Ben's Forum Replies

I love it too. Genuinely look forward to it.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 10th to the 14th of November, 2023.

1. Chrome Ghost (FALLEN, INFINITE)

2. Dead Neanderthals (FALLEN, INFINITE, NORTH)

3. Exulansis (FALLEN, INFINITE, NORTH)

4. Hippie Death Cult (FALLEN, GUARDIANS)

5. Moonstone (FALLEN)

6. Nerver (FALLEN)

7. Wargasm (GATEWAY)

8. Nita Strauss (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

9. Pendulum (GATEWAY)

10. Magnabolt (GUARDIANS)

11. The Night Watch (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

12. Barbaric Horde (HORDE, NORTH)

13. Organ Dealer (HORDE)

14. Perverted Ceremony / Witchcraft (HORDE, NORTH)

15. Imprecation / Black Blood Invocation (HORDE)

16. Kakothanasy (HORDE)

17. Sadness / Vulning (INFINITE, NORTH)

18. Amun (INFINITE, NORTH)

19. Stephen Taranto (INFINITE)

20. Decalius (NORTH)

21. Dispossessed (NORTH)

22. Fellwinter (NORTH)

23. Knurzum (NORTH)

24. Vanhelga (NORTH)

25. Calyx (NORTH)

26. Carved Cross (NORTH)

27. Lothric (NORTH)

28. Motanka (NORTH)

29. Ossuaire (NORTH)

30. Wandar (NORTH)

31. xNOMADx (REVOLUTION)

32. Withdrawn (REVOLUTION) - requested by Andi

33. Allt (REVOLUTION)

34. Broken Vow (REVOLUTION)

35. Flames of Betrayal (REVOLUTION)

36. Revolve (REVOLUTION)

37. Till Lindemann (SPHERE)

Yes please.

Dream Unending - If Not Now When off Starpath split with Worm (2023)

Mother of Graves - Of Solitude and Stone off Where the Shadows Adorn (2022)

Thanks Sonny!

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 1st  to the 9th of November, 2023.

1. Ysengrin - (FALLEN, INFINITE, NORTH)

2. Zatokrev / Minsk - (FALLEN, INFINITE)

3. Gloson - (FALLEN, INFINITE)

4. Wishdoom - (FALLEN, GUARDIANS)

5. Saudade - (GATEWAY, INFINITE)

6. Sylar - (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

7. ADAM - (GATEWAY)

8. Ghøstkid - (GATEWAY, SPHERE)

9. From Ashes to New - (GATEWAY)

10. Old Season - (GUARDIANS)

11. Ice Vinland - (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

12. Icewind - (GUARDIANS)

13. Bas Rotten - (HORDE)

14. Gorepot - (HORDE)

15. Nuclear Vomit - (HORDE)

16. Blasted Pancreas - (HORDE)

17. Carnal Decay - (HORDE)

18. Nyn - (HORDE, INFINITE)

19. Oraculum - (HORDE)

20. Hedvig Mollestad Trio - (INFINITE)

21. Kathaarsys - (INFINITE, NORTH)

22. Mawiza - (INFINITE, PIT, REVOLUTION)

23. Soul Cycle - (INFINITE)

24. The Resonance Project - (INFINITE)

25. Jarost Marksa - (NORTH)

26. Neige et noirceur - (NORTH)

27. O Megas - (NORTH)

28. Satan (FRA) - (NORTH)

29. Subduer - (NORTH)

30. Tsalal / Tetragrammacide - (NORTH)

31. Ancestral Shadows - (NORTH)

32. Bezwering - (NORTH)

33. Hagetisse - (NORTH)

34. Krater - (NORTH)

35. Lumnos - (NORTH)

36. Pa Vesh En - (NORTH)

37. Vanagandr - (NORTH)

38. Lemuria - (NORTH)

39. Possuído Pelo Cão - (PIT)

40. Incinerator - (PIT)

41. Monomate - (REVOLUTION)

42. Century - (REVOLUTION)

43. Drawing Last Breath - (REVOLUTION)

There is a danger here in that we're opening things up to people incorrectly requesting tracks that shouldn't be there. I would have thought that it would be better to restrict selections by album clan, rather than individual tracks, which is purely subjective.

November 2023

1. Wolves in the Throne Room - Beholden to Clan (from Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge, 2023)

2. Furia - Zamawianie trzecie (from Huta Luna, 2023)

3. Moonlight Sorcery - Hammerheart (from Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle, 2023)

4. Bathory - Valhalla (from Hammerheart, 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

5. Mgla - III (from Age of Excuse, 2019) [Submitted by Daniel]

6. Wayfarer - Black Plumes Over God's Country (from American Gothic, 2023)

7. Sühnopfer - Céron (from Nous sommes d'hier, 2023)

8. Trna - Burning Bridges, Shattered Dreams (from Istok, 2021)

9. Archgoat - Goat & the Moon (from The Light-Devouring Darkness, 2009) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Darkwoods My Betrothed - Unus mundus patet (from Angel of Carnage Unleashed, 2021)

11. Jute Gyte - Killing a Sword (from Unus mundus patet, 2023)

12. Alda - A Distant Fire (from A Distant Fire, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny]

13. Mānbryne - Pierwszy kamień (from Interregnum: O próbie wiary i jarzmie zwątpienia, 2023)

14. Branikald - На волнах вдохновенья (from Хладавзор, 2006)

15. Draugur - Behold the Third Eye Vision (from By the Rays of His Golden Light, 2016) [Submitted by Vinny]

I get up at 5:30am every morning so I can beat the traffic to get to work, then finish at 4:00pm so I can beat it on the way home. Otherwise my travel time would probably be around 2.5 hours too. The good thing about it is that my trips are now around 45 minutes each way, which is about the length of an album. Well, it used to be. I've noticed album lengths are getting longer and longer in recent times.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 25th to the 30th of October, 2023.

