UnhinderedbyTalent's Forum Replies

A Life Once Lost - "Hunter" (2005)

A Life Once Lost posed a real quandary for me as I started my first fresh clan challenge in some months here on MA. As clear exponents of metalcore and djent alongside their groove metal elements (neither of which are my preferred sub-genres by any means) I was pensive to try and see how these all fit together. Clearly influenced by Meshuggah with those palm-muted and chunky riffs obvious alongside the polyrhythms, A Life Once Lost thankfully had enough quality by their third album to make these more convoluted elements sit well together on Hunter. Far from being an alienating experience, I soon found myself very much at ease with what I was listening to.

The groove metal elements are very much in the Lamb of God vein (based on my limited understanding of the groove metal sub-genre overall, this is my main reference point here thus far) and there is an odd sense of comfort in this as I listen through the record. Whilst never out of control as such, Hunter does have a lot going on over eleven tracks and so some familiarity to grab hold of is important for me to get my bearings every now and again. I find the groove elements to be particularly strong in the sense that they hold some real power that does not get muted by anything else. All too often with groove metal I soon find myself at odds with something even if the actual groove of the guitar is as I like. But on Hunter I have no real problem with any of what I hear in the mix. The vocals are scathing, and the rhythm section holds a real presence also, and whilst acknowledging the technical prowess on show, never does any of the drumming feel too complex for complex’s sake.

The success (for me at least) of the groove elements are largely down to how well they are allowed to breathe, with the metallic hardcore elements being clear but not oppressive enough to detract from my enjoyment of the album. In fact, whether conscious or not, A Life Once Lost manage to arrange the influences and elements of their songs with a degree of professionalism overall. It might be chaotic, but it is an organised chaos regardless. The groove metal appears to almost explode out of the aether at times without becoming a disruptive influence and as such A Life Once Lost show a talent for making the ugliness that is inherent in their aggressive and spewing style of music entertaining.

Possessing a real sense of having an engine at the core of what they were doing on this record, A Life Once Lost give a good acquittal of themselves here. I won’t pretend to love all the record though and for all my positives around the clarity of the record there is still a sense of things needing an esoteric ear to truly fathom the whole record which I do not always have the patience to lend, certainly on repeated listens/visits. However, for a record that presented me with some sense of being daunted by Hunter is a triumph over that slightly narrow-minded expectation I had set at least.

4/5

Here's a concept I quickly threw together for a Fallen-specific shading to start with, using one of my previous posts.

This looks great

I suppose such a visceral reaction deserves reasoning. I probably wouldn't leave at this stage of the game-I only have 5 albums to go.  Since the original suggestion is on a different page I'm reposting it here for easy reference.

Let's not sugar coat it, this is aimed at me and any other future members would churn out rapid reviews, conveyor belt style. I don't perceive it as an attack, it's a reasonable and genuine concern. So I will now put forth my counter argument:

The feature that sets this apart and makes it so appealing from other options is the clan system, and I personally believe the potential of that system has barely been scratched. The idea of belonging to and unlocking clans is supremely attractive.  To Unlock a 4th clan as things are right now, you are going to need to do 75 reviews. You have limited autonomy in the selections, and it is mandatory that you review every album. Now, an album is roughly an hour long, so this is 75hours of someone's time. Most people where I live work a 40hour week, so to put it into to perspective this is 2 weeks of a full time job just to hear every track. Add the time to write the sort of in-depth review that is clearly desired, even though there is no rubric, rules, or template in place to cultivate it, and you might even double that amount of time. I am blessed to have that sort of recreational time, because I am financially well-off and my job does not run through the summer time. Most people are not in that position, most people are struggling tremendously-I was among that walk of life until about 2 years ago. Even as it is you're looking at about a months time to do this if you really want people to sit down and listen to each and every single track. 

I have a couple of things that I benefit from in this endeavor; I have much more free time than most people, I have been a Metalhead for coming up on 2 decades, and I am the kind of person that reads walls of books on the subject, and had sought out most of the landmark albums of the major sub-genres. I save a lot of time because I have deep familiarity with most of the list albums going into the project. For example in the first decade of black metal list, their are 25 albums. I am already intimately familiar with 19 of them before I start. Even with these advantages its a grind. I'm trying to power through them to get to what I really came here for-Hang out with fellow metalheads, and listen to things I haven't heard before. 

What your suggesting would make this process take even longer. You want people to write quality reviews, and to interact with reviews others put forth? I agree that would be ideal, but work comes before pleasure. Let them get the homework out of the way as quickly as possible so that they can go play with you. Do the math  on this. 75 reviews at 4 per 24 hours. 75/4- would take 18 days assuming you were able to do 4 every single day. 

It isn't my style to complain without offering some solutions of my own; I'm not trying to tell Dan and Ben how to run their site-it's their time, money, and effort. It's their baby. I am just solution oriented here.

