in the first place.  That unnerving tension that they somehow manage to summon is really clear on this track.  My choice of Onirik was down to me revisiting the album and recognising what an incredibly interesting offering it is - so much so I bought the vinyl recently.  It is a densely layered album but one that rewards with repeated visits and is on long term rotation at present.

I do not believe that I have ever heard a Panopticon track I do not like and this one (at my first time of hearing) keeps up that consistency.  Aggressive and passionate throughout as always.  Have to confess to not being Anaal Nathrakh's biggest fan but this one got my interest out of its sheer relentless attitude alone.  There is nothing to say about Burzum that hasn't already been said.  One of the absolute classics.

Ninkharsag are a local band to where I live (Liverpool, UK) and I had been listening to The Dread March of Solemn Gods for a few weeks.  Melodic like Dissection as opposed to Sacramentum I think they hold a lot of promise.

By far the find of the list this month is Det eviga leendet.  I loved this with that swarming tremolo that cuts the very air around it (these guys have made it straight onto my Trello board to check out).  Festung were interesting also but got caught in the light of Det eviga leendet unfortunately.  All in all though a great playlist.

I will not be submitting any suggestions for April's playlist.

April:

Samael - "Son of Earth" (from "Ceremony of Opposites", 1994) 03:58

Wiegedood - "FN SCAR 16" (from "There's Always Blood at the End of the Road", 2022) 04:07

Young And In The Way - "Betrayed by Light" (from "When Life Comes To Death", 2014) 03:52

Kvaen - "The Wolves Throne" (from "The Funeral Pyre", 2020) 06:32

Total = 18:29

April:

Morbid Angel - "Garden of Disdain" (from "Kingdoms Disdained", 2017) 04:24

Ulcerate - "We Are Nil" (from "Everything is Fire", 2009) 05:41

Immolation - "Into Everlasting Fire" (from "Dawn of Possession", 1991) 05:15

Tribulation - "Sacreligious Darkness" (from "The Horror", 2009) 03:32

Earth Rot - "Towards A Godless Shrine" (from "Black Tides of Obscurity", 2020) 05:39

Aeon - "Aeons Black" (from "Aeons Black", 2012) 03:42

Total = 28:13

March 2022

01. Sonic Assault – “Coercive Augmentations” (from “Neon Lit Metropolis”, 2022)

02. Metallica – “Seek & Destroy” (from “Kill ‘Em All”, 1983) [Submitted by Sonny]

03. Living Death – “Rulers Must Come” (from “Metal Revolution”, 1985) [Submitted by Daniel]

04. Raunchy – “Digital Dreamer” (from “Vices.Virtues.Visions.”, 2014)

05. Schizophrenia – “Inside the Walls of Madness” (from “Recollections of the Insane”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

06. Extinction A.D. – “Mastic” (from “Culture of Violence”, 2022)

07. Kreator – “Hate Über Alles” (from “Hate Über Alles”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

08. Venom – “Powerdrive” (from “Possessed”, 1985) [Submitted by Daniel]

09. Midnight – “Szex Witchery” (from “Let There Be Witchery”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Sacrifizer – “Blackfire Wytch” (from “La Morte Triomphante”, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Sadus – “Twisted Face” (from “Chemical Exposure”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Holy Terror – “Blood of Saints” (from “Terror & Submission”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]

13. Hallows Eve – “Pleas of the Aged” (from “Death and Insanity”, 1986) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Dekapitator – “One Shot, One Kill” (from “We Will Destroy You…You Will Obey!!!”, 1999)

15. At War – “Ordered to Kill” (from “Ordered to Kill”,1986) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Cryptic Shift – “Planetary Hypnosis” (from “Visitations from Enceladus”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

