Vinny's Forum Replies
Mānbryne - Interregnum: O próbie wiary i jarzmie zwątpienia (2023)
Picked up from The North clan playlist this month, some Polish bm for this wet Thursday afternoon.
Ken mode - "VOID" (2023)
Since writing the below review back in October this year I have added VOID to my vinyl shelves and today marks its first spin.
Sitting completely off my radar for most of their discography to date, KEN mode came up in a random playlist this week and I found myself intrigued by their clear blend of core infused sludge that seems to have a constant threat of exploding into some mathy chaos. Grateful that this possibility is never realised VOID plays to the more appealing elements of how I like my sludge; reminiscent of Kowloon Walled City who I also stumbled across randomly.
This thoughtful and mature edge to VOID bleeds through on tracks such as These Wires which is an exhausting and emotionally charged near eight minutes of turbulent percussion and boisterous vocals tempered by the gradual build of the instrumental track (a la Russian Circles), We’re Small Enough that immediately follows it. Unafraid to bring the noise though, the crazed jazzy ending to I Cannot shows the versatility of KEN mode perfectly. Whatever track you listen to on the album you cannot deny how emotionally supercharged the whole thing is and the elements of control that are deployed on that energy make for a very interesting listen overall.
Whilst there is a sense of fight to the record, there is a frustrating futility to that conflict, an underlying tone of defeat being known but the level of tenacity in the energy of the tracks refuses to admit defeat. Monotone bass lines and an often-deployed plodding rhythm compliment the dark edge to the lyrics well without ever making for dull or lifeless compositions either. There is a level of intrigue that I maintain in listening to this record that I do not often find with most releases nowadays. VOID certainly has something to say but it is not limiting itself to shouting in my face, nor is it hiding behind conjecture either.
Not all elements work for me. The spoken word on Not Today, Old Friend certainly play to the aesthetic of the song but just feel out of place still somehow. The more noise rock portions of KEN mode are the more challenging for me overall even though they do tangle the most intricate of webs that I do still have to acknowledge the talent behind the creation thereof.
4.5/5
For the next playlist that's available, I'd like to suggest:
Coroner - Mistress of Deception (off No More Color)
Doom - Ghost of Princes (off Killing Field+4)
They will be on December's, thanks.
Hey Vinny, my suggestions for December are:
Flotsam and Jetsam - "Doomsday for the Deceiver" (from "Doomsday for the Deceiver", 1986)
Megadeth - "Good Mourning/Black Friday" (from "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?", 1986)
Slaughtbbath - "Tyranny From Sodom" (from "Contempt, War and Damnation", 2017)
Slaughter Lord - "Slaughter Lord" (from "Thrash 'Til Death", 1998)
Trastorned - "Witch Hunt" (from "Into the Void", 2023)
Thanks Sonny, perfect pick with that lengthy F&J track meaning that the playlist is now complete well ahead of schedule. I can put me feet up for rest of month now.
I have no idea what “atmospheric sludge” is so hadn’t even noticed the change. I lack the laser focus on the clans that others have. Short answer, it’s fine as is.
My first four days at my new job have gone really well. The first 2.5 days were basically spent completing online training & inductions but the last 1.5 days were really interesting & encouraging. I'm really enjoying learning about managing a business in an entirely new industry (i.e. the construction machinery one) while the wider team seems to be embracing me & are really happy to have someone with my skill sets & experience coming into their business which has given me a much-needed ego-boost after recent events had dented my confidence a touch. The commute has been punishing though. It's been more like 95 minutes to get there in the morning & around 110-120 minutes to get home in the evening. Plenty of metal listening has been conducted during that time which is a bit of a concern for the state of my withered ear drums.
Glad it is working out. Although if they insist on embracing you then you can always go to HR of course 
How can I submit my band to be added to the site?
There's a thread for requests in each of the clan forums (suspect you want the one in The Pit) drop the request in this thread and Ben will pick up.