1. Bolt Gun (FALLEN, INFINITE, NORTH)

2. Göden (FALLEN)

3. Dream Unending / Worm (FALLEN, NORTH)

4. Stygian Crown (FALLEN)

5. Dope Smoker (FALLEN)

6. Trillion Ton Beryllium Ships (FALLEN) - requested by Sonny

7. SiM (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS, REVOLUTION)

8. Hjelvik (GUARDIANS, NORTH)

9. Murderman (HORDE)

10. Evulse (HORDE)

11. Holy Grinder (HORDE)

12. Noxis (HORDE)

13. Feastem (HORDE)

14. Skam (HORDE, NORTH)

15. Vrenth (HORDE)

16. Malicious (HORDE)

17. Ôros Kaù (HORDE, INFINITE, NORTH)

18. Glorious Depravity (HORDE)

19. Akurion (HORDE)

20. Cryptic Shift / Replicant / Inoculation / Astral Tomb (HORDE)

21. Vampire Squid (HORDE)

22. Dosanjos (INFINITE, NORTH)

23. Octavision (INFINITE)

24. Ŭkcheănsălâwit (NORTH)

25. Phantom Spire / Hauntefaerie (NORTH)

26. Capel Beulah (NORTH)

27. Cross Bringer (NORTH)

28. Vual (NORTH)

29. Veriluola (NORTH)

30. ASET (NORTH)

31. Moribund Dawn (NORTH)

32. Evoke (NORTH, PIT)

33. Lament in Winter's Night (NORTH)

34. Lament (NORTH)

35. Bludgeon Oath (NORTH) - requested by Sonny

36. Dead Heat (PIT)

37. Tøronto (PIT)

38. Töxik Death (PIT)

39. Codex Orzhova (REVOLUTION)

40. Blind to Faith (REVOLUTION)

41. Pilori (REVOLUTION)

I can still see a list called "A Top 100 Metal Albums List" created by you Rexorcist. Is that not it? Did you perhaps recreate it?

I have hugely nostalgic memories from this time. Playing video games, listening to exciting new metal bands and watching endless horror movies with Daniel was the best way for any pre-teen to spend their childhood. I obviously feel a bit different about that now that I'm a father, but I wouldn't swap that childhood for any other. I still basically just play video games, listen to metal and watch endless horror movies today!

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 19th to the 24th of October, 2023.

1. Kollapse (FALLEN, INFINITE)

2. Sarin (FALLEN, INFINITE)

3. Las Trumien (FALLEN)

4. Praise the Plague (FALLEN, NORTH)

5. Tideless (FALLEN, INFINITE, NORTH)

6. Avenade (GATEWAY)

7. Gloryful (GUARDIANS)

8. I'm Letting Unseen Forces Take the Wheel (HORDE)

9. Mongrel (HORDE)

10. Reverence to Paroxysm (HORDE)

11. Scalpture (HORDE)

12. Yandere Chainsaw Regurgitation Factory (HORDE)

13. Bonecarver (HORDE, REVOLUTION)

14. Cognitive (HORDE)

15. Evoke (HORDE)

16. Exterminator (BEL) (HORDE)

17. Eye of Purgatory (HORDE)

18. Gates of Doom (HORDE, NORTH)

19. Kaal Akuma (HORDE)

20. Lykhaeon (HORDE, NORTH)

21. Nuclear Remains (HORDE)

22. Crusade (INFINITE)

23. Liminal Dream (INFINITE, NORTH)

24. Rinuwat (INFINITE)

25. Brahmastrika (NORTH)

26. Chamber of Unlight (NORTH)

27. Cruel Master (NORTH)

28. Midnight Betrothed (NORTH)

29. Sagenland (NORTH)

30. Starer (NORTH)

31. Taake / Helheim (NORTH)

32. Caedes Cruenta (NORTH)

33. Feral Season (NORTH)

34. Folkodia (NORTH)

35. Kirottu (NORTH)

36. Order of Nosferat (NORTH)

37. Primordial Serpent (NORTH)

38. Silhouette (NORTH)

39. Pain of Truth / Age of Apocalypse (REVOLUTION)

40. Thus Spoke Zarathustra (REVOLUTION)

Boy, this really tests my memory. I don't think there's any doubt that Metallica was my gateway. ...And Justice for All was definitely the first metal album I heard, and after initially finding it to be amusingly intense, quickly realised it was the greatest thing I'd ever heard.

I reckon the next two bands that really grabbed me were Iron Maiden and Testament, although I can't remember in which order I discovered them (i.e. Daniel presented them to me). I do know that it was Seventh Son of a Seventh Son and Practice What You Preach that I first obsessed over, so let's call those my 2nd and 3rd releases of note.

From here things get a bit blurry. I know that I only really explored thrash metal until finally coming to grips with death metal around 1991. So the question is, which bands made a mark first. As boring as it is, I think the answer is Megadeth's Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? and Slayer's Reign in Blood.

If I look at things another way though, my early metal growth can be understood through the below. I should state that I reckon it was 1989 that I first heard Metallica and Iron Maiden. I would have been 12 years old at that point.

Thrash Metal    -    1988    -    Metallica - ...and Justice for All

Heavy Metal    -    1988    -    Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

Death Metal    -    1991    -    Morbid Angel - Blessed are the Sick

Industrial Metal    -    1992    -    Ministry - Psalm 69

Doom Metal    -    1993    -    My Dying Bride - Turn Loose the Swans

Black Metal    -    1994    -    Burzum - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss (although I certainly enjoyed Daniel's Bathory compilations prior to that)

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 13th to the 18th of October, 2023.

