UnhinderedbyTalent's Forum Replies

June:

Memoriam - This War Is Won from To The End (2021) 04:42

Awakening Sun - Void Silence from Into The Light (2019) 03:33

Firespawn - Heathen Blood from Abonimate (2019) 02:53

Revolting - 1888 from The Shadow At World's End (2020) 03:45

Swampbeast - 1000 Years Pestilence from Seven Evils Spawned Of Seven Heads (2021) 04:49

Frozen Soul - Crypt of Ice from Crypt of Ice (2021) 04:23

Sanguisugabogg - Gored In The Chest from Tortured Whole (2021) 02:59

Total runtime = 27:04

June:

Fuath - Prophecies from II (2021) 09:28

Ragnarok - God Is Wasted from Arising Realm (1997) 04:18

Gaerea - Null from Limbo (2020) 06:01

Wardruna - Grá from Kvitravn (2021) 03:32

Total runtime = 23:19

Another strong playlist made all the more delicious by the superb inclusion of Dark Medieval Times by Xeph.  I picked up a couple of new bands to explore more of including Månegarm and Sear Bliss who have always existed on the fringes of my radar.  I am undecided on Wode still - I know Sonny likes it which is usually a precursor to me doing the same based on our BM tastes but I just find it a bit distant in terms of me feeling like I am getting amongst the music all that well and it does feel a bit staid as a result.

Nice to see some Darkspace on the list too.  

Incantation - "Mortal Throne Of Nazarene" (1994)

Vinny, I assume you're across this one but thought I'd check as it would appear to be your jam.

Sonny, get on it if you haven't already.

Yep - one of the ones I keep meaning to write a review of in all honesty.  Would pitch it as 4/5 from memory.

Altarage - Succumb (2021)

Holy fucking mother of God.  Having drawn level with the like of Portal with the last effort of squally, shifting, blackened death metal, Altarage have surpassed the aforementioned Australians with their fourth full-length.  Only one listen in and I am already ordering a physical copy.  What a monstrous record - including a monstrous closing track at over 21 mins.  Judgement reserved for now until I spend some quality time with it but based on first impressions this is going to be on regular rotation.

I am the only one who struggled with this it seems.  I just found too much to be going on at one time and wasn’t a big fan of the production (notwithstanding it is supposed to be low values).  Might revisit one day but not feeling it right now.

I hope he goes down for a long time.  Anyone who thinks the best route to address perceived ills in society is to join an angry mob and storm a government building is clearly a vulnerable person open to suggestion and influence of others with more gumption than them.  I don't really care for much he has done musically and if I did like anything that wouldn't change my appreciation of his music in that circumstance - detachment of the art from the individual is key in metal I find.  I mean there are limits of course (no Gary Glitter albums getting played anytime soon - if I owned any) but this notion that because people are in a band or media spotlight to whatever extent and so they must be wholesome individuals is nonsense.  Listen to what you like, enjoy the output and stay away from the details of everyone's life.

Hi Ben,

Please add the latest Cannibal Corpse Violence Unimagined album.

Le Orme - Felona E Sorona (1973)

A rediscovery from a few years back when I was on an italian prog rock kick, listening to Osanna, Premiata Forneria Marconi and this. 

P.S. Vinny don't forget BandCamp

https://martyrcanada.bandcamp.com/album/feeding-the-abscess

Cheers Sax.  Did a first listen through today and found it a mixed bag if honest.  Not ready for a review yet but will def post my full comments before end of month.

Necrophobic - "The Nocturnal Silence" (1993)

Vinny & Ben, you might wanna check this one out if you haven't previously.

Yep, known to me thanks.  Worth a review at some point.

I need to get on this.  Frustrating I can't find it on any streams but YouTube should have it covered for me.

Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)

Got my dad to build me some add-ons to my hi-fi unit and so now I can play my vinyls without having to reach over a unit at the front that used to hold the cd player.  To celebrate I am hitting up this classic.

5/5

Sadus - Swallowed in Black (1990)

Hands down one of the best albums of 1990.  Scathing vocals and that fucking bass man! Hell yeah.

4.5/5

I'd go with:

Machine Head Through The Ashes of Empires - a mediocre album at best but Imperium that opens the album could easily lull you into thinking it is going to be a great record.

Sepultura Chaos AD - a massive let down of an album from its predecessor Arise but again the opening track Refuse/Resist would have you believe otherwise.

Megadeth Endgame - whilst not terrible as such, Endgame lacks spirit overall (beyond Mustaine's usual political ramblings of course) but 44 Minutes is probably one of the best tunes they have ever written.