For December please:
Candlemass - "Dark Are the Veils of Death" (from "Nightfall", 1987)
KEN mode - "A Reluctance of Being" (from "VOID", 2023)
For December please:
Glemsel - "Ansigterne" (from "Forfader", 2022)
Hexis - "Exhaurire" (from "Aeternum", 2022)
For December please:
Tenebro - "Carne Umana" (from "Carne Umana", 2022)
Wharflurch - "Phantasmagorical Fumes" (from "Psychedelic Realms Ov Hell", 2021)
Universally Estranged - "Corrupted Mind Palace" (from "Dimension of Deviant Clusters", 2022)
Dismember - "Override of the Overture" (from "Like an Ever Flowing Stream", 1991)
Yatra - "Terminate by the Sword" (from "Born Into Chaos", 2022)
Devenial Verdict - "Ash Blind" (from "Ash Blind", 2022)
November 2023
1. Sadistic Ritual – “Area Denial” (from “The Enigma, Boundless”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
2. Horrendous – “Ontological Mysterium” (from “Ontological Mysterium”, 2023)
3. Pentagram Chile – “La Furia” (from “The Malefice”, 2013 [Submitted by Sonny]
4. Daeva – “The Architect and the Monument” (from “Through Sheer Will & Black Magic”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
5. Aura Noir – “Black Thrash Attack” (from “Black Thrash Attack”, 1996) [Submitted by Sonny]
6. Hellbringer – “Fall of the Cross” (from “Awakened from the Abyss”, 2016)
7. Sacred Reich – “One Nation” (from “Surf Nicaragua”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
8. Combust – “The Big Game” (from “Another Life”, 2022)
9. Enforced – “The Quickening” (from “War Remains”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]
10. Forbidden – “As Good as Dead” (from “Forbidden Evil”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
11. Num Skull – “Death and Innocence” (from “Ritually Abused”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
12. Attomica – “Deathraiser” (from “Disturbing the Noise”, 1991)
13. Mutilator – “Tormented Soul” (from “Immortal Force”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]
14. Pestilence – “Systematic Instruction” (from “Malleus Maleficarum”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
15. Bewitched – “Born of Flames” (from “Diabolical Desecration”, 1996) [Submitted by Sonny]
16. Vendetta – “Never Die” (from “Brain Damage”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
17. Exumer – “Rising from the Sea” (from “Rising from the Sea”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]
18. At War – “Mortally Wounded” (from “Ordered to Kill”, 1986)
19. Solstice – “Who Bleeds Whom” (from “Casting the Die”, 2021)
20. Lamb of God – “Vanishing” (from “Omens”, 2022)
21. Blood From the Soul – “Dismantle the Titan” (from “DSM-5”, 2020)
22. Detritus – “Bright Black” (from “Myths”, 2021)
23. Terminalist – “A Future to Weave” (from “The Crisis as Condition”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]
24. Miscreance – “Fall Apart” (from “Convergence”, 2022)
25. Chemicide – “Inequality” (from “Inequality”, 2019)
26. Sadistic Force – “Cavern of the Wraith” (from “Aces Wild”, 2019)
27. The Lousy – “Demons on Parade” (from “Shut Up I’m Talking”, 2022)
28. Testament – “The Ballad” (from “Practice What You Preach”, 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]
29. Flotsam & Jetsam – “Hard on You” (from “No Place for Disgrace”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
30. Warbringer – “The Black Hand Reaches Out” (from “Weapons of Tomorrow”, 2020)
Have finally gotten around to this playlist and picked up a few wins. Never heard anything off Paegan Terrorism Tactics from Acid Bath before and have been spinning that record a couple of times since this list. The Paradise Lost track got me itching to go back and explore their largely untested early material. Hell I even enjoyed the Jesu track, considering I normally find their material too accessible. That Baroness track is quite infectious I also found.
Nice work Sonny.
Thanks Sonny, glad you enjoyed it.
Well done Xeph.
Really enjoyed this month's playlist. Managed to get through it in one sitting this morning which is rare during work hours.
Fluisteraars continue to please me the more I hear from them with the largely shortened format of their releases making them a quick win. My other major takeaway was a reminder to check out that Altar of Plagues record again as keep meaning to write a review for it but never quite get around to it. Profane Order are new to me but liked what I heard here of them.
New Marduk and Tsjuder sound promising so must add them to the "to do" list.
After six weeks of trying, I finally managed to secure an interview which I attended yesterday. It went beautifully & I'm reasonably confident of receiving an offer but the only problem is that they want me in the office every day which means three hours of driving every single day. I'm not sure I can keep that up for long periods but I'm considering taking it anyway as it's very much in line with what I'm looking for.
Also, Sphere of Apparition Records have received the Neuropath CDs & tell me that they've come out even better than they expected. They sent me nine copies on Friday so I should receive them in the next few business days. Excited!
Good luck with that. I wouldn't envy the drive - I intend to never work in an office again if I can avoid it. This is because of the commute/drive and the fact that it involves other people also. Great news about the CDs.
My suggestions for November Vinny:
Testament - "Last Stand for Independence" (from "Dark Roots of Earth", 2012)
Hi Sonny,
Daniel has already nominated a Testament track for the upcoming month, would you like to submit an alternative?