17. Alien Weaponry – “Kai Tangata” (from “Tü”, 2018)

18. Biohazard – “Vengeance is Mine” (from “Reborn in Defiance”, 2012)

19. Austrian Death Machine– “Get to the Choppa” (from “Total Brutal”, 2008) [Submitted by Vinny]

20. Lawnmower Deth – “Satan’s Trampoline” (from “Oh Crikey It’s…”, 1990)

21. Hirax – “Demons Evil Forces” (from “Raging Violence”, 1985) [Submitted by Daniel]

22. Running Wild – “Marching to Die” (from “Branded and Exiled”, 1985) [Submitted by Daniel]

23. Witchburner – “Thrash Attack” (from “Blasphemic Assault”, 1998)

24. Destruction – “Release from Agony” (from “Release from Agony”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]

25. Cryptosis – “Death Technology” (from “Bionic Swarm”, 2021)

26. Détente– “Life is Pain” (from “Recognize No Authority”, 1986) [Submitted by Daniel]

27. Generation Kill – “Rat King” (from “MKultra”, 2022)

28. Suicidal Angels – “Capital of War” (from “Division of Blood”, 2016)

29. Slayer – “Seasons in the Abyss” (from “Seasons in the Abyss”, 1990)

As you all might know, I’m really trying to focus on developing a heavier modern taste in metal (metalcore, modern progressive metal, alternative metal recently, etc.), but some of you really like the epic power metal taste I used to have and have motivated me to revive it with more bands. I appreciate the sentiment, but my passion for power metal isn’t strong as it was at least 5 years ago and I want my modern side to be more dominant. Nevertheless, I find myself still listening to and enjoying some bands a lot, so it wouldn’t make sense to move away from it all during that strong point. So, here’s a good compromise: My time in heavy/power metal and The Guardians will continue, but I’ll get rid of some bands that are still in my playlist in the present and bands that used to be in the past because I truly haven’t listened to those bands as much as I wanted to in 6+ months since discovery (other than one or two reviews and track submissions for the monthly Spotify playlists), and in some cases, copyright issues when sharing those songs on YouTube. Not only that, it’s also to make space for more bands in the future. Anyway, here are the bands I will move away from next week:

Riot, Running Wild, Virgin Steele, Crimson Glory, Slough Feg, Lost Horizon, Bruce Dickinson, X Japan

There are also two more bands of a different genre I plan to move away from, but it would be a stunning surprise for you all if I say what those two bands are so soon, so maybe a day before my departure from listening to those other bands. Now, here are some more bands I will move away from next week, from my earlier epic metal taste:

Sabaton, Stratovarius, Alestorm, Edguy, Gloryhammer, Twilight Force, Elvenking, Edenbridge

Also, a few albums I reviewed from bands I don't listen to that was just part of a challenge will be gone as well. Don’t worry, like I said, I’m still staying in heavy/power metal and there will be more bands and activities related to The Guardians (including reviews, playlist track submissions, feature releases, etc.) in the future, but I’m just moving away from bands I’m not into anymore, effective next week, March 1. Farewell soon to those bands...

PS: I'm making a Spotify playlist of tracks from those bands and I will add in the link when it's ready.

PPS: I'm also stopping my 2-week break from The Revolution early, and a thread I'll post later will confirm that.

Can I ask you a question please Andi?

You seem to "plan" your listening habits a lot.  I am a person who has realised over time that the level of planning of my listening habits I had done of old actually led to me not enjoying music as much as I do when I just organically shift - "go with the flow" so to speak.  I might be reading your (multiple) declaration posts about leaving bands/genres behind and I am not trying to poke controversy but do you genuinely still enjoy any of the bands/genres that you are leaving behind?  If so, why leave them behind consciously?  Is the door open to you returning to them in the future?

So for example you say you want to "focus" on the more heavier side of metal.  Is there something that has led you to this or are you forcing a change? 

At the third attempt, my partner of some 15 years and I will be getting married in October.  I proposed back in 2019 in New York and we have had to move dates twice already because of COVID.  This is going to be my second marriage and her first with both of us well into our forties.  This means that I am currently spending most weekends at Wedding Fayres listening to sales people sell me things - as a sales person myself, this really is hard to digest for me, but needs must - as we try and get prepared ahead of October (providing Putin doesn't kill us all by then of course).  Today's fayre attendance saw me hire two casino tables and croupiers for the evening (no real money being used of course with there being kids around).  There's only two things left for me to sort, my suits and my stag do.  Nice and simple.

A weekend in Edinburgh should cover the stag do.  I am not letting my best man sort it because - good mate though he is - he is useless at life in general.  Can also see the suit fitting day ending up in a pub crawl around Liverpool - well would be rude not to, right?

I am no longer a number... I'm a free man!

So that's it, my last day of work completed and now I can get on with the rest of my life.

I'm free, free I tell you!!

Good man.  Been thinking a lot about how I could retire early via making some moves in investments but then we had a nuclear cock comparison contest and the world went to shit thanks to some maniac with a God complex and suddenly it feels the wrong time.

Ben, can you please add Ravager from Germany?