I propose reworking of the clan system and taking an all or nothing approach:

You either pick just 1 clan and lock that in-ensuring that it is a careful decision and each clan has the most devoted members (talking to Dan about this privately this seams like the desired result), and you need to do 25 reviews that adhere to some kind of clan acquisition rubric that we would develop in order to get it. 

or

You open it wide from the get go and let people choose between having anywhere from 1 clan designation all the way up to all 9. The benefits of doing that is that you give users autonomy right from the start and we get to move right into having a good time-and people reading the review would know if it's coming from an all-arounder type source, or if it's coming from a die-hard of that particular sub-genre. I obviously gravitate toward this idea, but I'm self-aware enough to know I'm in the minority with this perspective. 

or

You leave it as is it, and accept it for better or worse, but what I would absolutely not do is demand more time from people.

People do not like being told what they have to do, especially people who belong to a counter-culture. If you came to this site and were met with an assignment: You must write 75 reviews of albums you do not get to select and you must do it a way that satisfies every other user on the site. Would you agree to do this?

To clarify, whilst it was not just aimed at you (I even called myself out in the post if you had taken time to read it properly) it most certainly was not sugar coated.

Reading your post, it seems to be your opinion that people who work, or don’t work, are well off, or are not well off either way still end up without time to enjoy listening to music and writing cohesive thoughts on it - therefore they probably wouldn’t join the site to do any review just join to talk in the forums, which you absolutely can do without degrading the integrity of the clan challenges by just doing reviews “because you have to” (which you don’t).  Why try to squeeze anything out of the reviews at all?  Just don’t do them.  It doesn’t limit your activity on the site.  It is just bizarre.

On your suggestions, I think there is a lack of middle ground in your options.  1 clan is far too limiting and 9 just makes the concept of the clans pointless.  Again, nobody is demanding more of your precious time from you, in fact less of it, a lot less of it is the only “ask”.

Finally (even I am boring myself on this now), yesterday I decided to work my way through the Groove Metal challenge in The Pit.  It is my least knowledgeable sub-genre and therefore one I feel I need to gain more understanding of.  I work more than 40 hours a week and consider myself in healthy financial position (having also come from a much less fortunate position).  It might take me months to complete the challenge given I work away a lot and even when not away work still takes up to 12 hours of my day usually.  I am off work this week but I am not battering my way through the challenge to get it done.  Your choice is different and I guess I will just have to agree to disagree on the matter.

Review limit per "x" period would be my idea for submission.  How many members actually read the reviews that have been made since their last visit?  I know if I log in and there's a couple since my last visit (usually once a day as a minimum) I will take the time to leaf through what has been written to see if there's anything to pique my interest.  When I log in and the visible list is off the page and it is by the same member (and I have been that member at some point I am sure) I just leave the words to the sands of time or for someone with more patience than me to read through them.

Whilst I accept that reviews are a core part of MA there is a danger of them not really holding much influence if they are permitted to be shoved out like some conveyor belt-style operation.  I think established members are sensible about this (although not without exception either) and so it may be something to consider if the site does get busier with the additional marketing that is happening.  I think it makes the site look less active to some degree.  Personally, I have looked at many forums and thought "one person is posting here based on the last active threads" and gone off elsewhere.

Still of course nothing to stop the same problem if you have say a max of 4 reviews every 24 huors and nobody else posts once the member who last did their max returns with a fresh quota.  Still think it needs some control however.

If this becomes a thing. I will leave. 

Not seeing a negative.

Review limit per "x" period would be my idea for submission.  How many members actually read the reviews that have been made since their last visit?  I know if I log in and there's a couple since my last visit (usually once a day as a minimum) I will take the time to leaf through what has been written to see if there's anything to pique my interest.  When I log in and the visible list is off the page and it is by the same member (and I have been that member at some point I am sure) I just leave the words to the sands of time or for someone with more patience than me to read through them.

Whilst I accept that reviews are a core part of MA there is a danger of them not really holding much influence if they are permitted to be shoved out like some conveyor belt-style operation.  I think established members are sensible about this (although not without exception either) and so it may be something to consider if the site does get busier with the additional marketing that is happening.  I think it makes the site look less active to some degree.  Personally, I have looked at many forums and thought "one person is posting here based on the last active threads" and gone off elsewhere.

Still of course nothing to stop the same problem if you have say a max of 4 reviews every 24 huors and nobody else posts once the member who last did their max returns with a fresh quota.  Still think it needs some control however.

Discord sounds awful even without the risk of toxicity.  Count me out.

I hear you on that, but my approach is this; why spend a 1,000 words to say what can be said in 10? As far as pacing, I've been listening to metal for a LONG time, and like the description says; the clan lists deliberately use a lot of the bigger albums. The result being that I've already heard most of them, some of them many many times. The most common rating I give is a 2.5 which signifies average, most things are average, that's why it's the average. Along with that comes the idea that about half of the stuff is below average. 

If a piece of music is just average to me, I don't have feelings for it that warrant a lengthy response. There are only so many ways to say "This was OK."