1. Seed (FALLEN)

2. Khirki (FALLEN)

3. The Answer Lies in the Black Void (FALLEN, INFINITE)

4. Heavy Temple (FALLEN)

5. Stabat Mater (FALLEN)

6. The Gloom in the Corner (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

7. Blackbriar (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS)

8. MolyBaron (GATEWAY)

9. Tyrann (GUARDIANS)

10. Ninth Realm (GUARDIANS, PIT)

11. Danava (GUARDIANS)

12. Tentation (GUARDIANS, PIT)

13. Marco Garau's Magic Opera (GUARDIANS)

14. Petbrick (HORDE, SPHERE)

15. Ryona Hime (HORDE, INFINITE)

16. Venefixion (HORDE)

17. Bestial Putrefaction (NORTH)

18. IATT (HORDE, INFINITE, HORDE)

19. Disguised Malignance (HORDE)

20. Hexorcist (HORDE)

21. Exanimatvm (HORDE)

22. Tumba de Carne (HORDE, INFINITE)

23. Laceration (HORDE, PIT)

24. Black Hole Deity (HORDE)

25. Creeping Fear (HORDE)

26. Downcast Twilight (HORDE, NORTH)

27. Dragonbreed (HORDE)

28. Nephilim Grinder (HORDE)

29. Neuropath (HORDE) - requested by Daniel

30. Atlas (INFINITE, REVOLUTION)

31. Psychonaut / SÂVER (INFINITE)

32. Eos (NORTH)

33. Kaskaskia (NORTH)

34. Sadness / To Be Gentle (NORTH)

35. Ulvik (NORTH)

36. Weald and Woe (NORTH)

37. Srub (NORTH)

38. Ushangvagush (NORTH)

39. Silvanthrone (NORTH)

40. Sea Mosquito (NORTH)

41. Bunker 66 (NORTH, PIT)

42. Kataan (NORTH)

43. Vampyric Tyrant (NORTH)

44. Death Tyrant (NORTH)

45. Demonizer (NORTH, PIT)

46. Desolator (NORTH, PIT)

47. Mystic Storm (PIT)

48. Outta Pocket (REVOLUTION)

49. Mugshot (REVOLUTION)

I'll say no this month Sonny. Will be back next month for sure.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 6th to the 12th of October, 2023.

1. Doom Beach (FALLEN)

2. Dead Void (FALLEN, HORDE)

3. Destroyer of Light (FALLEN)

4. Black Rainbows (FALLEN)

5. REZN & Vinnum Sabbathi (FALLEN, INFINITE)

6. Kurokuma (FALLEN)

7. Cromlech (FALLEN, GUARDIANS)

8. October Noir (FALLEN)

9. After All (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

10. Blind Channel (GATEWAY)

11. Aufnorden (GUARDIANS, NORTH)

12. Planeswalker (GUARDIANS)

13. Acid Blade (GUARDIANS)

14. Narakah (HORDE)

15. Worn Mantle (HORDE, NORTH)

16. Quantum Oscillations (HORDE)

17. Blood Oath (HORDE)

18. Perilaxe Occlusion (HORDE)

19. Dripping Decay (HORDE)

20. Deviants (HORDE, PIT)

21. Disfuneral (HORDE)

22. Aparthiva Raktadhara (HORDE, NORTH)

23. Morgue Supplier (HORDE)

24. Sothoris (HORDE, NORTH)

25. The Last of Lucy (HORDE, REVOLUTION)

26. Daemusinem (HORDE)

27. Vinnfrost (HORDE)

28. The Circle (INFINITE, NORTH)

29. Hollow Front (INFINITE, REVOLUTION)

30. Blood Abscission (NORTH)

31. Mycorrhizae (NORTH)

32. Mourning (GBR) (NORTH, REVOLUTION)

33. Ruine (NORTH)

34. Vile Haint (NORTH)

35. Deathless Void (NORTH)

36. Helleruin / De Gevreesde Ziekte (NORTH)

37. Ysbrydnos (NORTH)

38. Opiated Devilsperm (NORTH)

39. Gołoledź (NORTH)

40. Consummatio (NORTH)

41. Freja (NORTH)

42. Shadow Dungeon (NORTH)

43. Beholder (NORTH)

44. Dagorlad (NORTH)

45. Insecurity (PIT)

46. Armory (SWE) (PIT)

47. Serration (REVOLUTION)

48. Basil's Kite (REVOLUTION)

49. Aviana (REVOLUTION)

50. Gates to Hell (REVOLUTION)

51. Lasiodora (REVOLUTION)

Hi Andi. I'd like to refrain from adding non-metal releases just because someone wants to listen to them. I'll add them if a site member legitimately intends to add the release to the Hall of Judgement as they believe it to be metal. By all means check these releases out and let me know if you're convinced that they're metal.

As for the Virgin Killer cover, I'll always use the original cover for any release I'm adding to the site. While I understand your opinion, I refuse to censor the artwork here at Metal Academy.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 27th of September to the 5th of October, 2023.

1. Great Falls (FALLEN, REVOLUTION)

2. Eric Wagner (FALLEN)

3. Tulip (FALLEN, REVOLUTION)

4. Sergeant Thunderhoof (FALLEN)

5. Hexvessel (FALLEN, NORTH)

6. Famyne (FALLEN)

7. King Bastard (FALLEN)

8. Corey Taylor (GATEWAY)

9. Flagman (GATEWAY)

10. Chikoi the Maid (GATEWAY, INFINITE)

11. .bHP (GATEWAY)

