Ben's Forum Replies

Tiamat - Whatever That Hurts from Wildhoney (1994)

Nortt - Til Gravens Vi from Galgenfrist (2007)

Burning Witch - Sacred Predictions from Crippled Lucifer (1998)

Carcass -  Incarnated Solvent Abuse from Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious (1991)

Into Eternity - Splintered Visions from Buried in Oblivion (2004) - I really wish I could see my brother's face when he listens to this

Ulcerate - Stare Into Death and Be Still from Stare Into Death and Be Still (2020)

The Ruins of Beverast - Ropes into Eden from The Thule Grimoires (2021)

Coldworld - Scars from Autumn (2016)

Primordial - The Golden Spiral from The Gathering Wilderness (2005)

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 4th to the 11th of February, 2021

1. Acrophet (PIT) - requested by Daniel

2. Bloody Panda (FALLEN, INFINITE) - requested by Sonny92

3. Mortiferum / Hyperdontia (FALLEN, HORDE)

4. Inside the Beehive (HORDE, REVOLUTION - requested by Daniel

5. Blood Spore (HORDE)

6. Time, the Valuator (INFINITE, GATEWAY)

7. CyHra (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

8. LeftyFish (REVOLUTION)

9. Bloodbather (REVOLUTION)

10. Kharàce (NORTH)

11. Hulder (NORTH)

12. Mooncitadel (NORTH)

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement. If it goes through, I'll change both versions of the album.

Both judgements have been cancelled.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 28th of January to the 3rd of February, 2021

1. Houkago Grind Time (HORDE)

2. John Frum (HORDE, INFINITE)

3. The Lurking Fear (HORDE)

4. Succumb (HORDE)

5. ZONΞ ΞATΞR vs. §E▲ ▓F D▓G§ (HORDE)

6. Shaarimoth (HORDE)

7. Alluvial (HORDE, INFINITE)

8. The Drip (HORDE)

9. Enfold Darkness (HORDE)

10. Acraniu s (HORDE, REVOLUTION)

11. Thaw (FALLEN, NORTH)

12. Hexis (FALLEN, NORTH, REVOLUTION, INFINITE)

13. Purple Hill Witch (FALLEN)

14. Gravetemple (FALLEN)

15. Dread Sovereign (FALLEN, GUARDIANS) - requested by Sonny92

16. Sabbath Assembly (FALLEN, GUARDIANS)

17. Mystik (GUARDIANS, PIT)

18. Manacle (GUARDIANS)

19. Portrait (GUARDIANS)

20. Pentakill (GUARDIANS)

21. Quiet Riot (GUARDIANS)

22. Verwoed (NORTH)

23. Netra (NORTH)

24. Sacred Son (NORTH)

25. If I Could Kill Myself (NORTH)

26. Ferriterium (NORTH)

27. Thundering Hooves (NORTH)

28. Anomalie (NORTH)

29. Draugsól (NORTH)

30. Gjendød (NORTH)

31. Farsot (NORTH)

32. Sorrow Plagues (NORTH)

33. Eldamar (NORTH)

34. Dead Cross (PIT)

35. Volumes (REVOLUTION, INFINITE, GATEWAY)

36. Juan Bond (REVOLUTION)

37. Twitching Tongues (REVOLUTION, GATEWAY)

38. Oceans Ate Alaska (REVOLUTION)

39. We Came as Romans (REVOLUTION, GATEWAY)

40. Slaughter to Prevail (REVOLUTION)

41. Stray From the Path (REVOLUTION, GATEWAY)

42. Gone Is Gone (GATEWAY, INFINITE)

43. Prophets of Rage (GATEWAY)

44. Pryapisme (INFINITE)

45. Disperse (INFINITE)

46. Distant Dream (INFINITE)

47. For Giant (INFINITE)

I'm extending the award cut off to Friday this week (so they will be announced on Friday). Get your release and cover ratings in for 2020!

I won’t rate an album without giving it at least three listens too, often a lot more.

As for that last comment, I can only assume you’re excluding all of the better albums that came before it, such as Powerslave, Paranoid and Ride the Lightning. If you exclude all the clearly better albums, then I totally 100% agree with your opinion.

You're exaggerating my position. Bonded by Blood is a good album. I just don't believe it deserves it's classic status, for the simple reason that Paul Baloff's vocals sounds like they were performed by an untalented, over-excited muppet that hasn't had its meds. I'm pretty sure that's why you like them too, so we'll just have to agree to disagree. I haven't heard it for a while, but it would definitely get a 3.5 to 4 stars, cause the music is awesome.