If the music is below average to my ears, I don't think it's a cool thing to write a lengthily tirade and tear it apart. To someone else it might be very cherished. Additionally I am a bassist, and I know how difficult, time consuming, and expensive it is just to get something recorded. I don't feel right bashing another artists art simply because I don't resonate with it. 

If I had my druthers I wouldn't write a review at all for anything scoring below a 4 (If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything). However, as it stands that is the only path I'm aware of to lock in your starting clans, and make additional ones available at this time, so I try to keep my reviews of 0-3 stars fairly brief. Once I get the homework done and can freely choose what I review you will see more fleshed out takes.

The other issue is when an album has a legacy status. We are all on a metal forum, do I really need to tell you that Black Sabbath's Master of Reality is a good album? What could I possibly say about such an icon that hasn't been said since it's release 53 Years ago?

These are the questions? scenarios? I wrestle with when I write reviews. Believe me, I don't like coming away from an hour long listen (which can be a REALLY long hour if we are talking about early funeral doom) with little to say, but I can't manufacture words for words sake. 

What's more ill-conceived, a short concise statement that does the job, or a rambling for rambling sake? Especially when we all have access to the medium itself a few short mouse clicks away?

I've been thinking about all of this a lot the last couple of days. What do you think? How do you approach writing your reviews?

Thanks for the reply, but this is predominantly a "review" site. It's not a "short concise statement on some music I heard once" site.  Also, you are missing the point of a review.  A review is to tell us why you enjoy an album, not necessarily why we would because you couldn't possibly know.  Your post here shows you are an articulate guy, whereas your reviews come across as a click bait, smash and grab, social media style expression which I don't think necessarily does you justice.

Accepting the point about limited time but we have all managed to lock in our clans by going into at least some detail, which does take more than one listen over a few days (hell even weeks) around jobs, family and other commitments.  

I am not being a dick here and apologies if it comes across that way.  I am not representing the views of the site either.  As a musician I just sense there's more depth and experience you could get into your reviews to share with us.  Entirely your choice though.

Yes, yes welcome and all that fluffy stuff but dude, what's with this one sentence review stuff?  Gives absolutely zero insight into your tastes, looks more like ill-conceived comment.  Appreciate you're new here but maybe but the brakes on and try and get through less albums in an hour?

Late to the welcome party but hello and welcome.  Also found your reviews insightful, the trend of "one sentence reviews" that we are also currently seeing on the site I find utterly pointless so it is good to read some detail without getting to encyclopedic lengths.  

For July please:

Replicant - "Orgasm of Bereavement" (from "Infinite Mortality", 2024)

Atræ Bilis - "A Kingdom of Cortisol" (from "Aumicide", 2024)

Slugdge - "Slave Goo World" (from "Esoteric Malacology", 2024

Defeated Sanity - "Generosity of the Deceased" (from "Disposal of the Dead//Dharmata", 2016)

Fuming Mouth - "Timeless" (from "Daylight Again", 2024)

Muldrotha - "Red In Tooth and Claw" (from "Slowly to Forget and to be Forgotten", 2021)

Vredehammer - "From the Abyss" (from "God Slayer", 2024)

Eternal Rot - "Devouring Purge" (from "Split 2024", 2024)

Vomitory - "The Dead Awaken" (from "Opus Mortis VIII", 2011)

Satanic North - "Village" (from "Satanic North", 2024)

Warmoon Lord - "Blazing Warrior Soul" (from "Burning Banners of Funereal War", 2019)

Saidan - "Genocidal BloodFiend" (from "Visual Kill: The Blossoming of Psychotic Depravity", 2024)

Thanks Ben

Frayle - "Darker Than Black" (from "1692", 2020)

Bad Luck Rides on Wheels - "Le livre du ciel et du monde" (from "Semper Eadem", 2020)

Thanks Sonny

June 24

1. Orbit Culture – “While We Serve” (from “The Forgotten”, 2023)

2. Kerry King – “Idle Hands” (from “From Hell I Rise”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Xentrix – “Reasons for Destruction” (from “Shattered Existence”, 1989)

4. Tankard – “Traitor” (from “Chemical Invasion”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]

5. Testament – “Agony” (from “The Ritual”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

6. Acid Reign – “Motherly Love” (from “Moshkinstein”, 1988) [Submitted by Sonny]

7. Forced Neglect – “The Poison of the Fang” (from “The Poison of the Fang”, 2020)

8. Leeway – “Rise & Fall” (from “Born to Expire”, 1989)

9. Exodus – “Feeding Time at the Zoo” (from “Force of Habit”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Possession (US) – “Legion” (from “Disentombed Manifestations”, 2020)

11. Devastation – “Forsaken Hatred” (from “Idolatry”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Detherous – “Gruesome Tools of Torture” (from “Unrelenting Malevolence”, 2022)

