Daniel's Forum Replies
Various Artists - "Hadestown (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" (2019)
This two-hour musical soundtrack has really taken me by surprise & has brought something to my life that I'd forgotten ever existed in me. You see, it's full of the purest love & the rawest of tragedy which has really made me feel alive & appreciate those around me this week. The production & performances are utterly incredible with the main singers involved being some of the finest talents I've ever experienced in this format. As with any soundtrack release, there are some less impressive pieces included purely for the storyline however the main highlight tracks (& there are plenty of them) will stay with me forever given just how strong the hooks & arrangements are. I'm absolutely gagging to see this performed live now. American folk artist Anais Mitchell is a musical genius for having written this motherfucker.
For fans of Anais Mitchell, Jess Williamson & Nanci Griffith.
4/5
Acheron - "Eternal Suffering" demo (1990)
This four-song demo tape represents the earliest recordings from a Melbourne death metal band that would on to become the formidable Aussie extreme metal establishment Abramelin who were a significant influence on me & my own band Neuropath back in the early-to-mid 1990's. It takes a fairly standard approach to the genre & the primitive recording quality for a demo tape is quite evident but that doesn't detract from its appeal. The gutteral vocals of front man Simon Dower are a highlight along with the psychotic guitar solos of Tim Aldridge (diSEMBOWELMENT). These guys would certainly get better from here but in truth "Eternal Suffering" doesn't fall far behind a record like 1994's "Transgression From Acheron" E.P. as it achieves a suitably filthy death metal atmosphere. It's worth a few listens for Aussie death metal completists.
For fans of Abramelin, Invocation & Misery.
3.5/5
After revisiting all of the local demos of the 1980's that I used to have in my tape trading collection over the last few months, I've managed to put together a very accurate Top Ten Australian Extreme Metal Releases of the 1980's list that I feel might expose some people to a number of hidden gems because most of this stuff has flown completely under the radar of most international metal freaks. You'll notice that there's not a Mortal Sin record amongst them too which should tell you that there's some high-quality shit here:
01. Persecution - "Tortured Existence" demo (1989) [Death/thrash from Seaford, Victoria]
02. Nomenclature Diablerie - "888" demo (1988) [Sydney death metal]
03. Hobbs Angel of Death - "Angel of Death" demo (1987) [Melbourne thrash metal]
04. Bezerker - "Laugh at the Light" demo (1988) [Adelaide thrash metal]
05. Hobbs Angel of Death - "Virgin Metal Invasion from Down Under" demo (1988) [Melbourne thrash metal]
06. Depression - "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" (1988) [Melbourne crossover thrash]
07. Addictive - "Pity of Man" (1989) [Sydney thrash metal]
08. Depression - "Australia, Australia" E.P. (1985) [Melbourne crossover thrash]
09. Depression - "Ultra Hard Core Mega Heavy Punk Metal Thrash" (1987) [Melbourne crossover thrash/hardcore punk]
10. Hobbs Angel of Death - "Hobbs Angel of Death" (1988) [Melbourne thrash metal]
At The Gates - "Terminal Spirit Disease" (1994)
The third full-length from the Swedish melodeath gods but, in reality, it was never intended it to be. The band wanted to release a six-song E.P. but their record label Peaceville decided to turn it into an album through the addition of three live cuts which are simply tacked onto the end. Despite that, it's still a very consistent record with no obvious weak spots but it lacks genuine highlights with only opening cut "The Swarm" standing out from the pack which makes this an inessential melodeath release. I certainly enjoy all of this material but have to admit that it doesn't tick as many of my musical boxes as At The Gates' previous material & certainly not their classic "Slaughter of the Soul" record from the following year (i.e. my all-time favourite melodic death metal release). The live inclusions are well-produced & executed & possess more of a classic death metal edge than the new material which has seen At The Gates hitting on a purer melodeath sound than they'd managed to achieve previously. That's probably been to the detriment of the album's appeal with someone like myself if I'm being honest though. I do enjoy Tomas Lindberg's raspy shrieks quite a bit but rarely feel like returning to "Terminal Spirit Disease", instead choosing "The Red in the Sky Is Ours", "Slaughter of the Soul" or the early demo tapes whenever I feel like revisiting At The Gates' 90's heyday.