I don't rate everything I listen to Andi. I like to actually sit down and give an album a final focussed listen before settling on a score, which unfortunately isn't something I find time to do much these days. I've heard many thousands of metal albums, as has Daniel, but I'm always doing 2 or 3 things at any given time. It's just how I function. I don't think Metal Academy would exist otherwise!

That's great, thanks Ben! Can you please implement these filters to the charts, so members don't miss out on some of the highest-rated releases of their favorite subgenre?

I'm not even sure the Charts bring much value these days. You can do everything you need on the Releases page.

• Sort by Average Rating? - check
• Filter by clans? - check
• Minimum rating? - check
• Exclude releases you've rated? - check
• Display by Site Rating or Clan Rating? - check

Given you can do all of these things on the Releases page plus so much more, I'm a little reluctant to keep pumping resources into the Charts. The only difference is the view.

Thoughts?

5. Your worship of live releases over studio albums has always baffled me.

Quoted Ben

"Live" is a very strong term to use when referring to "Live Undead".

It's performed live isn't it? Whether the audience is actually present or not doesn't really change that fact. Or does it?

1. "No Prayer For The Dying" isn't a bad Iron Maiden record. It just suffers from comparisons with their previous material.

2. I'd take Maiden's 2006 album "A Matter Of Life & Death" over the self-titled, "KIllers" or "Brave New World".

3. "Dance Of Death" is the only bad Bruce Dickinson-fronted Maiden record.

4. "Divine Intervention" is a better record than "Hell Awaits" which is the weakest of Slayer's classic period releases.

5. "Live Undead" is a genuine classic & the best of Slayer's pre-"Reign In Blood" releases.

6. Slayer's "Repentless" isn't a bad record.

1. Agree

2. Haven't given it the time of day, but I wouldn't be surprised if I agree. Killers is decent, but clearly the worst of the band's first 7 albums IMO.

3. Again, haven't listened to these later albums, so can't comment.

4. Blasphemy. Hell does indeed await for you with comments like that. 

5. Your worship of live releases over studio albums has always baffled me.

6. After the admittedly few listens I gave it, I'd have to disagree. Divine Intervention was the last Slayer album that I actually enjoy, and even that one is pretty hit and miss.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 18th to the 27th of January, 2021

1. Bubblegum Octopus (HORDE)

2. Psudoku (HORDE)

3. The Clearing Path (HORDE, NORTH)

4. Impetuous Ritual (HORDE)

5. Sunless (HORDE)

6. Anna Pest (HORDE, NORTH, REVOLUTION, SPHERE)

7. Execration (HORDE)

8. Possession (HORDE, NORTH, PIT)

9. Father Befouled (HORDE, FALLEN)

10. The Ominous Circle (HORDE)

11. Decrepit Birth (HORDE)

12. Heresiarch (HORDE, NORTH)

13. Resurgency (HORDE)

14. Eggs of Gomorrh (NORTH)

15. Knokkelklang (NORTH)

16. Au-Dessus (NORTH, FALLEN, INFINITE)

17. Sannhet (NORTH, INFINITE, FALLEN)

18. Scour (NORTH)

19. Enisum (NORTH)

20. Funeral Winds (NORTH) - requested by Sonny92

21. Transilvania (NORTH)

22. Urn (NORTH, PIT)

23. Lorn (NORTH)

24. Time Lurker (NORTH)

25. Au champ des morts (NORTH)

26. Sarkrista (NORTH)

27. Heretoir (NORTH, INFINITE)

28. Widziadło (NORTH)

29. Craven Idol (NORTH, PIT)

30. Epitimia (NORTH) - requested by Sonny92

31. Crurifragium (NORTH)

32. Malakhim (NORTH) - requested by Sonny92

33. Madrost (PIT)

34. Terrifier (PIT)

35. Stick to Your Guns (REVOLUTION)

36. Sect (REVOLUTION)

37. Signs of the Swarm (REVOLUTION)

38. Ehnahre (INFINITE, FALLEN)

39. Sithu Aye (INFINITE)

40. Balboa / Rosetta (INFINITE, FALLEN) - requested by shadowdoom9

41. MindMaze (INFINITE, GUARDIANS)

42. Katla (INFINITE, FALLEN)

43. Need (INFINITE, GATEWAY)

44. Locust Leaves (INFINITE)

45. Midnight Spell (GUARDIANS) - requested by Sonny92

46. Wisdom (GUARDIANS)

47. Devil Electric (FALLEN)

48. Part Chimp (FALLEN)

49. Devil's Witches (FALLEN)

50. Black Tundra (FALLEN)

51. KYPCK (FALLEN) - requested by Daniel

52. Black Cobra (FALLEN) - requested by Daniel

53. Greenmachine (FALLEN) - requested by Daniel

54. Pilgrim (FALLEN)

I know everyone is excited to talk about the subgenres themselves (by all means, go ahead), but I was kinda hoping to get some feedback on the functionality we've introduced. Is it exciting to you? Can you see any flaws? Do you like the fact that people can only submit and vote on subgenres that belong to their clans?