I have just been putting some tracks together for the March Fallen playlist and realised that this will be my fifth playlist now and I don't really have any idea how they are being received. I would like to be putting together playlists that A) do The Fallen justice and B) make people want to listen to them. To this end, I wonder if any of you who have listened to any of the four previous Fallen playlists could do me a bit of a solid and let me know if you have any thoughts. I would be particularly interested to know if you think that the genres covered are a good representation of the clan and if each of the eras are covered well enough. Also are the tracks too obscure, too popular or is there a decent ratio of familiar and unknown? Are there too many recent releases or not enough? As there are quite a lot of genres under the Fallen umbrella and it spans a lot of years it is difficult to know if the mix is right and actually compiling the lists makes it hard to look at them critically. I don't want to just produce lists I like myself, but I would like them to be a good advert for the site and for my favourite clan and be of some interest to fans other than myself, so if you could help I would appreciate it. Please be as honest as you can as I just want to improve the playlists and any feedback, negative as well as positive, is good. Anyway, cheers in advance.

I do not listen to the playlist Sonny out of a combination of this not being my preferred clan and also just out of sheer lack of time each month.  Logically, I should listen to this ahead of straying into the Revolution or Sphere playlists as I sometimes do.

Hi Ben, I thought we had it in this thread about the time it takes to get to the home screen to login but I can't see it now.  If I go for the home page of the site it takes a shade over 20 seconds to load, then I input my login details and that's approx another 10 or 15 seconds before I am logged in.  All in all it takes nearly 35 seconds to access and log into the Metal Academy - that's a long time in this age of immediacy.  I would say that it could be one the reasons for the low uptake on the site.  I mean we all know it is worth the wait but not everyone else has that insider knowledge.

To get around this I usually access the Forums page and that is virtually instant in coming up as it avoids the home page and everything that loads up with it.  If I want to check out the latest reviews are recently added bands though I still have to go to the homepage.

Any plans to improve this performance issue this year?

Having read the reviews of this to date I find myself in the bizarre scenario where I am defending what is deemed to be a power metal album. Perhaps the least power metal favouring member of The Guardians is the one left with only good things to say about Hammer King’s fourth full-length. Joking aside, this distinction is important. I have no vast armoury of power metal albums to be drawing comparison to, no years of listening to the likes of Hammerfall, Rhapsody etc to have to feel any sense of (over) familiarity. Plus, I do not think this is a pure power metal album either.

I have already made my feelings clear on the usual lack of power in most power metal. As such, if I find an album labelled as thus that has some ‘oomph’ behind it then it is more than halfway there to a positive response. Hammer King have that ‘oomph’ to them and what I get on the album is hi-octane metal with just enough cheese to remind me that this is a power metal influenced album. If I gave a shit about classification/sub-genres/boxes/pigeon-holes I would say this is more heavy metal than power metal.

Now, clearly it is not perfect (the rating is not a five as you can see) but to be honest, I don’t care. I cannot wax lyrical about the album. In simple terms, it is fast, it is heavy and it is memorable and that is enough. There would not be any Grammy nominations for song writing; no masterclasses in performance are delivered here folks. As the album artwork suggests, the album is here to just look impressive and then go home, which is exactly what happens.

Nobody is exceptional on their instrument. Everyone just turns up and puts a solid shift in and a result I do not have to decipher anything or focus on some story I am being told. Instead, I can just nod along appreciatively and then get on with my day with a positive mentality. Hammer King feels good and sometimes that is all that counts. Choruses ring around my head for hours after listening to it and the teenager in me can look at the album artwork all day long.

3.5/5

Let me start off by noting there is promise here. That promise is not fully recognised though. There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, although they complement the intense riffing and drumming, I do not find much about the vocals that pleases me. Adopting a throaty gruffness that lacks any of the shrieking tendencies of a Joey Belladonna, whilst being a good bedfellow for the music, makes for a largely flat outing over ten tracks (two of the twelve on the album are instrumentals) and the album for me is rescued by the excellent guitar riffing and lead work. The drumming acts as a solid constant backdrop to the album. Whilst not technically outstanding, it is memorable for its consistency if nothing else.

Secondly, the elements of variation (including those pointless death metal growls) are not frequent enough to make the album all that interesting. The groovy riff to Torn Between Two Worlds is soon lost in the all too familiar intensity of the main thrash sound of the album and as such the album never fully explores these nuances in sound beyond more than fleeting dashes of difference. In some ways it is its own worst enemy for trying to stay so true to what it sets out to do.

A younger me might gloss over this and simply admire the record for its doggedness and determination. The fact is though that I just find this album as being more of a lost opportunity and one that just never truly embraces its own potential. Nothing sticks with me much barring the piano instrumental that closes proceedings which I am nearly sure is not what Allegiance intended.