Deicide Scars of the Crucifix - one of the more unremarkable albums in the Deicide discography has a ripping title track that attacks from the off.

I normally don't listen to too many of our playlists but I'm slowly coming around to checking them out every now and again, and yeah this was an extremely good one. Sadly I had to listen to it on shuffle so it lost a bit of its charm but looking at the listing here I can see that Daniel did a fantastic job structuring it. 

I wouldn't get your hopes up for Accept or Todd La Torre Vinny, "Zombie Apocalypse" is good and is a decent showcase of how modern Accept sounds, but I personally found the rest of the album to be an awkward slog. There's still a few killer tracks in there though. Same with Todd La Torre, "Hellbound and Down" is an obvious highlight along with 2 or 3 other tracks but then it gets a bit monotonous. 

The only thing I'll say on my end is that I was really surprised by "Symptom of the Universe", couldn't believe I was listening to Sabbath when it came on, and apparently I rated Sabatoge a 3.5 when I went on my short Sabbath kick? That just doesn't seem right, gonna have to go back and fix that sometime this month. 

I think you're right on the TLT front.  I ran through the album last night and whilst it was still of a reasonable calibre it did not stand up to the initial promise shown by the featured track.  It is good to see La Torre do something on his own however as I have never been able to shake the feeling that he works for Queensryche because he is so like Geoff Tate in terms of vocal sound.  His time in Crimson Glory was an unfortunate non-starter in terms of recorded output and he certainly landed on his feet with the Queensryche gig.  That guitarist on the record TLT put out has promise though.  

I did my review.  Not a fan it's safe to say even though I can see the appeal, it just ends up coming off as an example of design over content.  It feels like an album that almost forces the listener to engage with it as opposed to even gentle coercion taking place.  Regurgitated ideas and a high predictability factor resign this album album to the "shot" pile.

2/5

First of all, what a stellar playlist this month.  Even the bands I normally can bank on giving me cause to hit the skip button didn't stay true to form (barring Nightwish who lasted all of 90 seconds).  I think the first half of this playlist is probably the strongest we have seen on MA since we begun this venture.  Keen to check out that new Accept record based on that killer track that starts this list and I keep get reminders of how awesome Persuader are and how I need to spend more time with them (hence why I kind of put my  own reminder on this month's list).

This month's "dust this off and play it soon" reminder is definitely the Black Sabbath track, I own Sabotage on vinyl and it was of the band's creative high points which is showcased by Symptom of the Universe .  Also, who the fuck has Todd La Torre been hanging out with to get that uber-aggressive thrashing riff fest of a track together?  I enjoyed him in Queensryche but it seems his solo output might suit my more aggressive tastes nicely.

Super pleased with this month's playlist overall as it reminds me why I got into metal with 2 hours of hi-octane and anthemic metal tunes.  Let's all give ourselves a collective pat on the back for this one folks.

I wrote a review on this which hopefully defines my struggles with the album well?  Essentially the early promise of the two promo tracks isn't realised over the course of the record as a whole and I guess for a band who have been around for 15 years I kind of expected better.  Not a terrible record by any means but one that if I were writing a school report card for I would be noting "must try harder" in the general comments section.  The three tracks I highlight in my review are great and for an eight track album they reduce the casualty count nicely.

3.5/5

Indulged myself in a review of my own choice of featured release.  There's no getting away from the fact that I love this record.  Accepting that the Mayhem influence is obvious I find it more enjoyable than the legends themselves in all honesty.  I like the authenticity of the whole record, and that horror movie aesthetic is superb (those keys on The Devil Intimate).  I find it like a really ugly and needy child, it clings to you, snotty nose, food crusted cheeks and shitty arse on display all the time and despite the elements of revulsion I just can't help but pick it up. 

4.5/5

Managed to get a full session on this the other morning and I picked up a couple of recs to take away and investigate more.  That Mago de Oz track was a curved ball but oddly stands out as one of the more memorable tracks.  I still can’t get on with Subway To Sally but it was good to see Yoth Iria and Forhist on there as a couple of newer releases I have on rotation already.

Hi Ben, could you please add Königreichssaal from Poland?

Forhist - Forhist

I think Forhist was already mentioned somewhere in The North but I've been consistently going back to this one and I'm impressed every time. This is a solo offshoot of Blut Aus Nord with frontman Vindsval and it sounds fantastic, I love the subtle dynamic choices on it throughout. The blast beat snare growing and lessening in volume is something I don't think I've heard out of Atmospheric Black Metal and this makes me want to hear more of it in the future. The atmosphere is great too, with all of the classic sounding electronics blending in wonderfully. This release might grow even more on me through the year, even though the final two songs might be a bit of a letdown, I'll have to see. 