Once I'm satisfied that the subgenre functionality is working, then I can start adding filters for it across the site (which is what I'm most looking forward to).

I knew that the introduction of this feature would create lots of discussion around what subgenre is or isn't a real thing. Rest assured that we're totally open to making changes if the community as a collective wishes it to be so. Daniel and I are actually quite excited by the prospect of running through the whole metal genre tree and analysing it. I'm certain we'll be challenged as much as we'll do the challenging, and we embrace it.

For anyone reading that thinks this is all just too much compartmentalising, feel free to carry on using the site the way you always have. You can basically ignore the subgenres.

Also I'm unable to vote for or against melodic metalcore even though it's a Revolution primary genre (possibly later secondary to metalcore). Can you please fix that? Thanks!

This has been fixed. Let me know if you still have any issue.

I like the feature! I notice some genres are not implemented (Trad Doom for example), are you you still in the process of adding, or do you plan to implement more over time? Or if not, perhaps there could be a discussion about what genres are being merged/left out and why?

I was wondering how long it would be before someone picked up on that. Turns out not very long! 

The first thing to say is that it's very easy to add or remove subgenres. So if the community agrees that a subgenre should be added (or removed), then it can be done.

The second thing to say is that both Traditional Doom Metal and NWOBHM are both currently missing. The reason they're not there isn't because I made a decision to leave them out when this function was added. Over the years I've kept a running spreadsheet of every release I've added to the site. That spreadsheet included subgenres for each release, even though when I started I didn't know at the time that I would eventually add that functionality. I purposely entered Heavy Metal whenever NWOBHM appeared on RYM and Doom Metal instead of Traditional Doom Metal, for the simple reason that I personally prefer to use those terms. The spreadsheet ended up forming the basis for the import for the new subgenre functionality, which unfortunately meant that I'd either have to one by one manually update the subgenres on those releases before importing, or import what I had and figure out where to go from there. I went for the latter option, as this update already took a crapload of time to implement.

I should also point out that US Power Metal wasn't a thing on RYM when I started Metal Academy, so that wasn't imported either. Neither was Southern Metal for that matter, but I think that could be a primary genre?

Anyway, all this was a long way of saying "let's talk about whether any changes are needed". Everything we do here is for the community, so we want to hear your thoughts.

I know, thanks Daniel! But we might have to wait for the exciting new feature Ben is working on before we can see a lot of newly added releases.

I should be able to add a bunch tomorrow. My work on the new feature is complete. Now we wait!

We appear to have a lot in common. Could copy and paste much of what you just said. 

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 13th to the 17th of January, 2021