Only a couple for me for November please Daniel:
Altarage - "Cataract" (from "Worst Case Scenario", 2023)
Adramelech - "The Book of the Worm" (from "Psychostasia", 1996)
November for me please Ben:
Draugur - "Behold the Third Eye Vision" (from "By the Rays of His Golden Light", 2016)
Bathory - "Valhalla" (from "Hammerheart", 1990)
November for me please Sonny:
Corrosion of Conformity - "Wolf Named Crow" (from "No Cross No Crown", 2018)
Godthrymm - "We Are the Dead" (from "Reflections", 2020)
Kowloon Walled City - "The Pressure Keeps Me Alive" (from "Container Ships", 2012)
October 2023
1. Kill The Pharoah – “Bleed for Me” (from “Thrash Delivers”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
2. Assault – “Antebellum” (from “A Blind Eye”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
3. Rhythm of Fear – “Parasomniac” (from “Fatal Horizons”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
4. Sarcator – “Ascend” (from “Alkahest”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
5. Lucifuge – “The Great Unseen” (from “Of Night & Lust”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
6. Graveripper – “Seasons Dreaming Death” (from “Seasons Dreaming Death”, 20230
7. KAT – “Porwany obledem” (from “Oddech wymarlych swiatow”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
8. Cyst – “Curse the Fates” (from “Concussion Symphony”, 2002)
9. Opprobrium – “Curse of the Damned Cities” (from “Beyond the Unknown”, 1990) [Submitted by Sonny]
10. Besieged – “Internal Suffering” (from “Victims Beyond All Help”, 2010)
11. Vio-lence – “Serial Killer” (from “Eternal Nightmare”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
12. Sodom – “Lead Injection” (from “M-16”, 2001) [Submitted by Daniel]
13. Destruction – “Reject Emotions” (from “Mad Butcher”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]
14. Go Ahead And Die – “Tumors” (from “Unhealthy Mechanisms”, 2023)
15. Paralysis – “Frozen Inside” (from “Above the Abyss”, 2023)
16. Nuclear Assault – “Cross of Iron” (from “The Plague - EP”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]
17. Meshuggah – “Paralyzing Ignorance” (from “Contradictions Collapse”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]
18. Cosmic Jaguar – “Temple of the Feathered Serpent” (from “The Legacy of the Aztecs”, 2023)
19. Helstar – “He’s A Woman, She’s A Man” (from “A Distant Thunder”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
20. Scanner – “Grapes of Fear” (from “Hypertrace”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
21. Demoniac – “Granada” (from “Nube Negra”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]
22. Deathhammer – “Crushing the Pearly Gates” (from “Electric Warfare”, 2022)
23. Slaughter Messiah – “Pouring Chaos” (from “Cursed to the Pyre”, 2020)
24. Algebra – “Inner Constraints” (from “Pulse?”, 2019)
25. Draghoria – “Terror Hypnosis” (from “Dangerous Species”, 2022)
26. Enemynside – “Suffered Defeat” (from “Chaos Machine”, 2019)
27. Necrokinesis – “No Future” (from “Necrokinesis”, 2020)
28. Anthrax – “Belly of the Beast” (from “Persistence of Time”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]
I'll give my vote to Black Sabbath's debut as ground zero for metal. Half of the tracklisting wasn't metal but all of the most important tracks were clearly metal as fuck so it certainly qualifies in my opinion.
Deep Purple had a few albums before "In Rock" Rex. Is "In Rock" the only one of their first four that you consider to be metal or would you like us to consider any of those earlier releases? I completely agree with you on Led Zeppelin. The greatest hard rock band that's ever lived but certainly not a metal band.
Andi, Morpheus, Ben, Vinny, Saxy, Xephyr, SilentScream, etc? Would any of you like to be involved in this exercise?
Not for me thank you Daniel.
I spend an inordinate amount of time rating covers on here. My mother is an artist and (as with everything else in my life) if time permitted I would spend more time exploring art. I have a print of John Martin's "Sadak In Search of the Waters of Oblivion" on my wall above my music stack and plan to add more to my office/lair walls.
Have an internet acquaintance who I planned to meet whilst in the States a few years back but couldn't co-ordinate diaries, who does art for album covers. Super-talented guy (also involved in a number of music projects) - his artwork is here:
I have never seen "Sadak In Search of the Waters of Oblivion" before Vinny, but it is fantastic and has a similar feel to some of Lewandowski's paintings.
Do you know any covers that Kishor has produced off hand? He does look very talented. I think hands are one of the hardest parts of human anatomy to capture well and he does them brilliantly (and quite a lot by the looks of it!)
Hi Sonny, he lists the albums under any of the Illustrations (no paintings used) that have been used under the image on the website mate. Black Harvest is his own band/project btw.
I spend an inordinate amount of time rating covers on here. My mother is an artist and (as with everything else in my life) if time permitted I would spend more time exploring art. I have a print of John Martin's "Sadak In Search of the Waters of Oblivion" on my wall above my music stack and plan to add more to my office/lair walls.
Have an internet acquaintance who I planned to meet whilst in the States a few years back but couldn't co-ordinate diaries, who does art for album covers. Super-talented guy (also involved in a number of music projects) - his artwork is here:
Good to see this see the light of day Daniel.
Tenebrae - "Serenades of the Damned" (1994)
Having spare time to pursue my exploration of Canadian black metal is a real test at present but this does have the benefit of me being able to take it slowly and not just dive into any release that I find. Today I wanted to look at some demos and I stumbled across Tenebrae (Latin word for "darkness") and their short discography that matches their short life together. This five-piece managed just one full-length release before they split up. Their demo that arrived some two years before their album is a suitably raw affair that contains some Emperor style symphonic keyboards to add into the mix. The vocalist here is the guy who owns Sepulchral Productions (Martin Marcotte) and he gives a true to style grim and ghastly performance which is the standout performance on the release. Those keyboards are not well represented in the overall sound and come across as amateurish and border on dungeon synth a little also.
The twin guitar attack works well alongside busy yet not always clear drums. There's not really a lot on offer here that had not already been done by the Norwegians in the three or four years that preceded this release. For a demo though, you get thirty-five minutes of sluggishly structured black metal that tries to run before it can walk on some occasions yes, but on the whole is still interesting listening (the last track however is a clusterfuck). Not essential listening on my exploration but at least the influences are obvious.
Can be located on Bandcamp (on a "pay what you want" basis) or YouTube for anyone who is interested.