Just listening through the track on the North playlist for this month.  Good stuff (as expected), melodic and dark in equal amounts.

Steel Bearing Hand - Slay In Hell

Paging Daniel and Vinny.

Thanks, will check out.

After sitting down with the list this morning I have finally got round to parking that latest Killer Be Killed album in my queue as it is shaping up to be interesting based on the exposure it has had in recent months on the MA lists in The Pit.  I have found Max's output to be hit and miss since his days in Sepultura but I did enjoy the last Soulfly album and Reluctant Hero appears to have the same ethos at it's core although also feels much more expansive also.  Biggest surprise was that Mr Bungle track which has got me switched onto them now after years of thinking them just some spoof act/project.  Really powerful stuff.

That Cryptosis track builds into a real epic tune, reminds me of if Vektor and Revocation slept together and had a baby.  I need more Wraith in my life definitely - very Toxic Holocaust/Midnight at the same time. Neat find.

Firm nods to classics this month with Celtic Frost,  Destruction, Onslaught and Metallica tracks taking me back nicely.  That Anthrax track too gave me a 90's blast back and it was good to see Sacred Reich in there also.  I chose that Dark Angel track with some trepidation as I don't really get on with that record at all but I find that track stands out from the rest of the output on the record.

I had stumbled across Dr. Living Dead during my research for suggestions for May's list and had already skipped them due to the vocals just not fitting my template at all well.  I just can't get on with new Sodom still and I can't specifically put my finger on why at this stage but I just am not feeling it.  I am however warming to Hexecutor although I find their instrumental passages still too lengthy for my rabid appetite when it comes to thrash.   Didn't get along with the vocals on Crucified Mortals and the popularity of Nervosa continues to evade me.

A good month overall and enjoying the opportunity to take some downtime over the long weekend to listen through a couple of playlists in one or two sittings. 

I've just posted a review, but to summarise: this is an absolutely original and demented black metal release that genuinely feels like the band have poured something of their own souls into it. With a guitar tone borrowed from early 90's death metal and one of the most insane-sounding vocalists out there, this is a real diamond standout and a dagger to the heart of cut-and-paste black metal acts. The sheer variation of pacing and atmosphere on each of the five tracks is impressive and the ritualistic drum rhythms add another layer of unease to the whole occult-ridden shebang.

With this from Vinny and Ben's cracker from last month I'm now getting worried about letting the side down with my pick when it comes up for June - the pressure's building!

Yes, was waiting to read your thoughts on this as thought it would be right up your street.  I am going to get some words together this coming week on this release as I haven't played it for a while and it used to be a staple spinner in the mid-noughties for me.

I don’t pm that much in all honesty but agree that the updated threads need to be more visible.  My biggest bug bear still is having to scroll all the way back to the top to navigate to another page or section when I am at the bottom of a page, a navigation bar at the bottom of the page would be great if that could be done.

Hey Vinny, Spectral Lore has actually done a couple of collab / splits with Mare Cognitum - 2013's Sol and last year's Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine, both of which are really great, especially Wanderers. Both bands are extremely accomplished at the whole cosmic black metal thing, don't you think?

Yeah both are superb and both discographies need some Vinnytime spent with them.

Spectral Lore - III (2014)

Damn Mare Cognitum get me all like atmospheric and shit this week so pulled out this beauty of a record from 7 years ago.  Need to be spinning this more to get back in my head.  This guy knows how to write and of course did a split/collab with Mare Cognitum that I need to check out also.

I am not saying any methodology is wrong for listening to and rating the playlists (and as someone who often puts in 12 hour days at work I get the time limitations challenge) but for me personally I have to sit down and listen end to end to the clan playlists.  For this reason I never catch all of them each month.  In fact, being off work this week gave me a great chance to sit down with the Horde playlist and listen to it in two halves.  For me the playlists are opportunities.  Whether it is the opportunity to learn new bands/sub-genres or simply appreciate some established tracks that I know well, there’s always something I take away to check out or revisit.

Given that Daniel takes the time to put together such a varied and expansive snapshot of music (and I am not ass-kissing here) I feel it’s only fair I take the time to give the whole of the lists - for my clans usually - a full listen before rating/commenting.  This may take me weeks in some instances and I won’t pretend I comment every month but I see the lists as a whole entity, not something I can break down into individual parts.  That’s just how I work.