3.5/5

Not anywhere near familiar enough with deathcore to even rate this let alone review it.  Having read Daniel and Saxy's comments above I can see how this can be viewed as generic, in fact I find it devoid of much life full stop in all honesty.  The opening track sets out the stall for most of what follows and whilst I do not enjoy it as such I can see how people would find comfort and safety from this album.  The groovy breakdowns add memorability and predictability in equal amounts.

I do not think I can go as far as to say that I am entertained for the most part - again I am not a frequent visitor to deathcore to be able to say that I look to it for pretty much anything - but my curiosity has hardly left me repulsed either, just a bit bored.

I am afraid we went too power metal here again for my tastes.  I am not even happy with my own choices this month on reflection, although I note my Helstar choice got swapped out for something else?

Sorry Andi, but that Dragonforce track is awful.  I mean the original is contrived enough but they somehow manage to heap more cheese on it.

Absolute winner putting that Judas Priest track in though, and Pagan Altar are always a great choice.

Hi Ben,

Can you please add the latest release by Schizophrenia - "Recollections of the Insane"?

I am throwing in for March:

Cryptic Shift - "Planetary Hypnosis" (from "Visitations from Enceladus", 2020) 05:30

Voivod - "Tornado" (from "Killing Technology", 1987) 06:03

Sacrifizer - "Blackfire Wytch" (from "La Morte Triomphante", 2019) 02:47

Midnight - "Szex Witchery" (from "Let There Be Witchery", 2022) 04:00

Schizophrenia - "Inside the Walls of Madness" (from "Recollections of the Insane", 2022) 04:39

Kreator - "Hate Uber Alles" (from "Hate Uber Alles", 2022) 03:49

Austrian Death Machine - "Get to the Choppa" (from "Total Brutal", 2008) 02:47

Total time = 29:35

Hi Ben, apologies if I've missed it, but do you have any suggestions for the March playlist as I have started knocking it together and would like to complete it at the weekend.

Likewise for yourself Sonny for The Pit.

Chevelle - "Niratias" (2021)

Listening to the Chevelle featured record this month got me curious as to whether anything else holds interest with me in their discography.  Been playing this for a couple of days as a result of my exploration.  Too early for a rating even let alone a rare Gateway clan review from me, but certainly enjoying more than the featured album.

March =

Author & Punisher - "Incinerator" (from "Krüller", 2022)

So, I've finally decided to get out of the rat race. Been giving it a lot of thought for a while now and then I got into a blazing row with my boss on Wednesday and thought "Fuck it, I've had enough of this shit" and put my notice in today. Gonna give early retirement a chance and see how it goes. Looking forward to it now!

Good luck with that.  Think how many albums you can listen to and review now!

I find this to be completely inoffensive overall yet an incredibly front-loaded album.  By the time track five rolls around i have heard the repertoire of Chevelle end to end I feel.  Not a band i can say i am familiar with but also one that i feel I know well enough due to the already mentioned similarities to Tool and Deftones.  I get some of that blunt Helmet riffage also.  As I say the first five tracks are more than sufficient for me (with the possible exception of the overtly whiny Send the Pain Below which I can easily do without).

3/5

Think Marduk, Gorgoroth or even 1349 and you are about as bang on as you can get with understanding the sound of Endstille. This does not mean that the album is one dimensional and just all about the face-peeling velocity of proceedings. There is variety here folks but I sense that if you listen to conventional bm then you do not necessarily search for minutiae in your music and Endstille spare you the bother of having to contend with wild variations on a well established theme. Bits of black 'n' roll appear here and there - Bloody H (The Hurt-Gene) - but we get our fair share of ritualistic depravity on the likes of The Deepest Place On Earth which is where those 1349 and Gorgoroth comparisons really start to take root.

The only real surprise here is the inclusion of a ten minute + closing track which seems to go against the grain of the whole album in terms of structure. Its repetition and refusal to give respite adds a new level of grimness to the record overall and although I do not think it fits all that well it by no means ruins anything. Taken as a whole record there is not a lot to dislike in reality; it does the basics well - if not to death on occasion. It is not a remarkable release by any means though. It sticks to a formula and allows for slight diversions away from that blueprint to keep things interesting, but it never reaches any real climaxes or crescendos to deliver any real standout points. As entertaining as it is, it is hard for me to place the marks any higher than this in reality.

3.5/5

Yeah, the nostalgic edge to Nekromantheon's sound harks back to Morbid Saint, Dark Angel, (early) Slayer and there is also a hint of Possessed also.  It is an album that makes no apologies for wearing it's influences on its sleeves.  Cryptosis deserve some credit for essentially reinventing themselves (not technically a debut Xeph, they have been around since 2013 as Distillator - a much less progressive guise) and nailing it first time.  