3/5
Following my immediate purchase on CD of VoidCeremony's debut album in 2020 after just a couple of streams online, I was keeping an eye out for the follow up for what felt like an eternity. With its bass-heavy presence the debut took the prog element of prog-death and put it on a plinth all of its own before surrounding it with some great OSDM vibes to ground proceedings nicely. Some three years later and Threads of Unknowing picks up essentially where Entropic Reflections Continuum: Dimensional Unravel left off. Damon Good's bass still commands a lot of attention (and rightly so) and that OSDM vibe is still present also, thankfully.
The main immediate difference to note this time is that production job that makes the drums sound like the are incredibly brittle. Despite the obvious hard work of Charles Koryn, his efforts are stifled somewhat by knob-twiddler, Gabriele Gramaglia. The leads shine well enough though. Soaring and uplifting, they do a quality job of expanded the soundscape of Threads... without giving us any pretentious traits to get annoyed over, These, cleaner, more progressive elements are the strongest part of the album for me and I agree that VoidCermony do work better as a progressive outfit as opposed to a technical/prog-death band. I do not have a problem with the vocals actually. I can see where the aversion comes from but I find them perfectly acceptable.
Whilst I am not as instantly blown away by their sophomore album, I still find Threads of Unknowing to be a solid record and one that does grow with each listen. Yes, it is bottom-heavy, with the second half of the record easily outstripping the first half, but this is still a mighty fine album, delivered by some very professional sounding individuals. Drums aside, I have no real issue here.
4/5
The debut EP from Isis shows a remarkable level of maturity. The build to opening track Poison Eggs sounds like it is written by a band some ten years into their existence, not just twelve months as was the case with the band at the time. This release shows just why Isis grew into staples of the sludge metal world. Whilst there are spades of aggression and harshness for the listener to feast upon, there is a restraint to elements of the violence also. Underlined by the tightness of the performances, as a whole The Mosquito Control is a real force to be reckoned with.
At not even a full half hour, there still feels a lot of activity to process on this EP. Tracks shift and lurch beneath the monumental weight of the noise created by the fusion of drums, guitars, bass and vocals. Yet no track ever descends into full-blown chaos, even on the manic Life Under the Swatter there is a more subtle passage that tempers the frantic pace and tempo really well, giving the listener a slight breather before launching them straight back into the pulsating fury of the track again. The standout performance on the EP is without doubt Aaron Turner's vocals. Rabid to the point of leaving him breathless, they fit so well with the instrumentation it is literally a marriage made in heaven. That is not say that the rest of the group take a back seat. The stabbing groove of the riff that starts Hive Destruction proper is infectious as fuck and I find myself clamouring for its urgent cuts as the slower, doomier riffs take precedent. Likewise, the motoring bass of Jeff Caxide drives this sense of urgency and control throughout the whole EP, whilst Aaron Harris puts an amazing shift in on the drums.
The heaviness on display throughout The Mosquito Control is relentless. Listen to any modern sludge act like Primitive Man and you will here the poisonous fury of Relocation Swarm as cornerstones of most of what they do. This is possibly one the heaviest releases I have heard in my life and the production and mix job leaves it all sounding so fresh and organic. This is oppressive music that is ironically very freeing an experience to listen to. You absolutely should give this the attention it commands. There are no short measures of focus allowed when listening to The Mosquito Control, close all the blinds/curtains, turn all non-essential devices off and let the music take you.
4.5/5
The promise of some Deftones influence in any band's sound instantly puts them on a solid footing for me to venture into checking out at least one or more of their releases. Narrow Head do not fail to live up to that promise either. There are times during Moments of Clarity when you could be forgiven for thinking they are the Deftones. They wear that influence on their sleeves with pride and do a very good job of representing the nu-metal/hazy alternative metal sound along the way. My problem with MoC is not that it anyway apes or simply copies an already well-sampled blueprint. The issue I have with this record is simply that is boring.
There is an overwhelming sense of positivity in the sound of Narrow Head that I just cannot bear. Notwithstanding that I am most definitely not a happy person 90% of the time, the good vibes here are still too much and the album fails to shine with any maturity or sensibility at all. Tracks just seem to merge into one. With no depth to the song writing there are no standout moments to pick up on and no variance in the emotions to hammer home any real point to the record.
My forays into The Gateway are very infrequent and it is the fear of finding records like this that give me that mindset. Far too safe and far too staid as a result.
1.5/5
For a while it was looking like my review of “Reeking Pained and Shuddering” was going the same way of 2020’s “I Speak the Truth…” in terms of me struggling to actually articulate any individual standout parts. As with that later release, the 2007 offering is upon first listen a chaotic and often unsettling affair, but on this particular ride that unsettling nature is delivered beyond just the maelstrom of sounds that we are presented with. To these ears, “Reeking…” presents with a lot more control and conscious effort to disturb the listener with some good old fashioned atmospherics and samples.
Look past the scathing vocals and clatter and clashes of industrial influence and you will hear a cinematic dark ambience to this record. I had to make a rare excursion into using my headphones to truly appreciate the qualities on show here (something which my ears will suffer for today I am sure). The time taken, sat in a dark hotel room with no external distractions to take my focus off the stimulation my ears where receiving gave me the chance to track the proper structures that sit in amongst the torrent of terror of most tracks. These consistent elements seem to take the form of droning atmospheres that provide a dense foundation layer to the tracks.