13. Heavens Gate – “Flashes” (from “Livin’ in Hysteria”, 2015)

14. Forced Entry – “Anaconda” (from “Uncertain Future”, 1989)

15. Running Wild – “Whirlwind” (from “Pile of Skulls”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Stress Angel – “Bursting Church” (from “Bursting Church”, 2021)

17. Mantic Ritual – “Panic” (from “Executioner”, 2009) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. National Suicide – “Death Roll” (from “Massacre Elite” 2017)

19. Demoniac – “The Trap” (from “So It Goes”, 2020) [Submitted by Sonny]

20. Pentagram (Chile) – "Devourer of Life" (from "Eternal Life of Madness", 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

21. Malleus – “Into the Flesh” (from “The Fires of Heaven” 2023)

22. Wild Beyond - “In the Footsteps of Mars” (from “Wild Beyond”, 2023)

23. Diabolic Night – “Sovereigns of Doom” (from “beyond the Realm”, 2019)

24. Bad Wolves – “No Messiah” (from “N.A.T.I.O.N.”, 2019)

25. Kreator – “Karmic Wheel” (from “Renewal”, 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]

26. Belushi Speed Ball – “Ripping Off Municipal Waste” (from “What Us, Worry?”, 2022)

I actually did a double-take on the "seventh full-length" thinking that Thou had a lot more.  In fact the majority of their slew of releases are EPs and splits. For some reason I find their frequency of output off-putting.  I have engaged with a couple of releases but just find them to lack memorability even though they have little else wrong with them.

A new live album from San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal legends Exodus hits the streets tomorrow. It's called "British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live at the Astoria)" & was recorded on the 1989 tour for their excellent "Fabulous Disaster" third album.

I don't mormally do live albums but knowing how good Exodus were around this time, I may be tempted.

Ok, so I've updated all of the playlist titles, descriptions & images & they now seem to be much easier to find in Spotify searches. With next month's The Guardians & The Horde lists, I've attempted to program them in a way that will offer immediate appeal to the casual listener with five strong tracks from the primary genre kicking off proceedings. I've also made an attempt to ensure that I had the best material from each release on The Guardians list & have picked a couple of obvious classics in order to draw in less educated audience. The Horde playlist is looking really bloody good now that it's 100% comprised of member's selections actually so I think that was a good move. I'm planning to start a social media marketing campaign for those two playlists in June to see what I can accomplish too.

All looks good Daniel.  I don't know how you find the time to do all this.  Dedication, clearly.

The above program direction sounds good and I will test this for July, although looking at the planed list for June I am not far off.

Alternative Metal Authority?

Alternative Metal Assault?

Alternative Metal Armada?

Alternative Metal Attack?

I kinda like Alternative Metal Authority. What does everyone think?

Alternative Metal Adrenaline ?

Hi Ben, probably on your “to do” but can the new Kerry King album go up please?

Suggestions for The Pit:

Thrash & Speed Metal Massacre

Thrash Metal & Speed Metal Madness

Thrash Metal Menace

Thrash Metal Destruction

Thrash Metal Punishment

Fearless Thrash Metal Machines

Thrash & Speed Metal Swarm

Thrash & Speed Metal Annihilation

Thrashlethics

Thrash/Speed Metal Annihilation is my preference of those listed Vinny. I'll do some test searches & see how it fairs this afternoon.

Agreed

Suggestions for The Pit:

Thrash & Speed Metal Massacre

Thrash Metal & Speed Metal Madness

Thrash Metal Menace

Thrash Metal Destruction

Thrash Metal Punishment

Fearless Thrash Metal Machines

Thrash & Speed Metal Swarm

Thrash & Speed Metal Annihilation

Thrashlethics

I find the academic references a bit corny if I am honest.  Surely you would want to maintain the USP of the clans in the titles of the playlists though?  They are the most unique element of the site (certainly by way of comparison to other review sites).  For what it is worth I would keep it simple:

Thrash Metal - from The Pit Clan at Metal Academy Radio

Metal Academy Radio Presents – Thrash Metal - from The Pit Clan

They cite a “noticeable uptick” in submissions of bands with AI generated music.  They also acknowledge that this is a “work in progress”.  No names mentioned.

In my opinion, if you are actively listening to metal music (artwork I get is different) generated by AI then you are killing metal.  It's smash and grab, attention seeking, cop out media in its worst form and embodies everything I hate about how "anyone" can produce "art" nowadays by doing next to nothing.  Everyone can have a platform to voice their opinion like it means anything by sharing words they read somewhere else in a different order etc......stops old man rant in due course.

AI has its place, I do not dispute that.  In terms of its positive contributions to the world of medicine etc, it is a much welcomed thing.  I feel that without proper regulation it risks abuse and I am not convinced that anyone has any real grip and control of it in that regard.  I see from their home page that Metal Archives will no longer accept submissions that prove to be AI generated which I fully support.

Should this thread not be under The Fallen forum section?