12. Edelweiss (GUARDIANS)

13. Animalize (GUARDIANS, PIT)

14. Bomber (GUARDIANS)

15. Nordic Union (GUARDIANS)

16. Joe Lynn Turner (GUARDIANS)

17. Hell Fire (GUARDIANS, PIT)

18. Nocturna (GUARDIANS)

19. She Must Burn (GUARDIANS, REVOLUTION)

20. Hyperdontia / Septage (HORDE)

21. Killing Pace (HORDE)

22. Paediatrician (HORDE)

23. Lipoma (HORDE)

24. Amsvartner (HORDE, NORTH)

25. Celebrant (HORDE, NORTH)

26. Alesia (HORDE)

27. Malice Divine (HORDE, NORTH)

28. Concilivm (HORDE)

29. Days of Desolation (HORDE)

30. Anticreation (HORDE, NORTH)

31. Exaltation (HORDE)

32. Dysgnostic (HORDE)

33. Necrom (HORDE)

34. CKRAFT (INFINITE)

35. Zatemno (NORTH)

36. Xenoglyph (NORTH)

37. Arkæon (NORTH)

38. Alburnum (NORTH)

39. Dressed in Streams (NORTH)

40. Avatar (BEL) (NORTH)

41. Orm (NORTH)

42. White Rune (NORTH)

43. Morbikon (NORTH)

44. Lunar Spells (NORTH)

45. Sumerian Tombs (NORTH)

46. Aguynguerran (NORTH)

47. Breakdown (PIT)

48. GraveRipper (PIT)

49. Crossed (REVOLUTION)

50. Primitive Rage (REVOLUTION)

51. Contention (REVOLUTION)

52. Life's Question (REVOLUTION)

Another great list Sonny. I'm really enjoying these artist-focused lists.

October 2023

1. Marduk - Blood of the Funeral (from Memento mori, 2023)

2. Profane Order - Of Bile and Malice (from One Nightmare Unto Another, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]

3. Gespenst - Rejse (from Den siste færd, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

4. Tsjuder - Prestehammeren (from Helvegr, 2023)

5. Sorcier des glaces - L'éternelle majesté des montagnes (from Snowland MMXII, 2012) [Submitted by Vinny]

6. Altar of Plagues - God Alone (from Teethed Glory & Injury, 2013) [Submitted by Daniel]

7. Trhä - Dlhevuqshja dlhumër bem (from Lhum'ad'sejja, 2023)

8. Ifernach - Black Metal Butchery (from Gespegewagi Black Metal, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]

9. Mgla - II (from With Hearts Toward None, 2012) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Deathspell Omega - Chaining the Katechon (from Veritas Diaboli Manet in Aeternum: Chaining the Katechon, 2008)

11. Carpathian Forest - Journey Through the Cold Moors of Svarttjern (from Through Chasm, Caves and Titan Woods, 1995) [Submitted by Sonny]

12. Revenge - Blood Of My Blood (from Triumph, Genocide. Antichrist, 2003) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Fluisteraars - De mystiek rondom de steen des hamers (from De kronieken van het verdwenen kasteel II: Nergena, 2023)

14. Ancient - Trumps of an Archangel (from Svartalvheim, 1994) [Submitted by Sonny]

15. Armagedda - Skogens morka djup (from The Final War Approaching, 2001) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Sacramentum - Blood Shall Be Spilled (from Far Away From the Sun, 1996) [Submitted by Sonny]

17. Satyricon - Supersonic Journey (from Rebel Extravaganza, 1999)

18. Bríi - Viajante universal (from Último ancestral comum, 2023)

Got a Michael Whelan list right here.  I'm a huge Meat Loaf fan, and I generally love the cover art, but Whelan's had a couple other amazing works, notably Arise and Dark Days.  I wish he would do album covers more often.

Not many Whelan cover were made specifically for the album we see them on. His art first appeared on novels, then metal labels started licensing it for album covers.

I know that.  That doesn't mean I don't like his covers or feel they're innapropriate for the music.

I never stated anything to do with how you felt Rexorcist. My comments were purely informational for anyone that cares, and not to be taken as some sort of retort. I've researched Whelan's involvement with metal for a previous website, so have a general interest in the subject.

Got a Michael Whelan list right here.  I'm a huge Meat Loaf fan, and I generally love the cover art, but Whelan's had a couple other amazing works, notably Arise and Dark Days.  I wish he would do album covers more often.

Not many Whelan cover were made specifically for the album we see them on. His art first appeared on novels, then metal labels started licensing it for album covers. Some of the more famous covers originated on Moorecock and Lovecraft reprints in the early 80s. The only pieces I know for sure he made specifically for album covers are Sepultura Arise and Evile Infected Nations.

Here are some of the relevant paintings that were all created in the late 70s and early 80s, and appeared on fantasy and horror novels. You have to say that Demolition Hammer really didn't do the original art justice on their Epidemic of Violence cover.

Verwimp does have a very distinctive style, Ben. He seems to use a technique that gives his paintings a "soft focus". I always liked the Absu covers and never realised that he was so prolific a cover artist.

By the way, Ben, does the site mechanics have a limit to the number of entries we can have on a list?

I'd like to say no, but I did have an issue with a list I created a couple of years back that had close to 400 releases in (from memory). It was one of the label lists I created. I'm hoping it was just a one off, but I didn't appear to be able to add any more than that. My developer told me there's no limit though, so it could have just been an anomaly. I guess we'll find out at some point!

You inspired me to finally create a Kris Verwimp list. It's far from complete, but I too will be adding some bands just so I can get his fine work on the site in as high quality as possible.

For those of you unaware of Verwimp, you can always see his signature in the corner of his art, making it really easy to discover them. I reckon I could pick a Verwimp piece easily anyway, as his style if very distinct.

Here are a few choice examples...

Feel free to request bands for whatever reason you like Sonny. If they have good artwork, it's more enjoyable for me anyway. 

I honestly can't understand how anyone can consider these albums to be thrash metal. It's like people automatically shift releases into thrash metal when a death metal band starts to lost it's extremity. I agree with Daniel's assessment.

That's an awesome list for Olofsson. I've recognised his style consistently while adding albums to the site, but didn't realise there were that many. Consider me a fan!

I'm sure there are loads more metal bands that used Giger's artwork, likely without permission. Here are a few more I uncovered pretty quickly...

https://metal.academy/releases/10759

https://metal.academy/releases/46704

https://metal.academy/releases/28481

Most of the really good artists don't seem to do much in the way of album art. Boris Vallejo, Frank Frazetta, Ken Kelly and Giger don't really have many cover art credits and most of them seem to be in eastern Europe for some strange, unfathomable reason.

