UnhinderedbyTalent's Forum Replies
Cloud Rat - Do Not Let Me Off The Cliff (2019)
Dark, gazey, folkly, industrial (at times) intensity for a rainy Monday morning
Riffy death metal with chaotic sonics from Tampa's finest. Barked vocals from the throat of a demon from the sounds of it. Fantastic stuff.
Ben & I discussed the new features that are slated for this round of developments today & I've gotta say that I think we might be putting some space between Metal Academy & the competition shortly. We'll be heading into entirely new territory in some areas & will be filling the last remaining gaps we have with competitors in others. The clan concept is going to give us a clear edge in some ways & you'll see some things you've been asking for finally coming to fruition too. I'm very excited to say the least!
(made my own "like" button)
I don't have time for much of this album but this track and We Die Young are timeless for me. The tone of Cantrell's guitar on the lead section is fucking amazing and the emotion behind Stayley's vocals is raw and overt without being crass.
Blackened death metal with a nasty riff to start things off nicely before layered chaos ensues.
Deftones at their gazy and sultry best from White Pony.
Vanum - Ageless Fire (2019)
Melodic black metal that despite being quite predicatble still gets props for doing justice to the genre. Some unexpected chord progressions and tempo changes here and there to keep things interesting. Ticking all my boxes on a Sunday mornng where I have woken up to Dissection and Sacramentum tracks drifting through my head.
3.5/5
I’d also like the ability to @ other members in forum posts. For example, I recommended one of our members a release in the forum for The Revolution this morning however it’s really up to chance as to whether they’ll ever read the message. It’d be better if they were alerted to it without me having to send them a private message. Perhaps they could see a notification on their profile symbol at the top of the screen which would direct them to a notifications section in their profile?
Seconded
MadManx said that he was gonna have to confront the stalker and report them to the police in person. Also it could be possible that the stalker might've only been targeting that one guy. He can't just call the police and say "Help, someone's stalking me!" without having more info from the stalker. Reporting isn't super easy nowadays...
So he and this stalker have exchanged addresses? Sorry Andi, it’s up to you what you believe but there’s a lot of holes that can all too easily be poked in this story. If this user does become public on the board I for one will be avoiding them.
Well, I actually enjoyed it to some degree. Suffers badly from poor songwriting and shit production but I get enough from it to be able to forgive the rampant nu-metal aspects of it. Review done.
My bullshitometer is reading so far of the scale I need a parallel universe to catch the actual reading. If someone threatens to murder you, you don't wait for "a gap in your schedule" to report it - no matter how tough you are - since if it were true this "stalker" could be doing the same to multiple (and much more vulnerable) people and it would be the responsible act to report it immediately.
What utter nonsense.
Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal - (2005)
The eventual swan song of Bolt Thrower is arguably their best album (maybe a photo finish with ...For Victory). The album never lets up and has a relentless drive and direction to it that to be honest still showed promise of so much more to come before tragedy struck. Proud to own this on CD now and to be stripping the paint from my walls by blasting The Killchain like some teenager in their bedroom. Fuck yeah!
4/5
How bored are some people on the internet? I mean if your goal in life is to see your favourite albums ranked in your preferred order to the point where you would cheat to get the desired outcome then I would suggest that you aren't winning at life. Jeez!
Nu-metal is not my favoured genre but oddly I have a lot of time for Deftones (having the majority of their output in my library). I don't recall ever even giving the debut a try and for no good reason either other than some sub-conscious nonsense about it probably being too nu-metal or something. Anyway, I have added it to my library on stream this morning to give it some playtime over the weekend.
@MacabreEternal, I originally had Procession of the Dead Clowns, but for some reason it felt odd to have an entirely instrumental track as one of my top 10 tracks. On hindsight, I should have left it as it was. Lifechanging track!
Yep, always a top 10 for me. Gets me so focused when I listen to it.
Bell Witch - "Mirror Reaper" (I think this is cheating.)
The first "how could I have missed this?" moment just happened for me.
In no order (and I could probably write a new one of these by lunchtime):
Bolt Thrower - The Killchain - Those Once Loyal (2005)
Vektor - Forests of Legend - Black Future (2009)
Opeth - Face of Melinda - Still Life (1999)
Asphyx - The Krusher - Last One On Earth (1992)
Slayer - Seasons In The Abyss - Seasons In The Abyss (1990)
Deep Purple - Child in Time - In Rock (1970)
Blut Aus Nord - Procession of the Dead Clowns - The Work Which Transforms God (2003)
Gorguts - The Battle for Chamdo - Colored Sands (2013)
Altarage - Altars - Nihl (2016)
Sepultura - Troops of Doom - Morbid Visions (1986)
I couldn't quite get my head around the hype for Vektor when they first appeared and for some dumb reason presumed their debut couldn't ever be as good as the hype suggested so I didn't listen to it until a couple of years ago. I was wrong.