For June please Sonny:

Orchid - "Silent One" (from "The Mouth of Madness", 2013)

Katatonia - "Endtime" (from "Brave Murder Day", 1996)

Woods of Ypres -"Silver Woods" (from "5: Grey Skies & Electric Light", 2012)

Hi Daniel, for June please:

Civerous - "Shrouded In Crystals" (from "Maze Envy", 2024)

Malevolent Creation - "Premature Burial" (from "The Ten Commandments", 1991)

Soreption - "Architects of the Apocalypse"(from "Monument of the End", 2018)

Critical Extravasation - "Waltz of Hypocriscy" (from "Order of Decadence", 2022)

Abhorrent Decimation - "Glass Coffin Burial" (from "The Pardoner", 2017)

Krisiun - "The Great Execution" (from "The Great Execution", 2011)

Gorguts - "Disincarnated" (from "Considered Dead", 1991)

Septicflesh - "Anubis" (from "Communion", 2008)

For June please Ben:

Grima - "Hunger God" (from "Frostbitten", 2022)

Tsjuder - "Lord of Terror" (from "Kill for Satan", 2000)

Anorexia Nervosa - "Antinferno" (from "Redemption Process", 2004)

May 24

1. Iced Earth – “Stormrider” (from “Night of the Stormrider”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Seax – “Rituals” (from “Fallout Rituals”, 2019)

3. Messerschmitt – “Consumed by Fire” (from “Consumed by Fire”, 2020)

4. Running Wild – “Straight to Hell Hell” (from “Blazon”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

5. Thanatos – “Outward of the Inward” (from “Emerging from the Netherworlds”, 1990)

6. Destruction – “Black Death” (from “Infernal Overkill”, 1985)

7. Testament – “Into the Pit” (from “The New Order”, 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

8. The Crown – “Dead Man’s Song” (from “Deathrace King”, 2000) [Submitted by Daniel]

9. Exeloume – “Locus Cerelus” (from “Fairytale of Perversion”, 2011)

10. Critical Defiance – “Critical Defiance” (from “The Search Won’t Fall”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

11. Demoniac – “Ácaro” (from “Nube Negra”, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Soulfly – “Bethlehem’s Blood” (from “Archangel”, 2015)

13. Lamb of God – “Grace” (from “Wrath”, 2009)

14. Gangrena Gasosa – “Quem Gosta de Iron Meiden Também Gosta de KLB” (from “Se Deus É 10 Satanás É 666”, 2011)

15. Vulcano – “Spirits of Evil” (from “Bloody Vengeance”, 1986) [ Submitted by Sonny]

16. Hellripper – “The Cursed Carrion Crown” (from “Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags”, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Thrash Bombz – “Condemned to Kill Again” (from “Master of the Dead” 2017)

18. Anacrusis – “Paint a Picture” (from “Manic Impressions”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

19. Exumer – "Fallen Saint" (from "Possessed by Fire", 1986) [Submitted by Sonny]

20. Electrocutioner – “Heaven’s Gate” (from “Heaven’s Gate” 2024)

21. Lich King - “Black Metal Sucks” (from “Do-over”, 2014)

22. GumoManiacs – “Paranoia” (from “Out of Disorder”, 2014)

23. Exarsis – “Twisted Logic” (from “New War Order”, 2017)

24. Carnal Forge – “Decades of Despair” (from “Aren’t You Dead Yet”, 2004)

25. Invocator– “Through the Flesh to the Soul” (from “Through the Flesh to the Soul”, 2003)

26. Holy Terror – “No Resurrection” (from “Mind Wars”, 1988) [Submitted by Sonny]

27. Mindforce – “Senseless Act” (from “Excalibur”, 2020)

28. X-Cops – “Barbells” (from “You Have the Right to Remain Silent…”, 1995)

Hi Ben, could you please add Satanic North from Finland (couple of the guys from Ensiferum have gone in a more conventional bm direction).

Sonny & Vinny, heads up that for the June playlist I'd like to try something a little different by extending each of our allocations to forty-minutes.

Happy to support this.

Strong month this time with me picking up the fantastic Narbeleth (props to Sonny).  Since listening through the playlist on Sunday, these Spanish residing Cubans have not been off my speakers much.  New Mütiilation slipped by me and that track sounds promising to my ears.  I was not too smitten with Suldusk or Moonlight Sorcery but it was great to see some BAN (underrated album that "Odinist..."), Rotting Christ and Xasthur getting some air time. 

At just two tracks and ten minutes in length, Nocturnus' self-titled EP from some two decades ago makes for a concise feature release. Coming six years before what was to prove to be their final full length release (Ethereal Tomb), this single/EP captures the band at their technical best. Pressing their urgent and interesting style of death metal on the listener, those signature synths are in fine form adding symphonic flourishes to the otherwise scathing tech-death on show here.