The samples from various horror films and other macabre sources, work well and add depth to what could otherwise be barren soundscapes in terms of a perceived human touch. Ranging from the dramatic to the downright weird, they offer snapshots of madness into an already demented routine. Here again though is where I struggle a bit with the record. There is a lot going on and so if you are looking for memorability, those snippets that you hold onto, subconsciously or otherwise, then you are going to struggle here. For me, there would be no dialling down of the extremity if a few less ideas made it onto the record as the consistent parts develop an environment all of their own. This is still a good record though, albeit one that I would not consciously be drawn back to on a regular basis. I am coming to view Gnaw Their Tongue releases as occasional jolts to the system to remind me that the blueprint of structures can be torn up and form can be sacrificed for all out expression of the true turmoil within some artists.
3.5/5
I know this is supposed to be a thread where members give out recommendations to others, but I wonder if I might make a request for recommendations here.
Due to the challenge I undertook to gain admittance to The Horde and my general preference for OSDM, I have very little experience with modern death metal. So, bearing in mind that I dislike dissonance and am not too keen on the more technical releases (although I don't mind a certain degree of technicality), could anyone recommend me some good death metal released in the last two or three years, please.
Hi Sonny,
Here's some of my finds over the last 10 years. As a general starter for ten, I usually find that anything on the Maggot Stomp record label is a winner from an OSDM perspective.
Abraded - s/t (2021)
https://metal.academy/releases/36951 - grinding, d-beat stomping goodness from Cleveland
Cerebral Rot - Excretion of Mortality (2021)
https://metal.academy/releases/28977 - a familiar blast of 90's death metal, incorporating death/doom, Autopsy-like values on production and musicianship as well as the squally depths of Demilich for good measure.
Corpsessed
Dumbass name aside, if you want some modern Finn-death then this lot will scratch that itch. Debut is solid enough but does little to standout from the pack, their latest shows maturity abounding though.
https://metal.academy/bands/4677
Immolation
Although not perfect by any means, the last two Immolation records are perfectly respectable releases showing these guys can still kick it with the best of the new bunch out there
https://metal.academy/releases/650
https://metal.academy/releases/34382
Krypts - Cadaver Circulation (2019)
https://metal.academy/releases/10476 - Finnish death doom that I would think to be right up your street Sonny.
Seprevation - Consumed (2014)
https://metal.academy/releases/27051 - UK death/thrash that I picked up on when doing the Review Draft before we canned that. Possessed, Sadus and Slayer influences are obvious but there's plenty death metal here also.
Undeath - Lesions of a Different Kind (2020)
https://metal.academy/releases/24108 - pure OSDM worship here, embrace it.
I don't mind a good article or interview but (as you allude to Daniel) with barely enough time to keep on top of playlists and feature releases, not sure where the time to do engage on this would come from. I think we are skirting around the elephant in the room in that forums in general are a dying artform - now that's not to say we should let them die - so with all the best will in the world, as forums continue to shutdown (MetalFi being one I am more recently aware of) there will only ever be small numbers of members of these niche communities looking for a new home. In my experience this means about four or five regulars becoming new members somewhere else when forced to do so. I just do not buy into this notion that there is any halfway substantial quantity of people out there waiting to join a metal forum/site. Not trying to sound negative, just being honest.
To pick up on Sonny's point about resources, I only use any website as one of many resources if I am researching anything, just to make sure I get consistent information usually. So I don't personally feel there is any hinderance here on MA from a resource perspective.
Personally, I'd like to see people taking whatever they like from the Academy so I wouldn't want to offer upgraded statuses to those that see merit in completing the clan challenges when there are so many other ways to contribute to the site. In fact, I'd argue that bringing new members to the site, regularly contributing to the forums, helping to close out Hall of Judgement submissions & participating in the monthly playlist & feature release activities all bring more to the wider community than progressively completing clan challenges in isolation. Besides, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with individuals holding higher statuses than others on the Academy given that our original intent was to create an elitist-free environment where everyone is treated equally.
I repeat: They aren't really "higher status." They'd only be a measurement of how many clan challenges you accumulate. On Metal Forum, there's a rank status but nobody ever brought it up on the forums. It doesn't really feel important as it was more of a "way to go for getting this far" kind of thing, like a special cutscene from a Metroid game. It was just there for fun, same as the badge system on Wikia. Now I don't know how it works on Metallum, but if there's one thing I do know: this community cannot be compared to them because we're nowhere near as stuffy. Honestly, if you're gonna gloat about it, chances are that the rest of the community will make fun of you for it. Metal Archives is... special. And this is coming from the autistic one. Normal metal websites like this, Metal Forum and Metal Music Archives don't need to worry about it.
By way of context, nobody brought it up at Metal Forum because nobody there cares. It came as part of the new board config introduced in a hurry after repeated security issues and the admin has insufficient time to disable it.
I am not having a go at you here Rex, but in terms of bringing new members to Metal Academy, where do you think these people are after the site being here for a number of years already? There's no orderly queue formed just waiting for some new game-changing feature or functionality to open the floodgates for new members. This is why (and correct me if I am wrong Ben or Daniel) enhancements to the site are largely done with the existing community in mind and to help the founding members realise their vision and goals.