1. Windhand / Satan's Satyrs (FALLEN)

2. Hallatar (FALLEN)

3. Cranial (FALLEN, INFINITE)

4. Bathsheba (FALLEN)

5. Siberian Hell Sounds (FALLEN, NORTH)

6. Wolvhammer (FALLEN, INFINITE, NORTH)

7. The Doomsday Kingdom (FALLEN)

8. King Woman (FALLEN, INFINITE)

9. Marty Friedman (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

10. Satan's Satyrs (GUARDIANS)

11. Attic (GUARDIANS)

12. Droid (PIT, INFINITE)

13. Vexovoid (PIT)

14. Fucked (NORTH, HORDE, REVOLUTION)

15. Goatpenis (NORTH, HORDE)

16. Drudkh / Paysage d'Hiver (NORTH)

17. Perverted Ceremony (NORTH, HORDE)

18. Dodecahedron (NORTH, INFINITE)

19. Mortuus (NORTH)

20. Abigor / Nightbringer / Thy Darkened Shade / Mortuus (NORTH)

21. White Death (NORTH)

22. Sun of the Sleepless (NORTH)

23. Fin (NORTH)

24. Krolok (NORTH)

25. Rebirth of Nefast (NORTH)

26. Siberian Hell Sounds / Convulsing (NORTH, HORDE)

27. Chaos Moon (NORTH)

28. Sinmara / Misþyrming (NORTH)

29. Bestia Arcana (NORTH)

30. Gnipahålan (NORTH)

31. Thy Darkened Shade (NORTH, HORDE)

32. Acrimonious (NORTH)

33. Incinerated (HORDE)

34. Friendship (HORDE)

35. Anima Damnata (HORDE)

36. Gigan (HORDE, INFINITE)

37. Dyscarnate (HORDE)

38. Fleshkiller (HORDE, INFINITE)

39. Kartikeya (HORDE, INFINITE)

40. Contaminated (HORDE)

41. Degial (HORDE)

42. Ascended Dead (HORDE)

43. Bufihimat (HORDE)

44. Analepsy (HORDE)

45. Arch Echo (INFINITE)

46. Nova Collective (INFINITE)

47. The Body + Full of Hell (INFINITE)

48. Artificial Language (INFINITE)

49. VUUR (INFINITE)

Lost Soul - Personal Universe from Immerse in Infinity (2009)

Enshine - Stream of Light from Origin (2013)

Horrendous - Soothsayer from Idol (2018)

Walknut - Motherland Ostenvegr from Graveforests and Their Shadows (2007)

Negură Bunget - Ţesarul de lumini from OM (2006)

Altar of Plagues - Neptune is Dead from Mammal (2011)

Skepticism - The March and the Stream from Lead and Aether (1997)

Saturnus - A Poem (Written in Moonlight) from Martyr (2000)

Third and the Mortal - Trial of Past from Tears Laid in Earth (1994)

Live albums are overrated

I've got a good one:

Ben's opinions are overrated.

That is indeed a very unpopular thing to say Daniel. I guess this is the place for it.

Live albums are overrated

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 4th to the 12th of January, 2021

1. Jonathan Davis (GATEWAY)

2. Cane Hill (GATEWAY)

3. Bad Wolves (GATEWAY, PIT, REVOLUTION)

4. The Amity Affliction (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

5. P.O.D. (GATEWAY)

6. Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals (PIT, FALLEN)

7. Nervosa (PIT)

8. Iron Reagan (PIT)

9. Iron Reagan / Gatecreeper (PIT, HORDE)

10. Primal Rite (PIT)

11. The Atlas Moth (INFINITE, FALLEN)

12. Morrow (INFINITE, FALLEN)

13. Voices (INFINITE, HORDE, NORTH)

14. Howling Sycamore (INFINITE)

15. Khôrada (INFINITE, FALLEN)

16. Anthriel (INFINITE)

17. Primitive Man / Unearthly Trance (FALLEN)

18. Black Tusk (FALLEN)

19. Eagle Twin (FALLEN)

20. Genocide Pact (FALLEN, HORDE)

21. Witch Mountain (FALLEN)

22. Wrong (FALLEN)

23. Among the Rocks and Roots (FALLEN)

24. Ilsa (FALLEN)

25. Lion's Daughter, The (FALLEN)

26. Ironic Punishment Division (FALLEN)

27. Usnea (FALLEN)

28. Nekrogoblikon (NORTH, HORDE)

29. Abstract Void (NORTH)

30. Asunojokei (NORTH)

31. Gevurah (NORTH)

32. Devouring Star (NORTH, HORDE)

33. Totalselfhatred (NORTH)

34. Verheerer (NORTH)

35. Maquahuitl (NORTH)

36. Spectral Lore / Jute Gyte (NORTH)

37. Ancst (NORTH, REVOLUTION)

38. Brojob (REVOLUTION)

39. Homewrecker (REVOLUTION, HORDE)

40. XavlegbmaofffassssitimiwoamndutroabcwapwaeiippohfffX (REVOLUTION, HORDE)

41. Baptists (REVOLUTION)

42. Chelsea Grin (REVOLUTION)

43. Crossfaith (REVOLUTION, HORDE)

44. Vanhelgd (HORDE)

45. Nightmarer (HORDE)

46. Alterbeast (HORDE)

47. Afgrund (HORDE)

48. Bloodshot Dawn (HORDE)

Psych major here - During adolescence, our bodies are hyper-sensitive to stimulus of all kinds, especially emotional stimulus. This means that experiences and feelings we have at this stage in our life are intensified, and therefore solidified as significant memories in our brain. Anything that makes us feel strongly is more liable to be remembered and considered important to us, and since we are prone to feel more of everything in this period of our lives, what we experience often becomes ingrained much more significantly than in other periods of life. Evolutionary purpose? Humans need to take risks to evolve, and this risk taking behavior stems from the extreme sensitivity to feeling and the drive for more of it in this period of our lives. Favoring music (or anything) from this time period is a by-product of this.