March =

Onirik - "Melodies of Reflection and Praise" (from "The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity", 2020) 07:31

Ninkharsag - "The Necromanteion"  (from "The Dread March of Solemn Gods", 2021) 05:09

Sargeist - "Black Fucking Murder" (from "Satanic Black Devotion", 2003) 06:04

Mütiilation - "Under Ardailles Night" (from "Vampires of Black Imperial Blood", 1995) 04:23

Run time = 23:07

I have only just realised that it is limited to 20 mins so please drop Mütiilation of my list.  Apologies.

My takes from this list are, Mystras, Funeral Mist (know them but not heard much recent output from them), Nameless Mist and Wiegedood who I also know but I am used to them sounding more aggressive than that frankly weird sounding track of undulating tremolos.

Didn't mind that Funeral Mist, at the same time I wasn't instantly blown away by it either.

In being a lazy bastard tonight I could not be bothered getting up off my fat arse to put the CD in the player over the other side of the room and so I listened to the digital remastered version online and they have absolutely killed all life in this version.  The guitars sound horrible and the whole tempo seems to have been made jangly.  Awful!  Why do they do this with perfectly fine records?  Just reissue the original for goodness sake.

I own this on CD and have hammered the track Face of Melinda about a million times.  A couple of my non-resident clans are throwing up some interesting feature releases this month, will pull together some thoughts on this at some point.

I always forget that I have a penchant for funeral doom every now and again.  I really do have to be in the mood for it though and when I discovered Bell Witch one week when I was working away and living in a hotel it really struck a chord with me, hence it seems to be a genre that only really appeals in a certain mindset or scenario.  I have heard this release before but it was some years ago and was also just a singular listen so my first re-spin this week still feels like I am coming to this new.  May even stretch myself to a rare Fallen review later this month after a few more listens.

Not feeling as much of the heavy/power metal vibe as much as I used to, so these submissions might be my last for now. Will explain more about it later.

It's interesting to hear you say that Andi because your ratings don't reflect that at all. In fact they indicate the exact opposite. If we look at all of your The Guardians related ratings since October 2021 they average a score of 4.54/5 across 14 releases which is a phenomenally high result. There wouldn't be another member that could compete with that across any clan actually. I don't mean to overstep my welcome but do you think that your tendency to commit to rating/reviewing every release in a band's back catalogue is contributing to your drop in enthusiasm given the large commitment that takes? I would think it would certainly make it a challenge to come up with fresh playlist ideas. I know when I've been too scripted about my listening habits I've started to feel boxed in & the best thing to do has been to just listen to whatever the hell I feel like for a while & all of a sudden music just seems a whole bunch more fun again. Variety is the spice of life after all. Feel free to tell me fuck right off though of course. Sometimes I well & truly disserve it. 

I echo the 'boxed in' sentiment and I have certainly felt like this in recent months to the point where I no longer plan any listening.  Yes, I will run through the features here but I am learning to live a little better with silence so far this year.  I can drive somewhere in silence if I want, I do not have to have music on in my office / lair every time I go in there.  I have been at this for over 30 years and so burnout is inevitable.

This is unfortunately a little lost on me.  I won't pretend to be big on my knowledge of progressive death metal (even though in this scenario I would perhaps argue there is more to Throes of Absolution than simply either of those two tags) but I find this album shares a lot of the challenges I have with the sub-genre.  I kind of know what to expect here and whilst I do not know the order of proceedings to class the record as being predictable, it does do exactly what I expect it to overall.  The combined power of the elements, whilst strong in terms of immediate impact, fail to set down any roots for me.  Whilst I absolutely get that it is supposed to shift and morph and that the synergy of parts is not destined to deliver obvious structures, it just sounds blunt in the main.  It sounds like the true bite of death metal gets sacrificed for the progressive elements.

There is no denying the power of those leads though.  Rich and melodious to the point of being a real indulgence, they are by far the most memorable and positive experience I take away from the album.  The core elements of the older sounds of the band are still obvious and whilst I don't mind this, at the same time I feel parts are isolated too much for a record that is made with a clear sense of bringing influences together.  Vocally it is derivative and it just pushes too far away from my death metal comfort zone for me to really enjoy.

3/5

Don't lie Ben. You know perfectly well that we did it the same way as all the other major metal sites by awarding the win to the highest bidders & the bands that send us the most free shit & share the most of their blow.

Said Daniel, typing in his Epica kimono and slippers set.