The rabid gallop of the riffs coupled with the bold pace changes and mesmirising leads are examples of a band in fine form. Sad that they decided to split not long after this release as the potential over these two tracks is really promising, capturing the best bits of The Key and Thresholds. With Mike Browning fired from the band and the band name trademarked by the remaining members this was the only release to feature James Marcinek on the drums. A combination of some less than satisfactory production work and the fact that James was no Mike Browning ensured that the drum work sort of just sat in the background whilst everything else drove the music forward.

There is a sense of disconnect with the instrumentation at certain points during Mummified for me with those snths sounding a tad wayward in places. However, Possess the Priest is a fine slab of tech-death presented with a real sense of direction. It is hard to score this at much more than a three however given the short runtime and the fact that one of the two tracks is clearly inferior to the other.

3/5

The bank holiday weekend has been a welcome break from work and so I have attempted to use the time to actually listen to a couple of the features for the first time in what feels like an age.  Here's my review:

When asked in a 2019 interview about Fenriz describing Worship Him as “the first Norwegian black metal album”, Vorphalack from Samael replied, “We were not exactly satisfied with the sound of the album, we wanted to have something fatter and heavier. We actually reached what we were looking for when we released Blood Ritual but yeah that album sounds different.” It is hard to disagree with Vorphalack, Blood Ritual is gifted (or cursed depending on your preference) with a much beefier production than anything that came before from the Swiss group. As much as I enjoy a raw black metal album from time to time, I think that sometimes a bit of clarity is needed to really let a band’s sound shine. Whilst I will not attest to be being all that familiar with Blood Ritual until this past week, whilst listening as a standalone bm record I found that instantly I could take away positives from the experience.

A slower, more measured take on black metal that takes reference from Celtic Frost clearly, Blood Ritual is accessible without sacrificing the mandatory underground vibe that one would expect from such a record. The dense gloom that permeates the album is a chilling yet welcoming cloak in which to shroud yourself as a listener. There are smatterings of latter day Satyricon in this album (bearing in mind we were in 1992 when this was released) and although the comparison is relevant, I would suggest that the Swiss’ effort is less clinical and sterile then say Diabolical Now era Satyricon.

The simpler approach reaps its rewards for me, allowing strong structures such as After the Sepulture to grow well over its four-and-a-half-minute duration. As such, Blood Ritual has a sense that Samael are using the space better to construct an album as opposed to charging blindly through at a more traditional bm pace. Not that there is any denial of such intensity here. Indeed, the title track is a solid bm romp that blends this more traditional pacing with the clearer production values nicely. However, I could not see tracks such as Macabre Operetta (or the less impressive With the Gleam of Torches) at over six minutes faring so well on a shorter and more rabid tempo-based release.

My two main criticisms are that the album is firstly too long (even the two interlude/intro tracks don’t necessitate such a lengthy track list) and lacks much in the way of variety overall. The latter criticism holds less weight given that this is also one of the key strengths of the album. I think this is probably the best evidence that the Celtic Frost and Bathory influences got worn perhaps too visibly on the band’s sleeves. That having been said there is a level of intelligent (albeit a few notches above basic) songwriting here that needs to be acknowledged. There is still something enchanting about the primitive riffing of Bestial Devotion, that whilst is never groundbreaking, it is still presented so honestly that it is hard to ignore. That is probably how I would sum up Blood Ritual altogether as well.

4/5

For May please Ben:

Misotheist - "Stigma" (from "Vessels by Which the Devil is Made Flesh", 2024)

Doedsvangr - "The Salt Marsh" (from "Serpents ov Old", 2021)

For May please Daniel:

Celestial Sanctuary - "Yearn for the Rot" (from "Soul Diminished")

Stargazer - "Old Tea" (from "A Merging to the Boundless")

Afterbirth - "Hovering Dead Human Drones" (from "In But Not Of", 2023)

Magefa - "Amputated By Force" (from "New Era of Darkness", 2019)

Slimelord - "Gut-Brain Axis" (from "Chytridiomycosis Relinquished", 2024)

For May please Sonny:

Buzzov•en - "Crawl Away" (from "…At A Loss", 1998) 

Nightfell - "The Swallowing of Flies" (from "A Sanity Deranged", 2019)

Om - "Unitive Knowledge of the Godhead" (from "Pilgrimage", 2007)

Apr 24

1. Municipal Waste – “Waste ‘em All” (from “Waste ‘em All”, 2003) [Submitted by Sonny]

2. Anthrax – “Protest and Survive” (from “Attack of the Killer B’s”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

3. Nailbomb – “Wasting Away” (from “Point Blank”, 1994) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Toxic Hollocaust – “War is Hell” (from “Evil Never Dies”, 2003) [Submitted by Sonny]

5. Sextrash – “Seduced by Evil” (from “Sexual Carnage”, 1990)

6. Morbid Saint – “Rise from the Ashes” (from “Swallowed by Hell”, 2024)

7. Sadus – “Good Rid’nz” (from “Swallowed in Black”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

8. Epidemic – “Insanity Plea” (from “Decameron”, 1992) [Submitted by Sonny]

9. Biomechanical – “The Unseen” (from “Cannibalised”, 2009)

10. Exhorder – “Year of the Goat” (from “Defectum Omnium”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. The Very End – “Zeitgeist” (from “Zeitgeist”, 2021)