That said, Necrolord? He's one of the first people to come to mind who do metal covers, outside of maybe Repka, and his work isn't just "old man screaming as weird shit happens".

You've listed some of the best artists from the 70s and 80s, all of whom I have collected volumes of their work. Vallejo is the only one that's still alive (he's 82), so it's not surprising they never created metal cover intended artwork. That said, Giger's work appears on a lot of albums, including Celtic Frost, Danzig, Atrocity, Sacrosanct, and even Carcass' Heartwork.

I'm happy to see this thread. Anyone that knows me will understand how much importance I place on cover art. I'm a lover of art in general, but particularly dark art.

I actually managed a list of Dan Seagrave covers on RYM for quite some time. I really should replicate that over here at some point.

I've been thinking about creating a list of all Kris Verwimp covers. There are a LOT of them, and it's pretty easy to tell who was behind them, so I'll try to get onto that soon. If you want to know what his work is like, just check out Cermonial Casting's covers from 2004's Immortal Black Art album.

Sorry Rexorcist. I clearly didn't read the name of the post.

I can replicate the position you're in easily enough. I've played around a bit and I think the easiest way to add a release into your top 20 is to delete the current number 20, add the new release in that position, and then press the up button to move it up to where you want it to be. If you've currently got two number 3's, just delete one of them and add it to position 20, then moved them around. Basically you just want to avoid having two releases with the same number.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 14th to the 26th of September, 2023.

1. Soulmass (FALLEN, HORDE)

2. Gateway (FALLEN, HORDE)

3. Empire State Bastard (FALLEN)

4. Amen Corner (FALLEN, HORDE, NORTH)

5. Margarita Witch Cult (FALLEN)

6. Lethvm (FALLEN, INFINITE)

7. Barro (GATEWAY, PIT)

8. Kim Dracula (GATEWAY)

9. Index Case (GATEWAY)

10. Gun Dog (GATEWAY)

11. Mikau & Mattachine (GATEWAY, REVOLUTION)

12. Darknet (GATEWAY, INFINITE, REVOLUTION)

13. Burn (GUARDIANS)

14. Le Mans (GUARDIANS)

15. Victim (GUARDIANS)

16. Hellanbach (GUARDIANS)

17. Sabbrabells (GUARDIANS)

18. Riff Raff (GUARDIANS)

19. Tsunami (GUARDIANS)

20. EF Band (GUARDIANS)

21. Fabricant (HORDE)

22. Black Eucharist (HORDE, NORTH)

23. Jesus Wept (HORDE)

24. Heteradelphy (HORDE)

25. Wombripper (HORDE)

26. Vomitous (HORDE)

27. Odious Sanction (HORDE, REVOLUTION)

28. Upheaval (HORDE, REVOLUTION)

29. Disimperium (HORDE, NORTH)

30. Astralborne (HORDE)

31. Apokatastasis (HORDE, NORTH)

32. Serpent Corpse (HORDE)

33. Ageless Summoning (HORDE)

34. Anti-God Hand (INFINITE, NORTH)

35. Nospūn (INFINITE)

36. Attila Csihar (NORTH)

37. Blutschwur (NORTH)

38. Sadness / Kenopsia (NORTH)

39. Deitus (NORTH)

40. Lucifuge (NORTH, PIT)

41. Profeci (NORTH)

42. Transgressive (PIT)

43. Hetta (REVOLUTION)

44. The Spectacle (REVOLUTION)

45. My Lai (REVOLUTION)

46. Next Step Up (REVOLUTION)

47. Pain of Truth (REVOLUTION)

48. Half Me (REVOLUTION)

If you're inserting a new number 3 into a top 10 list, then you just edit the list and manually change the numbers next to the previous 3 to 9, then delete the previous number 10. I know it's not ideal, but it only takes about 30 seconds. You don't need delete the list and start from scratch.

I attempted to build a better system when I first set the list function up, but couldn't manage it at the time. I'm currently working on my Top 100 releases list, so adding a new release at number 14 is a certainly an ordeal. I'll definitely try to improve things at some point.

Oh well. You don't really like the album anyway. I'm sure you have a Burzum or Suffocation t-shirt you can put on instead.

Well, I'm still working through the top 100 releases from my favoured genres, trying to put together my own personal top 50 releases of all time. It's strange, given my love of a good list, but I've never actually tried to do it before.

Recently I finally gave Warning's Watching From a Distance a few focussed listens, and unsurprisingly have come to love it. This week I'm trying to digest Esoteric's Maniacal Vale which, given it's runtime,  is no easy feat. So while these might not be very interesting selections,  I'm going to go with...

Warning - Bridges off Watching From a Distance (2006)

Esoteric - Quickening off The Maniacal Vale (2008)

Cheers.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 6th to the 13th of September, 2023.