For fans of Dark Tranquillity, In Flames & The Black Dahlia Murder.
3.5/5
The Tony Williams Lifetime - "Emergency!" (1969)
A side-project from various members of Miles Davis' early jazz fusion band with the legendary John McLaughlin on guitar who I've always been a massive fan of. The quality is a little inconsistent across the eight tracks with a couple of duds included (see "Beyond Games" & "Something Special") but there's comfortably enough high-quality material here to keep me interested, particularly when these guys decide to dig further into their more psychedelic, Hendrix-inspired side. McLaughlin absolutely rules, of course, & you can easily pick up some of the early ideas that would form Miles' excellent "Bitches Brew" double album the following year.
For fans of Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra & John McLaughlin.
3.5/5
Krucifior - "1989 Radio Air Play & Interview" demo (1989)
Quite possibly the worst example of music I can recall listening to. These 16-17 year-olds from Hobart in Tasmania produce a two-song demo tape that's essentially a recording of them being interviewed twice on local Hobart radio with two of their songs being played over the air. The sound quality & performances are absolutely abysmal! I mean this shit makes Beherit sound like Dream Theater so if that idea floats your boat then go right ahead & waste 15 minutes of your life in suffering through this shit.
For fans of Sore Throat, Napalm Death & Carcass.
0.5/5
Persecution - "Tortured Existence" demo (1989)
I've decided that this one-off demo tape from a relatively unknown Victorian death/thrash four-piece is actually my favourite Aussie extreme metal release of the 1980's this week. I picked it up through the tape trading scene back in the early 1990's & quickly became heavily into its well-executed combination of aggressive thrash metal instrumentation & monstrous death growls. The classic Slayer influence is undeniable but I don't seem to care as that's the sound that changed my life more than any other & I simply can't get enough of it. The quality across the twenty-two-minute run time is extremely consistent with all four songs sitting at a very solid level without ever reaching the top tier. Bass player Bo Remy also played in Hobbs Angel of Death during the 2010's & drummer Dakka featured on some of the better mid-to-late-80's releases from crossover thrash outfit Depression who I really like. Interestingly, Persecution used to be known as No Remorse who released a single demo tape called "Stroke of Death" that I quite liked in 1988. I highly recommend that our The Pit members check out the "Tortured Existence" CD compilation which draws together both demo tapes for a truly underground Aussie thrash experience.
For fans of Slayer, Sepultura & Spectral Birth.
4/5
Ben, please add Melbourne death/thrash outfit Persecution's "Tortured Existence" CD from 2016.
SPK - "Mekano/Contakt/Slogun" E.P. (1978)
This short three-song 7" E.P. from a little-known Sydney act would go down in history as being one of the most seminal releases from the early industrial movement. It's a very punky record. In fact, I'd suggest that it's there's just as much synth punk here as there is industrial but you can't deny the abrasiveness of the industrial component which must have sounded entirely foreign to a late-1970's audience. SPK made cold, barren, post-punk inspired sounds that tested the boundaries of what could rightfully claim itself to be music, particularly the lengthier B side "Slogun" which almost manages to represent what we now know as power electronics. I don't "love" this stuff if I'm being honest as it's not yet the fully formed model of industrial music I've always enjoyed but it does offer a rhythmic character that somehow manages to get under my skin, even if opener "Mekano" is a little flat in my opinion.
For fans of Robert Rental & The Normal, The Witch Trials & Relaxed Muscle.
3.5/5
Addictive - "Pity of Man" (1989)
The debut album from these Sydney thrash metal legends who made a big impact on me in my youth. It comes off the back of the pretty decent "Ward 74" demo tape from the previous year & sees Addictive taking things to another level with a very solid outing buoyed by a production job that beautifully showcases the four-piece's aggressive take on the genre. Some of the songs from the demo tape have been re-recorded here & have benefited from the more professional packaging, particularly a rhythm guitar tone that reminds me a lot of Slayer. There's a strong consistency to this material that I'd describe as sitting somewhere between the Bay Area thrash of Testament & the more extreme sound of Slayer & Kreator. I know that sounds very good on paper but it also ends up delivering on that potential & I can easily hear the influence that this album has had on a band like Allegiance. I'm not surprised either as I think this is a step up from some of the more well-known Aussie thrash records like Mortal Sin's "Mayhemic Destruction" & "Face of Despair" or Hobbs Angel of Death's self-titled debut. Guitarists Joe Buttigieg & Mick Sultana would go on to play with Mortal Sin during their 2000's comeback actually while drummer Matt Coffey would spend some time with a couple of notable Canberra metal bands in alternative metallers Henry's Anger & underground death metal legends Psychrist. "Pity of Man" comes highly recommended to all of our members of The Pit.