I think the flow of the lists is fine to my ear and when I am putting my own lists together in my streaming services I use a variety of methods such as eras of the genre, tours of continents as well as simply shifting pace and tempo to hold my interest.

I think you have the option to still access MA with cat photos moving forwards, as a toggle thing.

That new full-length from Cryptosis is on my "to do" pile and the first spin of it peaked interest enough for a second visit soon so I will be interested to hear the Vektor split on this list over the weekend.  I can't get into the latest Sodom which is a shame because I have loved most of the recent output but this one feels underwhelming in comparison.  I have been on a thrash kick this past few weeks so looking forward to getting some time with this list soon.

For May -

Ram - The Usurper from Svbversvm 2015 - 05:14

Striker - Head First  from Play to Win 2019 - 04:02

Cauldron - Nitebreaker  from Tomorrow's Lost 2012 - 03:57

Axxion - Back in Time  from Back in Time 2016 - 04:35

Loanshark  - Fast, Heavy, Loud N Proud from Fast, Heavy, Loud N Proud 2020 - 04:31

Hitten  - Take It All  from Twist of Fate 2018 - 04:27

For May - 

Reactory - Enemy from Collapse to Come (2020) - 04:16

Black Fast - The Keep from Terms of Surrender (2015) - 05:50

Warpath - W.M.D. from Damnation (2008) - 03:56

Warbeast - It from War of the Gargantuas (split with Phil Anselmo & The Illegals) (2013) - 04:29

Hypnosia - Extreme Hatred from Extreme Hatred (2000) - 04:06

For May - 

Earth Crisis - Control Through Fear from To the Death (2009)

For May - 

Author & Punisher - Pressure Lover from Pressure Mine EP (2017)

For May-

Adema - The Way You Like It from Adema (2001)

For May -

Defeated Sanity - Propelled Into Sacrilege from The Sanguinary Impetus (2020)

Cannibal Corpse - Inhumane Harvest from Violence Unimagined (2021)

Celestial Sanctuary - Rid the Gormless from Soul Diminished (2021)

Werewolves - Antisocial from What A Time To Be Alive (2021)

Autopsy - Corpses at War from Puncturing the Grotesque (2017)

EDIT - just seen the new arrangements so adding my other 11 mins on with:

Suffocation - Synthetically Revived from Human Waste EP (1991)

Mortiferum - Inhuman Effigy from Disgorged From Psychotic Depths (2019)

A sterling exploration of The Horde and all the horrors that lie within.  I enjoyed most tracks and have very little that didn't quite gel with me.  Pan.Thy.Monium are a toughie for me to get my head around as when they are not being all avant-garde I actually like that track of theirs but it jumps around far too much in the end I still can't adapt to the constant fluctuations in pace and tempo.

Standout moments include the 51 character Belarusian band and that excellent track on here that has got me interested in hearing more, as well as that banger from Malevolent Creation from Ben.  I even managed to get on with the melodic death metal stuff (yes, even Dark Tranquillity) so all round a solid playlist.

Strange, the Immolation track is there for me.  I thought it might be because I am not a paid subscriber to Spotify but seems not to be the issue.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1qfZsURBI7IfACttcr8EDd?si=nG2ngXF7RvaVHp4HpUtF7w

Tracklisting:

01. Bolt Thrower – “What Dwells Within” (from “War Master”, 1991) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

02. Scar Symmetry – “Slaves To The Subliminal” (from “Pitch Black Progress”, 2006) [Submitted by Ben]

03. Cryptic Shift – “(Petrified in The) Hypogean Gaol” (from “Visitations From Enceladus”, 2020)

04. Dark Tranquillity – “Standstill” (from “Moment”, 2020)

05. Pan.Thy.Monium – “The Battle Of Geeheeb” (from “Khaooohs & Kon-Fus-Ion”, 1996) [Submitted by Ben]

06. Holocausto – “Regimento de Morte” (from “Campo de exterminio”, 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

07. Septic Flesh – “Mystic Places Of Dawn” (from “Mystic Places Of Dawn”, 1994) [Submitted by Ben]

08. The Chasm – “Architects Of Melancholic Apocalypse” (from “Procession To The Infraworld”, 2000) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

09. Pyrrhon – “Another Day In Paradise” (from “Abscess Time”, 2020)

10. Morbid Angel – “Rebel Lands” (from “Blessed Are The Sick”, 1991) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