12. Vektor – “Pteropticon” (from “Terminal Redux”, 2016) [Submitted by Sonny]

13. Su Ta Gar – “Mari” (from “Jaiotze Basatia”, 1991)

14. Hell Fire – “Sirens of the Hunter” (from “Metal Masses”, 2016)

15. Agressor – “Bloody Corpse” (from “Neverending Destiny”, 1990) [ Submitted by Sonny]

16. Celtic Frost – “The Usurper” (from “To Mega Therion”, 1985) [Submitted by Sonny]

17. Grotesque – “Submit to Death” (from “The Incantation E.P.”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Sabbat – “Satanasword” (from “Karmagmassacre”, 2003) [Submitted by Sonny]

19. Unpure – “Small Crooked Bones” (from “Prophecies Ablaze”, 2023)

20. Antichrist – “Militia of Death” (from “Forbidden World”, 2011)

21. Sadistik Exekution - “Agonizing the Dead” (from “The Magus”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

22. Forbidden – “Tossed Away” (from “Twisted into Form”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

23. Dust Bolt – “I Witness” (from “Sound & Fury”, 2024)

24. Mutilator – “Brigade of Hate” (from “Immortal Force”, 1987) [ Submitted by Sonny]

25. Mentor – “Equal in Fire” (from “Wolves, Wraiths and Witches”, 2021)

26. Demolizer – “Cancer in the Brain” (from “Thrashmageddon”, 2020)

27. ThrashWall – “War Outside the Wall” (from “ThrashWall”, 2020)

28. Martyr – “Into the Darkest of All Realms” (from “You Are Next”, 2016)

29. God’s Hate – “God’s Hate” (from “God’s Hate”, 2021)

30. Lowest Creature – “Reapers Fool” (from “Sacrilegious Pain”, 2019)

31. Mordred – “Killing Time” (from “In This Life”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

Condolences Rex.  Buried my own grandmother on Thursday at 97.  Third coffin I have carried in 7 months. 

New Ulcerate this year.  14th June - Cutting the Throat of God.

I have placed a pre-order already.  I trust these guys enough to buy anything they release cold.

Agreed that this will be a highlight for the year.

Exhorder - Defectum Omnium (2024)

I am not the biggest fan of the seminal debut album from New Orlean's groove metallers Exhorder.  Whilst filed firmly in the "overrated" pile of releases that seem to get undue praise, I still give it the odd spin now and again to make sure it is not just me being a dick (it isn't).  Not to say that Exhorder are without their merits of course, just that I am easily put off by releases that promise so much but deliver so little - it is purely an expectations thing.  It has been thirty-four years since Slaughter in the Vatican was released and Defectum Omnium is still only Exhorder's fourth full release ina career that spans nearly forty-years.  In keeping with the debut, Defectum Omnium has some truly standout moments and at the same time, some other moments you hope to soon forget.

By far the strongest element here is those chunky, groovy riffs that blaze their presence across the surface of the record on many of the tracks here.  Listening to the infectious riffing of Three Stages of Truth/Lacing the Well as I type this, I am reminded of PanterA and the many hours I spent with their albums as a teenager; the rolling riffs of Walk and I'm Broken being specific reminders I take from this record.  Supported by a solid if never remarkable shift on the drum stool, the rhythm section of Exhorder put in a truly memorable effort.  Unfortunately, the lead work leaves a lot to be desired.  It is directionless and only serves to detract from some of the better tracks in particular.  In fact, overall, the songwriting is not the best from a band who have been at this for four decades.  They are trying to talk about all the right things you would expect a groove/thrash metal to; combining a punkish element in attitude at least in places.  Yet, despite having relevant themes, they just come oue in a jumbled mess that sometimes gets translated by the structure of the songs but on so many other occasions fails to become barely legible really.

I do not know how many halfway decent groove metal records we should expect in 2024.  I do not know how many we would expect per year over the last twenty years or so in fact.  However, whilst Defectum Omnium most definitely does have its defects (could not resist) it is more of a disappointment than an absolute failure.  There is power in the grooves here, a frantic pace to the more aggressive sections and a sense of a band still able to apply some relevance to themselves in an over-saturated sub-genre.  A trim on the track numbers would certainly help and some more thought in the lead work is a must if there is to be another Exhorder album after this one.  However, there is promise here, it just needs some space to develop into in without being compressed by sub-par and mediocre tracks and ideas.

3.5/5

Hi Ben, can you add Exhorder's latest please?  "Wrath of Prophecies".

I really enjoyed the Altar of the Stag track you submitted and the Dyatlov Pass Incident has always intrigued me, so that is an album I definitely have on my list to dig into.

It's weird one alright (the incident - not the track).  Currently listening to Dark Histories podcast and the episode about Dyatlov as it happens.