For fans of Massive Appendage, Acrophet & Allegiance.
4/5
"Currumbin Chill Council Vol. 4" went up on Spotify yesterday.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Z2dA3uud8Q2CUBGTWndl1?si=4f0e1a59c34d469e
Public Enemy - "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" (1988)
This was the first hip hop record I can remember really enjoying. It was brought to my attention by one of my best mates while I was in early high school & we spent most year 7 & 8 pretending we were Michael Jordan on the school's back basketball courts with this blaring out of a nearby ghetto blaster. The difference with this classic old-school hip hop is that, not only do Chuck D's lyrics have a viciously potent & politically conscious message, but DJ Terminator X never forgets to push the funk that African-Amercian dancefloor culture was built on with a seriously impressive array of high-quality breakbeats. This makes Public Enemy's sophomore album a total dancefloor bomb from start to finish & I can't help but shake my booty to it all these years later.
For fans of KRS-One, Boogie Down Productions & Intelligent Hoodlum.
4/5
Dominion - "Demo Tape" (1989)
The one-off demo tape from a talented Melbourne musician by the name of Corey Romeo who would go on to play with progressive metal outfit Hyperion during the mid-1990's. This 34 minute/8 song effort sees Romeo handling all of the instruments in a purely instrumental exploration of guitar-shredder style progressive metal which also touches on speed metal, heavy metal & power metal. The production is the main stumbling block as the sound quality is quite muted which isn't ideal for this type of music as it requires brightness & clarity to have it full effect. You can still make out the potential here fairly easily though & I found myself enjoying the majority of the collection. In fact, I'd even go so far as to suggest that this could have been a fairly significant release with a more professionally produced packaging.
For fans of Jason Becker, Vinnie Moore & David T. Chastain.
3.5/5
Tenhi - "Kauan" (1999)
The debut album from the kings of the dark folk movement. It's a good one too although it's not particularly dark if I'm being honest. It's more whispy & melancholic with a very smooth production job & precision performances. I probably prefer a little more edge to my folk than this but I can't deny the professionalism & creativity that Tenhi bring to the table which makes "Kauan" essential listening for those that are into this style of music. The use of keyboards is a real highlight but I definitely prefer the deeper & more stripped back material like the wonderful "Etäisyyksien taa" which is my clear favourite from the eight songs on offer.
For fans of Empyrium, Vezha Khmar & "Kveldssanger"-period Ulver.
4/5
Enticer - "Into Reality" demo (1989)
The sole demo tape from this relatively unknown Sydney five-piece whose single from later the same year really impressed me earlier this week. Where that release was a thrash/power metal effort, this one is more of a speed/heavy metal one although you can still clearly hear the influences that contributed to the "Reaper of the Earth/Dying Aged" single e.g. "Kill 'Em All"-era Metallica for example. As with that release, I've enjoyed my time with the five songs that make up "Into Reality", perhaps not quite as much though as I prefer Enticer's slightly thrashier sound. Still... you could do a lot worse than to explore this underground recording as it's generally pretty decent with a more than acceptable production job for a demo.
For fans of Exciter, Acid & ADX.
3.5/5
Rapier - "Dreamland" demo (1989)
A fairly flat one-off demo tape from this South Australian heavy metal act that includes four songs across eighteen minutes. It's got a noticeably 1970's vibe to the production job. The vocals are fairly average & the performances are a little sloppy though so this doesn't compete all that well with the big names from that period.
For fans of 70's Black Sabbath, early Mercyful Fate & "Sad Wings of Destiny"-era Judas Priest.
3/5
I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.
I've passed this nomination uncontested.