"Motivation" to complete challenges is entirely personal I believe, if I have a vested interest in a genre/sub-genre and I want to discover more about it then there's a resource for it here (for the majority of circumstance). There appears to be the intimation here that the challenges need to be completed to serve the purpose of their existence which is clearly not the case. If I discover one new album or better still an artist via one of the challenges then they are a success. Plus I can complete any one of the remaining challenges without needing to be recognised for it - I have been afforded that luxury already.
Finally, Ben and Daniel have entrusted the regulars here with not only feature release nominations but also the programming and publishing of monthly playlists for each clan. That speaks volumes for the regard they hold the contributors to the site, better than any badge or merit status.
Again, not having a go, just adding some context from my experience of this great site.
I think the current clan system works fine. Simple reward from Metal Academy is not how many clans I end up with or not but how much new music I discover from the site as a whole (yes, a lot of it gleaned from the challenges section but also the feature releases and playlists give me plenty to run at as well).
Holy Fawn - "Dimensional Bleed" 2022
Alt-rock, shoegaze with some electronic elements. Plays well to my afternoon of number crunching at work, even if not my usual bag.
Hits this month for me to check out further = Hasard, RUIM, Urfaust
Pleasing familiar artists = BAN, Arkona, Paysage d'Hiver
Skips this month for me =Agriculture, far too upbeat and positive for how I like my bm to be. Similarly, Liturgy and their bonkers blend of bm, noise and alt/indie rock
Plan on getting some quality time in with the new BAN this week and also want to check out that latest Arkona album based on the track I heard here. Hasard reminds me a lot of Akhlys so is a natural hit for me. Listening to the album now and it seems to be my bag.
Panzerfaust - "The Suns of Perdition - Chapter II: Render Unto Eden (2020)
On paper, Panzerfaust do not have a lot going for them. With a sound not dissimilar to Mgla whom I have never really seen the total appeal of over the years, the fact that any of their releases have lasted more than one listen is an achievement in itself. However, whilst I do accept those references to the Polish band I believe there's more to the Canadians that just the dashing black metal sound that draws the similarity. I am familiar with the releases that precede and follow this one and so my experience of the band overall draws me to reference elements of Deathspell Omega (although a lot less chaotic) and my personal favourites Gaerea also. Something in that mix of stabbing dissonance and a taught emotional core just thrusting to get out and spill its guts everywhere just speaks volumes to me and the second chapter of The Suns of Perdition series of albums best exemplifies this for me.
There is an urgency to ...Render Unto Eden that feels like the itch of a skin infection that has some festering fluid to release but continues to taunt the afflicted by prolonging the incessant, gnawing sensation. At the same time, there is a lot of structure to this record. These tracks are well-written and are allowed to develop well on each occasion. Opener, Promethean Fire has a superb build that makes the listener wait for its arrival proper by layering the textures slowly but surely. At the same time, the flurrying melodies of Areopagitica will have you palpitating as you try to keep up. What I hear on this record is a band exuding a level of intelligent restraint. Having the heart to share some influences without necessarily wearing them on their sleeves, yet at the same time having the common sense to not let the urgency of their style substitute structure and track development.
The drums on The Snare of the Fowler act like tools to build up to the the almost Ulcerate-esque melodic riff. Indeed Alexander Kartashov shows a prowess on the drums for pretty much all of the record and the bellicose (and it has to be said rather Nergal-like) vocals of Goliath are also a standout. But it is the chiming, stabbing and soaring work of the guitar of Brock "Kaizer" Van Dijk that truly steals the show here as those ringing tremolos capture the ghastly melodies and haunting dissonance inherent in the Panzerfaust sound. I guess there is a deeper story to the album trilogy here that I am yet to tap into, but for now let me acknowledge what a fine record this is - regardless of any conceptual references overall.
4/5
Good work Sonny.
Wait, Gris are essentially Miserere Luminis whose album from this year I reviewed last month. I mean the guy out of Sombre Forêts is in ML as well but seems like it is a natural extension of Gris. Listening to Gris now anyways, like it.
I listened to Snowland this evening whilst taking Koko for her last walk of the day. I have to use Spotify for my mobile listening so I could only find the MMXII re-recorded version. I still found it to be very much up my street and I'm itching to hear the rawer, original version. Is it on YouTube or Bandcamp do you know Vinny?
It is on both YouTube and Bandcamp Sonny, but I listened to it on Bandcamp.
The last couple of full-lengths from Québec depressive/atmospheric black metal duo Gris are worth checking out. 2007's "Il était une forêt..." is arguably Canada's most widely celebrated black metal release however I prefer their 2013 double album "À l'âme enflammée, l'âme constellée..." to tell you the truth.
thanks Daniel will check them out.
Thank you Somny. I know Spectral Wound but not the others.
Sorcier Des Glaces - "Snowland" 1998
I am on a Canadian black metal deep dive at present, trying to seek out the essential releases for review. As I tried to plot this course through the vast landscape of one of the biggest land masses on the planet, I immediately stumbled on Sorcier Des Glaces. One of the first black metal releases listed on Metal Academy as being from Canada (there will be earlier ones I am sure), the 1998 debut from SDG is an atmospheric affair that focuses on dark forests, wintery landscapes, and the misanthropic appreciation of nature. The whole album was rerecorded in 2012 (Snowland MMXII) with a less raw production and less keyboards. For this review, I am listening to the original debut album.