Found some time this evening to listen to this playlist.  I have discovered the amazing The Flight of Sleipnir with that haunting and serene track you put up Sonny. This is by far my pick of the tracks this month and was followed by Spectral Voice with the heaviest thing I have heard so far this year by far.  Cavernous and putrid at the same time, this was right up my alley.  Clever use of the simplest of string arrangements to create superb atmosphere.  In addition to this I hear dmy first Fudge Tunnel track ever and plan to check out more as well as the big sound of KYPCK also making an impact this month.  Dukatalon have great potential also based on that rabid piece of sludge you included.

Disappointed with Loss if I am honest, had heard so much hype about this band and that record also but I was underwhelmed.  I found Funeral to be clunky and cumbersome albeit with beautiful vocals, similarly the poor vocals of Goatess soon got lost when the instruments kicked in but I was not moved to revisit.  Hour of 13 were my least favourite, what is with them vocals folks?

Solid list again though Sonny and I have me some new discoveries to accompany me on a long drive to Glasgow tomorrow.

Thanks Sonny.  Actually one of the playlists that I have done at the last minute due to work being crazy at the mo.

For April please:

Kowloon Walled City - "Gambling on the Richter Scale" (from "Gambling on the Richter Scale", 2009)

Whores - "Tell Me Something Scientific" (from "Ruiner", 2011)

Dopelord - "Scum Priest" (from "Children of the Haze", 2017)

For April please:

Ondfødt - "Tå do dör" (from "Det Österbottniska Mörkret", 2023)

Vampirska - "Feasting on the Dried Blood of Majesties" (from "Torturous Omens of Blood and Candlewax", 2020)

For April please:

The Ritual - "Aura Precursor of Aphotic Collapse" (from "Låniåkeå", 2015)

Massacre - "Dawn of Eternity" (from "From Beyond", 1991)

Coffins -  "Hour of Execution" (from "Beyond the Circular Demise", 2019)

Fulci - "Gore Life" (from "Opening the Hell Gates", 2015)

Cannibal Corpse - "Frenzied Feeding" (from "Chaos Horrific", 2023)

Mar 24

1. Shah – “From Out of Insane” (from “Escape from Mind”, 1994)

2. A.R.G. – “Perforation” (from “Entrance”, 1991) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Tyrant – “Into Flames” (from “Too Late to Pray”, 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Death Strike – “Re-entry and Destruction” (from “Fuckin’ Death, 1991) [Submitted by Vinny]

5. Deathwish – “Wall of Lies” (from “Deamon Preacher”, 1988)

6. Sodom – “Bloodtraits” (from “Better Off Dead”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

7. Megadeth – “This Day We Fight” (from “Endgame”, 2009) [Submitted by Sonny]

8. Believer – “Vile Hypocrisy” (from “Extraction from Mortality”, 1989) [Submitted by Vinny]

9. Dissimulator – “Neural Hack” (from “Lower Form Resistance”, 2024)

10. Sovereign – “Counter Tech” (from “Altered Realities”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

11. Decimator – “Lift -Off” (from “Alienist”, 2020)

12. Hellwitch - “Sentient Transmography” (from “Syzygial Miscreancy”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Mortal Scepter – “Spear and Fang” (from “Where Light Suffocates”, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

14. Sacrifice – “A Storm in the Silence” (from “Soldiers of Misfortune, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

15. Sepulcher – “Towards an Early Rapture” (from “Panoptic Horror”, 2018) [Submitted by Sonny]

16. Armory – “The Search” (from “The Search”, 2018)

17. Testament – “Face in the Sky” (from “Souls of Black”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Infinite Translation – “Legion of Death” (from “Impulsive Attack”, 2010)

19. Sacred Reich – “Love…Hate” (from “The American Way”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

20. Iron Angel – “Sacred Slaughter” (from “Emerald Eyes”, 2020)

21. Demonizer – “Slave of Hate” (from “The Essence of War”, 2005)

22. Evil Army – “Friday the 13th” (from “Evil Army”, 2006)

23. SSS – Eat Me Drink Me Burn Me” – (from “Problems to the Answer, 2011)

24. Torture Squad – “Out of Control” (from “Pandemonium”, 2003) [Submitted by Vinny]

25. Expander – “Biochron Space Suit” (from “Endless Computer”, 2017)

26. Red Death – “Brutalized” (from “Permanent Exile”, 2015)

27. Faith or Fear – “Deep Down” (from “Titanium”, 2012) [Submitted by Vinny]

28. Pantera – “Clash with Reality” (from “Cowboys from Hell”, 1990)

29. Kill II This – “This is the News” (from “ Trinity”, 2000)

Although I get the rationale behind RYM being a guide for adding releases, I had thought (may be incorrectly) that the point of MA was to breed a little common sense on these frankly irritating, constant waves of new tags and subgenres that are clearly out of control over there.  Bizarre then that RYM seems to get so much press here really.