1. Aequorea - (FALLEN, INFINITE)

2. Urne - (FALLEN, INFINITE, PIT)

3. Tongues - (FALLEN, NORTH)

4. Cultic - (FALLEN) - requested by Morpheus

5. Gespenst - (FALLEN, NORTH) - requested by Vinny

6. Dark - (GATEWAY, HORDE, PIT, REVOLUTION)

7. Overhead - (GATEWAY)

8. Magnit - (GUARDIANS)

9. Avgust - (GUARDIANS)

10. Armageddon (USA) - (GUARDIANS)

11. Kraken - (GUARDIANS)

12. Sangre Azul - (GUARDIANS)

13. Crowley - (GUARDIANS)

14. Flatbacker - (GUARDIANS)

15. Voodoo Child - (GUARDIANS)

16. Drýsill - (GUARDIANS)

17. Restless - (GUARDIANS)

18. Hiroshima - (GUARDIANS)

19. Vengeance - (GUARDIANS)

20. Crystal Pride - (GUARDIANS)

21. Stargate - (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

22. Wild Pussy - (GUARDIANS, PIT)

23. Cruella - (GUARDIANS, PIT)

24. Palass - (GUARDIANS)

25. Intrinsic - (GUARDIANS)

26. Messiah Prophet - (GUARDIANS)

27. Ivory Tiger - (GUARDIANS)

28. Chainsaw - (GUARDIANS, PIT)

29. Horizon - (GUARDIANS)

30. Sadwings - (GUARDIANS)

31. Danger Zone - (GUARDIANS)

32. Mass (GER) - (GUARDIANS)

33. Samain - (GUARDIANS)

34. Dark Night - (GUARDIANS) - requested by Morpheus

35. Fluids / Pharmacist - (HORDE)

36. Hidden Pride - (HORDE)

37. Disabuse - (HORDE, PIT)

38. Chaos Inception - (HORDE)

39. Deadborn - (HORDE)

40. Genocídio - (HORDE, NORTH, PIT)

41. Angelblood - (INFINITE, NORTH)

42. Morkera - (NORTH)

43. Ritual Laceration - (NORTH)

44. Meslamtaea - (NORTH)

45. Gontyna Kry - (NORTH) - requested by HisKingdomInOurMidst

46. Lunatics Without Skateboards Inc. - (PIT)

47. Electro Hippies - (PIT)

48. Unfair Fate - (PIT) - requested by Vinny

49. Bombarder - (PIT)

50. Cruelty - (REVOLUTION)

I apologise if I'm seeming dismissive. I appreciate anyone suggesting new ideas. You might recall that I thought your club idea is a good one, and encouraged you to do it. I'd really like to participate, but I have my own rating project that I'm putting my time into. I'll try to get involved when a release tickles my fancy, but I can't speak for everyone else.

As a sign that I genuinely do care, I'll formulate two industrial metal challenges and see how they look. I just want to challenge people to think outside the square a bit. I genuinely believe there's a really cool idea that would fit in with what we're doing here. Something no-one has done, and will garner significant interest. I'm willing to fund it if it has real potential. I'm afraid I just don't believe that slightly altering things we're already doing will draw in a bigger crowd. I still want to do those things so the site is as good as it can be for the community we have, but let's not pretend that adding another list or making the charts more complete will change the world. Let's think BIG!

Perhaps we could introduce a system people could use that would suggest clans for them, similar to Harry Potter's sorting hat? Maybe we could build the coolest recommendation system that would genuinely work (unlike every one I've ever seen)? How about we go with the Academy angle and really delve into the education side of things? Or maybe introducing advanced statistics similar to the way Letterboxd does for movies would add the missing ingredient (see below examples)? I've been concentrating on getting as many releases on the site as I can for the past few years, but at some point I want to try to take Metal Academy to the next level. I may need to wait until the current financial burdens (increased interest rates and cost of living) improve, but I'm committed for the long run.

I think Letterboxd's stats screen is pretty cool...

Let's be clear about something. I've not received a cent for anything to do with Metal Academy, and have put a lot of sweat and tears into it, not to mention well in excess of $10K in developing it and many more thousands on running costs. I've never considered monetising it, as that would either involve advertising all over the place (which I hate) or having some sort of Patreon set up (for which we obviously don't have enough regulars to even consider). I'll also point out that I've never even looked at site visit stats, as it's not something I care much about. I imagine a lot more people than we realise find their way to the site but never become members, perhaps using it as a source for high quality metal album covers (for which I'm convinced it's now the go to site on the internet).

I designed and built Metal Academy because it's something I personally wanted to use. Of course I hoped that there would be lots of other metal fans that would embrace the idea and that a community would form around it, but even if no-one had ever come, I'd still be using it and spending hours every day adding releases. If find it satisfying and even meditative, and scratches my completist itch. Perhaps there just isn't a big audience for this sort of site anymore, with the younger generation seeing social media platforms as the be all and end all for pretty much everything in their lives. Blogs and forums are an old school concept after all. I can't imagine adding any particular feature and suddenly having hundreds of regulars, but if it were to happen, that feature would have to be truly unique and fascinating. Maybe we just have to think harder about how we could utilise the site's overarching clan idea to make something people couldn't resist being part of.

As for your suggestion that "we really need more lists for the Sphere and Revolution", well I'm not opposed to it, but I don't think anyone has ever completed the current challenges. I see no reason to make 2 or 3 Industrial Metal challenges when it seems like no-one is interested in completing the first one. Based on everything you've said above, it sounds like getting a fourth clan would be just the sort of thing you'd be excited about, and yet you haven't got one yet. Do you have an idea which one you would want to add?

I think the more clans we allow people to join, the more we lessen the value of the clan system in the first place. I like knowing that the Clan Rating for an album is the result of site members that really care about, and are potentially quite knowledgeable about, that style of music. That becomes less likely once people are members of more than half the possible clans.

It's something I've always wanted to do. Unfortunately it would require completely rebuilding the search function, so comes at more cost than I can currently manage. I'll do it one day, but in the meantime, Daniel's solution works well enough. I'd also like to search for releases that ONLY have a particular genre or subgenre.

Welcome Brother Sonny. We've been expecting you.

Not currently, no. But it's an interesting idea that I'll put in my list of potential improvements.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 26th of August to the 5th of September, 2023.