I still feel it is one of those records that you learn more about with each listen. I spent my first few listens wondering how they wrote such bewildering and involuted songs with such a random and yet flowing arrangement. Subsequent listens have my all like "what the hell is that, I haven't noticed that before!" Even though I feel I have more to learn still from this despite numerous listens I am still parking it at full marks for it being a constant challenge to listen to.
P.s. the track Forest of Legend would be on my top ten metal tracks if I ever bothered to take time to answer Andi's thread.
5/5
I recall this was my gateway record into Opeth and I was astonished from the off at how progressive and expansive it was. I wouldn't say it was my favourite Opeth record as I think Ghost Reveries would hit that spot over this one but there's no denying that this was a record released by a band who were at the very top of their game. As the album cover suggests there's lots going on beneath the gloom and atmosphere and you simply have to accept that invite from Daniel to go and explore this record if you have not heard it before. You won't be disappointed.
My only criticism is that it is a tad too long for me even though I acknowledge this was an album written by someone who had a lot to say. I really need to write a review on this record at some point.
4.5/5
Cynic - "Focus" (1993)
An absolute classic & a hhuuuggggeee record for Ben & I from back in the day. Incredible musicianship & ambition. The production could have been better but it hasn't tainted what was a creative landmark for death metal in general. For fans of Atheist, "Spheres"-era Pestilence & the second half of Death's career.
4.5/5
See I am not a fan of it. I get it had impact and there wasn’t anything quite like it until then but to me it was like they just went too far with that robot/alien voice. A few smatterings of it on one track would have done me but beyond that and it just seems intrusive. Talented guys most definitely just a tad too far for me.
Nice to see Paul Di'Anno's Maiden albums well-represented. They're both much overlooked in my opinion and show a punkier, more raw and aggressive side to Maiden that I think they lost later.
Absolutely. Di'Anno era Maiden is my preferred era most definitely I have a few vinyl 7"'s from the time also so there's a lot of nostalgia there.
I thought I'd do something interesting and list the albums I'm both thrilled and surprised to see on your list. Note that being surprised doesn't mean that I think you're wrong. It's your list after all!
Top 3 that I'm thrilled to see on your list:
- Blut Aus Nord's The Work Which Transforms God
- Deicide's s/t
- Metallica's ...And Justice For All
Top 3 that I'm surprised to see on your list:
- Obituary's Slowly We Rot at number 1!
- Death's Scream Bloody Gore, but no other Death albums
- Iron Maiden's Killers
Obituary's debut was the first vinyl I ever bought (cold) so it has massive importance for me even though I ackowledge that Cause of Death is superior in style and writing. I can't count how many hours of play that album has had in the past 30 years. I still feel like I havent fully gotten to grips with Death's discography despite owning all of their albums. I can't think of one other album that was so important for a genre overall other than Scream Bloody Gore and the only other one I was considering was The Sound of Perseverance but I feel there's more I need to learn about that record still.
In terms of the "thrilled" stuff, I can't recognise one other album that traverses the raw black metal landscape whilst constructing ambient and at times gothic soundscapes at the same time other than Blut's fourth album. It set up MoRT perfectly and you can hear the precursors to what came on that record throughout The Work...
I toiled with Deicide's debut or Legion if honest but in the end went down to which one I could pay more or less in full in my head. With Metallica I had the conflict of whether it was going to be Kill 'Em All or ...And Justice For All but in the end I chose the latter because I think it was the last great album from them and one that showcased their development and progression as a band over 4 great albums.