11. Gravesend – “Needle Park” (from “Methods Of Human Disposal”, 2021)

12. Deathgoat – “Rotten Salvation” (from “Regurgitated Into Existence”, 2021)

13. Altered Dead – “Return To Life” (from “Returned To Life”, 2021)

14. Immolation – “Rival The Eminent” (from “Unholy Cult”, 2002) [Submitted by Daniel]

15. Hemdale – “Demented Surgical Incest” (from “In The Name Of Gore” split album with Exhumed, 1996)

16. Malevolent Creation – “Slaughter Of Innocence” (from “Retribution”, 1992) [Submitted by Ben]

17. Heaven Shall Burn – “Counterweight” (from “Deaf To Our Prayers”, 2006) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Eximperituserqethhzebibšiptugakkathšulweliarzaxułum – “Utpāda” (from “Šahrartu”, 2021)

19. Fractal Generator – “Macrocosmos” (from “Macrocosmos”, 2021)

20. Misery Index – “The Carrion Call” (from “Heirs To Thievery”, 2010) [Submitted by Daniel]

21. Agoraphobic Nosebleed – “Vexed” (from “Honky Reduction”, 1998)

22. Krisiun – “A Thousand Graves” (from “Scourge Of The Enthroned”, 2018) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

23. Dead Congregation – “Teeth Into Red” (from “Graves Of The Archangels”, 2008) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

24. Unseen Terror – “Burned Beyond Recognition” (from “The Peel Sessions” E.P., 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]

25. Knoll – “Earth’s Iron Lung” (from “Interstice”, 2021)

26. Aborted – “Meticulous Invagination” (from “Goremageddon: The Saw and the Carnage Done”, 2003) [Submitted by Ben]

27. Abominable Putridity – “Non Infinite Sequence” (from “Parasitic Metamorphosis Manifestation”, 2021)

Looks like that Holocausto track is no longer available

For May -

Wolves in the Throne Room - The Old Ones Are With Us from Thrice Woven (2017) (08:36)

Craft - Assassin 333 from Fuck The Universe (2005) (04:31)

Könnigreichssaal - Force Majeure from Witnessing the Dearth (2020) (04:41)

Les Chants De Nihil - Ma Doctrine, Ta Vanité from Le Tyran Et L'esthète (2021) (05:18)

Mare Cognitum - Solar Paroxysm (2021)

First time listening to this band and have to say I am already massively impressed by just the power of the opening track on here.

My new favourite album of 2021 from french black metallers Les chants de nihil.

Another example of french BM acts trying to push the genre forward:

Daniel, Ben and Vinny you should all probably give this a listen.

Liking this, thanks Sonny.

Suffocation - "Human Waste" E.P. (1991)

Vinny, I notice you haven't rated this one. I regard it as absolutely essential for all death metal fans.

It's known to me, but for some reason I have never gotten round to sitting down with it and doing a review anywhere (thought I had on my old forum but can't see it).  Got a week of leave this week so will spend some time with it.

Hi Ben, could you please add Berlin thrashers Reactory?

Wardruna - Kvitravn (2021)

Playing copious amounts of Assassin's Creed : Valhalla has put me right in the mood for some of Einar Selvik's output from his day job with Lindy-Fay Hella.  I am fucking obsessed with Wardruna.  They are one of the few bands outside of the metal genre than can generate that same menace and emotion despite using very little of the metal methodology in the process.  I could listen to the title track off here all day and not get bored.  My favourite artist right now by some stretch.

4.5/5

Welcome Theo, dive in mate and give us some reviews.

OK so I've officially had my mind blown. I'm sure everyone knows that the more extreme end of death metal is where my absolute musical sweet spot is by now &, that being the case, "Promulgation Of The Fall" spends its entire duration incessantly pressing its finger right on top of my audio g-spot. It's cripplingly dark, relentlessly brutal & stunningly produced & executed. Sure there are some obvious influences here that Vinny has already gone into in his review however I'd suggest that Dead Congregation match them with ease here. In fact, the sheer precision gives Dead Congregation an edge over most of their peers. The drumming is outstanding, the deep death growls are suffocating & the atmosphere is situated right in the middle of a fog-filled, zombie-ridden graveyard at midnight. This record is the absolute epitome of what death metal aspires to be & I can't fault it. Unbelievable stuff!

For fans of Incantation, Immolation & Morbid Angel.

5/5

I don't give this record enough attention and every time I play it I tell myself it should be played more regularly.  A definite underrated record in death metal for sure and a band that just get overlooked all too easily.

Bury Your Dead - House of Straw from Beauty and the Breakdown (2006)