Those keys that got a trim in the rerecorded version certainly make their presence felt here. They successfully drive the tracks forwards without taking over from any of the required force of the riffs and percussion sections. They most certainly help with that atmospheric feel to the album but are by no means stealing the show. Also, in terms of the production, although I would not say it is perfect, I have most certainly heard worse and in all honesty (on a black metal record) I prefer it to the more polished rerecorded version. Yes, there is an element of the tremolos sounding like someone is pissing about with the fader on the mixing desk, but it is by no means a distraction.
Perhaps the biggest victim of the original mix are the drums. In the wilder moments of some tracks, we hear more of the “tish” of the cymbals than we do of the actual beats. This is a shame because they are competently performed by Luc Gaulin, just a little lost in the grander scheme of things. However, I think in many ways this enhances the cold and sterile aspects of this album by way of contrast to those richer (but no warmer) keyboards.
Vocally, the throaty rasp of Sébastian Robitalle is a real force to be reckoned with throughout Snowland. Some of the layering effects on My Journey in the Black Forest add a real sense of threat to the track but it is that haughty depth in his vocals that provides such an excellent foundation to build from. In their more expansive moments, the duo reminds me of Paysage d’ Hiver and when the instrumental track Darkness Covers the Snowland comes in it brings such influences as Emperor and Summoning to mind.
There are a couple of occasions where the melodic soar of the guitar is allowed free-reign, and this works well in adding some crystalline lushness to proceedings before giving way to a more tremolo driven style of playing usually. All in all, Snowland is a fine start to my Canadian bm exploration. Whilst most certainly not without fault, it still represents an ambition and crude determination to succeed in the face of some challenges.
Hits this month for me to check out further = The Body, Baroness
Pleasing familiar artists = Smoulder, Shape of Despair and Tzompantli
Skips this month for me = Type O Negative, My Dying Bride
Amazingly enough this was my first ever listen to Sunn O))) and although not blown away I accept that this is for a certain mindset and so doing chores whilst listening did not engage me well with it. I plan to revisit though.
Another solid month Sonny, keep 'em coming.
For October please Sonny:
Conan - "Amidst the Infinite" (from "Existential Void Guardian", 2018)
Sourvein - "Urchins" (from "Aquatic Occult", 2016)
Black Tusk - "Fatal Kiss" (from "Passage Through Purgatory", 2008)
For October please Daniel:
Obituary - "Intoxicated" (from "Slowly We Rot", 1989)
Tribal Gaze - "Cold Devotion" (from "The Nine Choirs", 2022)
Celestial Sanctuary - "Biomineralization (Cell Death)" (from "Insatiable Thirst For Torment", 2023)
Frozen Soul - "Atomic Winter" (from "Glacial Domination", 2023)
Defleshed - "One Grave to Fit Them All" (from "Grind Over Matter", 2022)
For October please Ben:
Ifernach - "Black Metal Butchery" (from "Gespegewagi Black Metal", 2020)
Sorcier des glaces - "L'éternelle majesté des montagnes" (from "Snowland MMXII", 2012)
Gespenst - "Rejse" (from "Den siste færd", 2021)
September 2023
01. Kreator - “Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)” (from “Hordes of Chaos”, 2009)
02. Metallica – “The Four Horsemen” (from “Kill ‘Em All”, 1983)
03. Sepulcher – “Ethereal Doom” (from “Panoptic Horror”, 2018)
04. Phantom G.D.L. – “Reaper’s Bane” (from “Reaper’s Bane”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]
05. Possessed – “Death Metal” (from “Seven Churches”, 1985)
06. Sarcofago – “Deathrash” (from “I.N.R.I.”, 1987) [Submitted by Vinny]
07. Fugitive – “Standoff” (from “Blast Furnace b/w Standoff”, 2023)
08. Suicidal Tendencies – “Trip at the Brain” (from “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
09. Brainslug, Jordan Rudess – “Thrash Grandad” (from “Brainslug”, 2023)
10. Genetic Error – “Toxic Planet” (from “Toxic Planet”, 1988)
11. Hirax – “Hostile Territory” (from “The New Age of Terror”, 2004) [Submitted by Vinny]
12. Strike Master – “Black to the Future” (from “Black to the Future”, 2023)
13. Interceptor – “Thrashing Violence” (from “Interceptor DEMO”, 2023)
14. Thrashback – “Possessed by Thrash” (from “Possessed by Thrash”, 2014)
15. Atomic Peacemaker – “Final Sunset” (from “Final Sunset DEMO”, 2023
16. Nemesis– “Aggressor” (from “Aggressor”, 2023)
17. Sacrifice – “Reanimation” (from “Forward to Termination”, 1987)
18. Blood Tsunami – “Castle of Skulls” (from “Grand Feast for Vultures”, 2009) [Submitted by Daniel]
19. Acid Mass – “By Force” (from “Lust for Violence”, 2023)
20. Usurper – “Bones of my Enemies” (from “Cryptobeast”, 2005)
21. Prong – “Breaking Point” (from “Breaking Point”, 2023)
22. Skinlab – “Paleface” (from “Bound, Gagged and Blindfolded”, 1997
23. Forbidden – “Turns to Rage” (from “Green”, 1997)
24. Barbarian – “Human Pest” (from “Barbarian”, 2011)
25. Vindicator – “Fearmonger” (from “The Antique Witcheries”, 2010)
26. Testament – “Greenhouse Effect” (from “Practice What You Preach”, 1989) [Submitted by Vinny]
27. Annihilator – “Road to Ruin” (from “Never Neverland”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]
28. Voivod – “Macrosolutions to Megaproblems” (from “Dimension Hatröss”, 1988)
Hi Ben, could you add Swedish death/thrash outfit Unfair Fate please?