1. CZLT (FALLEN)

2. Full of Hell / Gasp (FALLEN)

3. The Moon Mistress (FALLEN)

4. Magmakammer (FALLEN)

5. Indian Handcrafts (FALLEN)

6. Tudor (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS, NORTH, PIT)

7. Atom Seed (GATEWAY)

8. Non-Fiction (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

9. Fallen Angel (GUARDIANS, PIT)

10. Suffercation (GUARDIANS, HORDE)

11. Quo Vadis (GUARDIANS, PIT)

12. Santa Lucia (GUARDIANS)

13. Scarlet Rayne (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

14. CETI (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

15. C.I.A. (GUARDIANS, PIT)

16. Follow the Cipher (GUARDIANS)

17. Horcas (GUARDIANS, PIT)

18. Velvet Viper (GUARDIANS)

19. Centaur (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

20. Patriarch (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

21. Katedra (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

22. Dofka (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

23. Stos (GUARDIANS, PIT)

24. Doro & Warlock (GUARDIANS)

25. Parfumerie (HORDE)

26. Insect Grinder (HORDE)

27. Deafness (HORDE)

28. Rottest Slag (HORDE)

29. Profanatica / Masacre (HORDE, NORTH)

30. Ecliptic (HORDE, INFINITE)

31. Freedom of Fear (HORDE, INFINITE)

32. Grand Cadaver (HORDE)

33. Detherous (HORDE, PIT)

34. Thousand Eyes (HORDE)

35. Poppy Seed Grinder (HORDE)

36. Excruciate / Epitaph (HORDE)

37. Termina (INFINITE, REVOLUTION)

38. Sea in the Sky (INFINITE)

39. Shichisei Hokoku (NORTH)

40. Yxxan (NORTH)

41. Xerión (NORTH)

42. Bloodline (NORTH, SPHERE)

43. Till (NORTH)

44. Vuur & Zijde / Impavida (NORTH)

45. Norrhem (NORTH)

46. Vargleide (NORTH)

47. Raped God 666 (PIT)

48. Rosicrucian (PIT)

49. Geisha Goner (PIT)

50. Toxin (PIT)

51. Messina (PIT)

52. Hellraiser (PIT)

53. Space Eater (PIT)

54. Archaic Torse (PIT)

55. Mottek (PIT)

56. Savage Thrust (PIT)

57. Eviction (PIT)

58. Usurper (NED) (PIT)

59. Killjoy (PIT)

60. Rhythm of Fear (PIT) - requested by Vinny

61. Bird of Ill Omen (REVOLUTION)

62. ClawHammer (REVOLUTION)

63. Skatenigs (SPHERE)

Here's my updated Top Ten Atmospheric Black Metal Releases Of All Time following my revisit to Altar of Plagues' "Teethed Glory & Injury" album which has seen "Dark Space III" dropping out:

01. Burzum – “Filosofem” (1996)

02. Akhlys – “The Dreaming I” (2015)

03. Altar of Plagues – “Mammal” (2011)

04. Burzum – “Hvis lyset tar oss” (1994)

05. Wolves In The Throne Room – “Two Hunters” (2007)

06. Paysage d’Hiver – “Im Wald” (2020)

07. Paysage d’Hiver – “Winterkaelte” (2001)

08. Murmuure – “Murmuure” (2010)

09. Altar of Plagues - "Teethed Glory & Injury" (2013)

10. Lurker Of Chalice – “Lurker Of Chalice” (2005)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/160

I must say that it warms my heart to see Lurker of Chalice gain a top 10 spot from you Daniel. Your initial 2.5 stars score for that album made me question your commitment to sparkle motion.

September 2023

1. Tilintetgjort - Hex (from In Death I Shall Arise, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Blut aus Nord - Queen of the Dead Dimension (from Disharmonium - Nahab, 2023)

3. RUIM - Black Royal Spiritism (from Black Royal Spiritism - I - O Sino da Igreja, 2023) [Submitted by Xephyr]

4. Agriculture - Relier (from Agriculture, 2023)

5. Bethlehem - Die Dunkelheit darbt (from Bethlehem, 2016) [Submitted by Vinny]

6. Belial - Of Servant of Belial (from Wisdom of Darkness, 1992) [Submitted by Sonny]

7. Liturgy - Caela (from 93696, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

8. Odz Manouk - I Will Crush To Marrow This Crow Of Ill (from Odz Manouk, 2010) [Submitted by Xephyr]

9. Arkona - Kob' (from Kob', 2023)

10. Tómarúm - As Black Forms From Grey (from Ash in Realms of Stone Icons, 2022) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Kanonenfieber - Die Schlacht bei Tannenberg (from Menschenmühle, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Decayed - Pagan Winds Return (from The Conjuration of the Southern Circle, 1993) [Submitted by Sonny]

13. Urfaust - Leere (from Untergang, 2023)

14. Doedsvangr - Lord ov Pits (from Koinonia, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Hasard - Vicivers (from Malivore, 2023)

16. Teitanblood - Domains of Darkness and Ancient Evil (from Seven Chalices, 2009) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Paysage d'Hiver - Winter... (from Winterkaelte, 2023)

Given you recently informed me that albums should never be over 50 minutes in length, I think we agree that there’s a sweet spot. Your sarcasm is noted though, and banked away until you’re least expecting it.

has Gontyna Kry been added? 

They haven't, but I'll add them to the list to be added this week.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 18th to the 25th of August, 2023.

1. Cantata Sangui (FALLEN, INFINITE)

2. Cryptic Tales (FALLEN, HORDE, NORTH)

3. Nuctemeron (FALLEN, HORDE)

4. Stressball (FALLEN, PIT)

5. Absurd Existence (FALLEN)

6. Expulsion (FALLEN)

7. Misery (FALLEN)

8. Oromet (FALLEN)

9. Kinniku Shoujo Tai (GATEWAY, GUARDIANS)

10. Disciplinatha (GATEWAY)

11. Laundry (GATEWAY, INFINITE)

12. exist†trace (GATEWAY)