At least, that was the consensus when I learned it. The field is always changing (and it's been some time since studying psych) so the details might not be 100%, but that's the gist of it.

Good to know that there's some scientific basis to what I thought was a personal theory. Interesting stuff, and explains why I still play Amiga games that I originally played around 1990.

I personally believe that there's a window of time in our youth we're things impact us much more strongly than later in life. The games I played, the music I listened to, the movies I watched, when I was aged between about 12 and 18, will always have a nostalgic element that makes them more important to me than they would be if I'd experienced them later in life.

This makes it really hard to judge whether albums like Altars of Madness, Master of Puppets and Reign in Blood really are head and shoulders above everything released in the decades since, or whether it's just the impact they have on me personally due to my age at the time of experiencing them. It also results in things that I experienced during that time that might not otherwise have appealed to me much at all (such Amorphis' Tales From the Thousand Lakes and Cradle of Filth in general) being really important to me.

I'm not sure what the evolutionary purpose of this phenomena might be, but I do believe it's a thing. Thoughts?

I think it's great that we can have this thread and still keep things friendly. Everyone's opinion is totally valid.

Except for Daniel's opinion that Summoning are shit. That's just wrong. 

I like these spicy hot takes! Here's some of mine:

• Slayer's Reign in Blood is shit. I never cared for Slayer, and even though Seasons in the Abyss is a classic in every sense of the word, most people excuse this album's awful production as part of the charm. It's not.
• Anthrax were (and still are) the best of the big four. But since were on the topic...
• Testament are the best thrash band that came out of the eighties, with the best overall discography of any of the big four, and should have been apart of the big four instead of that meandering solo shit show that is Dave Mustaine's Megadeth.
• Pantera fans are the worst fans in all of metal. Their idolization of this band as a deity who are incapable of critique is honestly terrifying and my favour with the band has deteriorated greatly because of it since the passing of Dimebag.
• Emperor's best album was Prometheus
• Ænima is still Tool's worst album. Even after having Fear Inoculum for over a year.
• Opeth's progressive rock pivot of the 2010s is not as bad as you initially thought.

That's all I got for now. If this thread keeps up and I see some more spicy hot takes, I may update.

Reign in Blood is shit!? That's more than unpopular. It's blasphemy! Which makes it perfect for this thread.

I think the big 4 for me would be Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, then Anthrax. I'd put Testament above Anthrax, and possibly Megadeth too.

I hear no thrash metal in Voivod either. As for never hearing anyone else say that Voivod don't play thrash, well the debut just had thrash metal removed from it after easily passing through the Hall of Judgement.

Here are a few of my own unpopular opinions that come to mind...

1. Opeth's Morningrise is the worst of their first 6 albums.

2. Pestilence's Spheres is their best work (or at least on par with Testimony of the Ancients).

3. Dimmu Borgir were at one point a really great band.

4. Everything Hellhammer ever released was fairly shit.

5. The Sound of Perseverance is Death's worst album

Daniel has already had a shot at your unpopular opinions (which are entirely valid for you to have), so I won't do the same. I'll simply say that I only agree with the same points that Daniel did, so perhaps 4, 9 and 10 are not as unpopular as you think.

Oh, and yes, your final Death comment does make me bite. You might as well have said that Metallica and Slayer have never made a good album. So well done there! 

I don't have much to add here, so will simply state that I really enjoy your reviews Xephyr. That said, I say do whatever you enjoy doing, otherwise you risk the dreaded burnout.

This sort of thing has been a topic of discussion for a long time in metal, particularly when it comes to Burzum. Should we support a band or individual that have dangerous views or commit reprehensible acts. In the end I don't think it actually achieves much to choose not to listen to music because you don't agree with the views of its creator. I guess you could argue that by monetarily rewarding the artist, you're enabling them to reach a wider audience or funding their unhealthy lifestyle, but I choose to enjoy their work while taking every opportunity to state that I don't agree with their views / actions. If you read my Burzum reviews (amongst other bands), you'll note that I often acknowledge musical genius where it's due while also making it clear that Varg as an individual is not worthy of praise. I imagine a significant percentage of metal bands would be blacklisted if we collected their world views prior to listening.

I admit that Test isn't very good, but I absolutely love Dream Song. It was this experimentation and variety that made early Ministry so amazing. Definitely more hits than misses.

It's interesting to me that you still give the album 4.5 stars, even though you feel two tracks are stinkers. Your rating system is obviously very different to my own.