25. Autopsy Mental Funeral
24. Ulcerate Vermis
23. Immolation Close To A World Below
22. Danzig Danzig II: Lucifuge
21. Kreator Pleasure to Kill
20. Blut Aus Nord The Work Which Transforms God
19. Queensryche Empire
18. Skid Row s/t
17. Asphyx Last One On Earth
16. Pantera Far Beyond Driven
15. Enslaved Below The Lights
14. Immortal At The Heart Of Winter
13. Bell Witch Mirror Reaper
12. Iron Maiden Killers
11. Judas Priest Painkiller
10. Slayer Seasons In The Abyss
9. Iron Maiden s/t
8. Metallica ...And Justice For All
7. Obituary Cause of Death
6. Deicide s/t
5. Death Scream Bloody Gore
4. Seputura Arise
3. Gorguts Colored Sands
2. Morbid Angel Altars of Madness
1. Obituary Slowly We Rot
Depending on the way the wind blows tomorrow Autopsy might get bumped off as Morbid Angel's sophomore comes in at 2 and everything shuffles down a place. There's some massive records in there for me that are part of me growing up, hence there's little black metal input as that came much later in my repetoire.
Great to see Still Life up there, not span that one in a while beyond the endless looping of Face of Melinda that I do on my iPad whenever I try to listen to it just once. I missed this thread if I am honest, I will try to contribute but like most here I will end up doing about 5 versions of it as I will inevitably miss records.
Blackrat - Dread Reverance (2018)
Crusty, blackened speed/thrash metal from Canada. Fell onto my radar last year but couldn't remember why I rated them so much. Listening through again lots of early Sodom style tracks with the "no fucks given" attitude of Midnight. Thumping drums and barking riffs right here folks.
3.5 / 5
Danigate has me on the edge of my seat.
Of course there is one other option: I implement a Site Rating and Clan Rating for album covers, the same way I did for releases. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure you'll all agree with that idea.
You nailed it here fella.
Wombbath Internal Caustice Torments (1993)
Always neglect to give this much attention which seems daft because everytime I play it I enjoy it. It is not that Swedish in sound and has a lot of wider influences to bolster that crunchy guitar, relying on a more mid-paced tempo and groove as the Baphomet's of this world would do. It does the job for me anyway without pushing any boundaries.
3.5/5
I agree with the majority of the ideas. Especially a fan of the anniversary and album cover rating ideas. Some of my favourite album covers are on albums I haven't heard or actually dislike the content of but I think this needs to be an open thing and not limited to clans. Generally the idea of closing things to only members of a clan doesn't feel right to me. I find this site a great resource for exploring new genres and sub-genres so kind of like that "openess" if I am honest as it is one of the main draws for me.
Nocturnus "The Key"
Nocturnus AD "Paradox"
Obscura "Diluvium"
Tymell & Vinny, I think you'll really dig this undiscovered gem from 1987. High quality Canadian thrash combined with crossover thrash & the occasional tech thrash leaning.
On my rotation Trello to check out this coming week, thanks.
Falkenbach have lurked on the fringes of my radar for a while now without much sense of urgency on my part to really pursue them. I have some downtime tonight so put this on whilst sat doing nothing else and so far I am glad I did. Reminds me an awful lot of Borknagar in the cleaner vocal parts and also structurally. The first track is a bit naff but things pick up from track two onwards mostly definitely. Thanks for sharing Daniel, will be exploring some more over the coming week.
What did you end up thinking of "Im Wald" Vinny?
Still on my Trello board under ‘need to review” list. Been out doing lots of yard work and also some weightlifting so have been listening to lots of fist pumping stuff this past week to keep me motivated. Today’s wet weather means BM may stray onto rotation.
Well done.
The Joy Formidable - Wolf Law (2013)
Soft alternative rock from Wales to start Thursday off. Had the debut album of theirs at one point but seem to have misplaced it. The sophomore is a step up though, more mature without losing any of the fun elements of their sound. Positive vibes for these dark times. 4/5
Sadly, the music doesn’t exactly live up to the quality of the cover. It isn’t terrible but I find it very clunky in song structure and vocally think that it is way below par. There’s obvious talent on the instrumentation front, however the band are not as deft when it comes to arrangement and songwriting. Sections appear to fall over each other instead of integrate or glance as passable time changes. Unlikely to revisit.
2.5/5
I am listening to that based on that cover alone.
Spheres.
Look, I haven't heard one Dark Tranqulity record I like and melodeath is not really my bag either so this is actually quite easy for me even though I don't revisit Spheres that much.
I think the reviews have to come naturally to be honest and not just be reviews for reviews sake because something is new or because something is a classic. The great thing about here is that if a member has a particular interest in a band they can request addition of the discog to the site or search and review it if already present, this works fine from where I am sat. If you wanna see more recent releases you can request them, if you think there's a glaring hole in a clan then request the missing band be added.