13. Super Junky Monkey (GATEWAY)

14. Mental Hippie Blood (GATEWAY)

15. Mayfair (GATEWAY, INFINITE)

16. Mind Bomb (GATEWAY)

17. Twilight (DNK) (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

18. Adolf Castle (GUARDIANS)

19. House of Spirits (GUARDIANS, INFINITE)

20. Joe Stump (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

21. Logos (GUARDIANS, PIT)

22. Putrid Stu / Fluids (HORDE)

23. Ascendency (HORDE, NORTH)

24. Total Rusak (HORDE)

25. Coercion (HORDE)

26. Psychic Pawn (HORDE)

27. Agretator (HORDE)

28. Dai (HORDE, NORTH)

29. Chirurgia (HORDE, PIT)

30. G-Anx (HORDE)

31. Bleed (HORDE)

32. Death Vomit (HORDE)

33. Resuscitator (HORDE, HORDE)

34. Undersave (HORDE, INFINITE)

35. Gangrena (HORDE)

36. Suffocation / Malevolent Creation / Exhorder / Cancer (HORDE, PIT)

37. Vermin (HORDE)

38. Vicious Circle (HORDE, PIT)

39. Sacred Sin (HORDE, PIT)

40. Headhunter D.C. (HORDE)

41. Victims of Internal Decay (HORDE)

42. Lost Harvest (HORDE)

43. Renaissance (INFINITE)

44. Albino Slug (INFINITE)

45. Dorso (INFINITE, PIT)

46. Svartsyn (NOR) (NORTH)

47. Suffering (NORTH)

48. Willoos (NORTH)

49. Wyrgher (NORTH)

50. Taranis (POL) (NORTH)

51. The Lousy (PIT)

52. X-Cops (PIT)

53. Monster Voodoo Machine (PIT, SPHERE)

54. Alligator (PIT)

55. The Spudmonsters (PIT)

56. Crionic (PIT)

57. Blue Skies Burning (REVOLUTION)

58. Abhinanda (REVOLUTION)

59. Memento (USA) (REVOLUTION)

60. Aftershock (REVOLUTION)

61. Candiru (SPHERE)

Thanks for all the responses. I think I'm going to have to face the fact that there's really no right or wrong way to assess these things. I'm one of those people that likes to apply a consistent criteria when rating. That's become particularly important while I'm attempting to rank all my favourite releases to finally be able to come up with a Top 50 or Top 100 style list.

I actually feel quite strongly that traditional EPs should be "taxed" for containing so much less content than regular full lengths. It simply doesn't feel right to me that an EP containing two or three tracks and a total run time of under 15 minutes could ever appear in my top 10 or 20 releases, just because all of the tracks contained are outstanding. Obviously not everyone feels that way, and that's just fine. What I am having to accept is that I can't treat all EPs or all albums in the same way. While Haunting the Chapel shouldn't be given the same weight as Hell Awaits, I have to admit that Deathspell Omega's Kenose probably should be given the same weight as any other Deathspell Omega album. I'm going to have to break out of my need for a consistent methodology and treat each release independently. It will hurt, but I reckon I can do it.

So it's Japanese? Um... Intestine Baalism - An Anatomy of the Beast?

I see that SilentScream213 reviewed it this week.

The following bands have been added to Metal Academy from the 10th to the 17th of August, 2023.

1. Etherial Winds (FALLEN)

2. Dark Mirror ov Tragedy (FALLEN, NORTH) - requested by Morpheus

3. Divercia (FALLEN, HORDE)

4. Dissolving of Prodigy (FALLEN)

5. Candle Serenade (FALLEN, NORTH)

6. Houk (GATEWAY)

7. Foreign Objects (GATEWAY, HORDE, PIT)

8. Regurgitator (GATEWAY)

9. Syris (GUARDIANS)

10. Fatal Opera (GUARDIANS, INFINITE, PIT)

11. Dr. Sin (GUARDIANS)

12. Capricorn (GUARDIANS)

13. Triumpher (GUARDIANS)

14. Elegant Weapons (GUARDIANS)

15. Dragoncorpse (GUARDIANS, REVOLUTION)

16. SikFuk (HORDE)

17. R.U. Dead? (HORDE)

18. Vomiting Corpses (HORDE)

19. Possession (HORDE, PIT))

20. Face Down (HORDE, PIT)

21. FaithXtractor (HORDE)

22. Suotana (HORDE)

23. Algol (HORDE)

24. Undercroft (HORDE)

25. Detestation (HORDE)

26. Vibrion (HORDE)

27. Rhadamantys (HORDE)

28. Gaffed (HORDE)

29. Claustrum (HORDE)

30. Parasitario (HORDE)

31. Ignominy (HORDE)

32. Sepulcrum (HORDE)

33. Grotesqueries (HORDE)

34. Burial Hordes (HORDE, NORTH)

35. Pyramid Mass (HORDE, NORTH)

36. Haxprocess (HORDE, INFINITE)

37. Negative Vortex (HORDE, NORTH)

38. Sarcoughagus (HORDE)

39. Trifixion (INFINITE)

40. Macrocosmic Emotions (INFINITE, PIT)

41. Ashen Horde (INFINITE, NORTH)

42. Kohort (NORTH)

43. My Infinite Kingdom (NORTH)

44. To Be Gentle (NORTH)

45. Mrakobes (NORTH)

46. Devouring Famine (NORTH)

47. Limbes (NORTH)

48. Abyssum (NORTH)

49. Demonic (NORTH)

50. Nergal (NORTH)

51. Blazemth (NORTH)

52. Sarcoptes (NORTH, PIT)

53. Verminous Serpent (NORTH)

54. Olde Throne (NORTH)

55. Schavot (NORTH)

56. Trhä / Μνήμα (NORTH)

57. Ciemra (NORTH)

58. Necrofier (NORTH)

59. Fathomage (NORTH)

60. Autrest (NORTH)

61. Vegan Reich (PIT)

62. Jesus Piece / Malice at the Palace (REVOLUTION)

63. Parkway Drive / Think Straight / Shoot to Kill (REVOLUTION) - requested by Andi

64. Mortality Rate / Judiciary (REVOLUTION)

65. Since My Beloved (REVOLUTION)

66. Burner (REVOLUTION)

67. Envision (REVOLUTION)

68. The Wise Man's Fear (REVOLUTION)

69. Malformed Earthborn (SPHERE)

70. JAAW (SPHERE)