EDIT - and Rhythm of Fear from Florida, USA please?
I am so glad I undertook this journey back to the early days of death metal as I have found I now have a much greater appreciation of it's allure. I have found some absolute gems and approaching it this way has been almost like experiencing the scene in real time. I have often felt a pang of jealousy of people who are hearing albums like Master of Puppets and Reign in Blood for the first time, remembering how much they blew me away when I first heard them myself, but now I have been lucky enough to have a similar experience with many of death metal's true classics and have been loving it. Anyway, a brilliant double-header today, starting with:
Brutality - Screams of Anguish (1993)
Brutality were unknown to me prior to listening to this (surprise, surprise), but are another product of the Nineties' Florida death metal scene that spawned so many DM classics and one listen to Screams of Anguish and it is obvious that it originated in Tampa. While it does possess the brutality of the classic Tampa sound, it also has a slight technical bent to it that, presumably, differentiated it from the Morbid Angels and Deicides of the time. It isn't excessively technical and Brutality are as capable of being wilfully bludgeoning as any other of Tampa's death metal denizens, but there is enough there to set it apart. The lead work in particular is something that caught my ear, with the howling solos being one of my favourite aspects of the album as their scalpel-like sharpness provides a perfect counterpoint to the blunt force trauma of the bludgeoning rhythm work. Vocalist Scott Reigel has a classic death metal style of ascerbic growling that sounds like it could strip paint and the rhythm section provides the perfect heavy-boned skeleton on which guitarists Don Gates and Jay Fernandez can hang their muscular riffs.
One point of contention for me was the two interludes, Sympathy and Spirit World, which I think sucked the velocity out of the album. During each of these breaks in the sonic battery I was champing at the bit for them to launch back into the attack and felt these acted like speed bumps on a racetrack, being superfluous and disruptive of the flow. I understand the inclusion and maybe the band wanted to give the listener a respite and a chance to regroup before setting about them once more, but without them in the tracklisting I think we would have had a perfect blistering and belligerent sub-forty minute album.
Anyway, minor tracklisting niggle aside, this is an album I enjoyed massively with it sitting somewhere between early Deicide and mid-era Death to my ears with those searing solos being the big take away for me. On the strength of this debut, I really can't believe that these guys aren't as big a name in the Florida scene as Death, Deicide or Morbid Angel.
4.5/5
Demilich - Nespithe (1993)
Demilich's sole release Nespithe is an album who's name I have seen dropped all over the place. However, it being tagged as technical death metal has always found me looking the other way and filing it under the heading "nothing to do with me". And now, after finally listening to it, I have got to say, "Fuckin' wow!!" I genuinely don't think I have ever heard an album so out there that I have actually enjoyed as much as this. With it's bizarre, seemingly nature-defying, technicalities and the inhuman sub-sonic growls that pass for vocals this is like the very personification of H.P. Lovecraft's stories of impossible realms and sanity-destroying astral horrors. I can see why Demilich never released another album as I cannot even conceive of how you would follow this up. In fact, it seems like three of the four members fell out of the metal scene altogether after Demilich split following it's release - and I understand why. This is the death metal equivalent of Lovecraft's legendary tome, The Necronomicon, a book so horrifying it causes any who read it to go completely insane.
All hyperbole aside, I don't possess the technical musical knowledge to even begin to explain what is going on here with Nespithe, other than to say that it is quite unlike anything I have ever heard in it's seemingly chaotic grooves and it needs to be heard to be believed. It seems on the surface to be exactly the sort of technical exercise I would normally hate, but for some reason it's constantly shifting sounds overlaid by that smothering inhuman growling just appeals to something inside me. I have seen any number of complaints about those vocals, but I think they are some of the most fascinating I have ever heard, the sheer depth of the croaking growl genuinely sounding like the proclamations of some extra-dimesional deity. The lyrics too are suitably eldritch and hint at multi-dimensional horrors whose only reason is to destroy the minds and souls of the human race, to which Antti Boman's voice gives perfect expression.
Where Nespithe scores high over most other technical death metal for me, is because it is so dripping with atmosphere and that is something I think is ignored by most technical DM bands, Nile perhaps being the only other technical outfit I know of who put any store in atmosphere... but Demilich take it to a whole new level that even leaves the Egypt-obsessed Nile floundering. The four band members are evidently supremely talented musicians to pull off such intricate instrumentation and that combined with such a singular, horror-invoking atmosphere gives this a real one-of-a-kind feel. One thing is absolutely certain, once you have heard it, this is not an album you are ever likely to forget. For me, this is a classic.
5/5, Hell yeah!!
I am with you on the envy of folks listening to the classics for the first time and I have heard them about a hundred times over. Rare that I find an album nowadays that invokes the spirit of lost youth from some 30+ years ago but at least I had that feeling many times over for about 10 years straight.
Hi Ben, can you please add - Gespenst from Denmark?