Whilst I agree it is important to bring members in I disagree that it is the responsibility of the site/members to alter their reviewing preferences just to attract a more maturing audience. Everyone's entry point into metal is different I grant you but it is in everyone's gift to dive in and explore metal in what ever genre/sub-genre they like. I started with a Saxon record 31 years ago (that was already six years old by that point) and was onto Slayer and Obituary inside 12 months. An internet acquaintance of mine dove in at a similar point and hasn't moved out of traditional heavy metal. People need to choose their own path.
I lost interest in a lot of new releases after spending many years trying to maintain a blog and just reviewing like there was no tomorrow. Not saying that is the intention here with this desire for focus on new releases but I don't think it is needed personally.
I am with Chinese Whispers here. That Repulsion record is a biggie but it gets little rotation nowadays. By comparison Pestilence’s sophomore is one of my go to records for death metal because it’s just so fucking nasty sounding. Grindcore generally is a very mood specific genre for me one which I find marries up well with working from home and needing to expel lots of pent up frustration during the day.
Macabre - Sinister Slaughter (1993)
Back for some more grindcore on a fine spring afternoon. Full of dark humour and sardonic attitude which we all need more of in our lives don't we?
4.5/5
Pretty Maids - Future World (1987)
More hard rock than metal but has its moments of hi-octane delivery but rarely strays away from the core melodic elements. Still entertaining enough.
3/5
Black Honey - Black Honey (2018)
Delicious indie-pop from Brighton (UK) - perfect for summer.
I'm considering working with my developer in the next few months, so if anyone has anything they think could improve Metal Academy, please speak up. I'm not sure that there has been anything that anyone has requested so far that I haven't implemented or at least considered very carefully.
Quoted Ben
Any chance of some "like" mechanism being available in the forums as well as on the reviews?
I am a moderator on another site and seen all aspects of marketing deployed by the site owner ranging from a merch store with a prize for the top poster each week through to offering advertising space to labels/distros and bands but the place has never really taken off despite a FB page. The promotion section on there is the busiest thread (it is just a forum) and myself and the other mod just put things in the correct thread or ban people who spam deliberately. There’s not a lot of activity anywhere outside of social media from my experience and places never expand beyond a community really which isn’t always a bad thing but if you want traction is not the place you want to end up.
The amount of work that has gone into the site by Ben and Daniel merits that this place deserves more members to truly appreciate the informative, concise and friendly nature of this place. There’s an openness here that is rarely found in metal circles which often become entrenched in elitist attitude and this open mindedness is a thing worth celebrating also. The site has attracted a solid cross section of metal fans and the regulars here seems to genuinely be decent folks here to want to talk about favourites and recent discoveries and I hope that no matter how slow or fast the uptake of new members gets that this ethos isn’t lost.
I genuinely expected the forums to pick up during lockdown but aside from the occasional new member at the other site I visit who just seem to want to shit words all over the Internet it hasn’t really picked up any if I am honest. I guess in answer to your question Daniel, I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong or there’s much more that can be done to boost activity. The problem seems to be with the Internet audience generally not the site itself which in so many ways is already a massive success.
If everyone who joined had the enthusiasm of Shadowdoom then we’d be flooded with activity 😊 My grumpy old ass will probably always be around in some way shape or form as long as there’s albums to review and wrongs to be righted.
Just do not understand the love for this record. David Wayne is overrated as a vocalist and the whole album lacks punch. Poorly written songs that start off with promise but soon fizzle out into mediocre and forgetable tracks. So many important albums were released in 1984 and this one is not one of them.
Wormrot - Voices (2016)
Blasting Brujeria most of the week has given me an appetite for grindcore at present. Was a fan of this Singapore mob around their Dirge release but have drifted away in recent years. Still as fucking vicious as I recall them. They are surprisingly more rhythmic than I remember but that maybe just a development on this record. Overall a decent record to revisit an old favourite band with. 4/5
Only just seen this thread. Hope everyone and their families are safe. I have just finished a stint working on a project here in the UK to staff field hospitals built specifically to look after COVID patients. Have a feeling COVID is here for a while yet though. Stay safe everyone.
Cenotaph - The Gloomy Reflection Of Our Hidden Sorrows (1992)
Clunky album title aside there's a lot to like here. Mexico doesn't put out much in the way of metal but anything with Daniel Corchado on is not going to disappoint.
Immolation - Close To A World Below (2000)
Got a CD copy of this yesterday and the sound is fucking monstrous! One of my all time favourite Immolation records right here. 5/5