I've passed this nomination uncontested.
I can feel an Eighties gothic rock Spotify playlist coming on!
Uummm… here’s one I created some time back. It’s not ALL 80’s but it’s basically what you’re after.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3E3I9HTnDcYCt1zESsAEVM?si=YPbj334wTHqWEfZgx5_D8g&pi=4JL5lbNBROmkt
Enticer - "Reaper of the Earth/Dying Aged" single (1989)
I haven't heard this obscure 7" single since the early 1990's but it's held up beautifully, despite the thin demo-quality production job. Enticer were a five-piece band from my hometown of Sydney whose sound sat somewhere between power metal & thrash metal & this single is a great example of that with the A side "Reaper of the Earth" leaning more towards the power metal side of the equation & the B side "Dying Aged" angling more towards the thrash one. Both are enjoyable inclusions, particularly "Dying Aged" which is a very solid piece of Aussie thrash indeed. The vocals of Steve Sidhu soar over the top of fast tremolo-picked speed metal riffage while the dual guitar solos blaze away around them. This is about as metal as it gets & I've been surprised at my much it's appealed to me to be honest. I'd recommend it to those thrash fans that struggle to find power metal with enough balls to keep their interest.
For fans of Iced Earth, Paradox & Savage Messiah.
4/5
I bought "Sonic Temple" on cassette shortly after it was released & played the shit out of it. I haven't heard it in more than half a lifetime now but will always have a soft spot for it. I don't think I've heard anything from The Cult that I regard as highly to be honest, even "Love" which I revisited only a year or so ago.
I would suggest that none of those three bands have any genuine metal releases, although all three have the odd metal song.
Holy Rite - "Mosh for the Master" demo (1989)
A one-off demo tape from a Christian death/thrash five-piece from Hornsby in Sydney. It's a complete piss-take too which certainly helps with stomaching the cheesy religious themes. The instrumentation generally sits in the conventional thrash metal space although there are a couple of tracks that are more like crossover thrash & heavy metal. The vocals are a different story with most of the seven-song tracklisting seeing front man John Courtney taking a more extreme death/black metal direction complete with the occasional King Diamond-style soprano dive-bomb. In fact, there's a fair bit of Mercyful Fate in some of the riffs & solos too actually. These guys would go on to become a more significant death metal band by the name of Deracination in the early 1990's with drummer Gary O'Connell also playing in a band that my own band Neuropath used to associate with a little bit in Destrier. This cassette is certainly pretty fun at times (see the hilarious intro track or the riotous "Mosh" for example) but I'm not too sure that many non-Aussies would get it to be honest as it's kind of a celebration of our self-embraced hobbo-isms. I don't think you'd be missing out on too much in the grand scheme of things but blackened thrash closer "Or You Will Die" is pretty cool.
For fans of Spectral Birth, Incubus (AUS) & Slaughter Lord.
2.5/5
Klaus Schulze - "Irrlicht" (1972)
The debut album from this legend of the Berlin electronic movement. I've been a big fan of this record for several decades now & this week's revisit hasn't seen that changing at all. "Irrlicht" includes just the three tracks across its fifty-minute run time & I'd describe it as being predominantly a space ambient record with drone, progressive electronic & conventional ambient influences. It's not my favourite Shulze release by any means but it was certainly a very solid way to kick off his solo career & was a major influence on the early Berlin scene that was very quickly expanding on its krautrock roots. It should also be essential listening for all fans of ambient music.
For fans of Tangerine Dream, Cluster & Ashra.
4/5
Frozen Doberman - "Frozen Doberman" demo (1989)
The first demo tape from this four-piece thrash metal band from the Central Coast of NSW. The production is pretty crap with all instruments sounding pretty weak. The vocals are in a similar style to Anthrax's Joey Belladonna but are nowhere near as capable with the lyrics being pretty immature too. I saw these guys play live a few times during the 1990's as they were somewhat of a mainstay of the local scene at the time but they were certainly a lot better than this by that point.
For fans of Anthrax, Sacred Reich & Exodus.
2.5/5
Hot Tomatoes - "With a Pinch of Salt" (1989)
The sole album from this Adelaide-based hardcore punk outfit. I thought I'd check it out as it's tagged as crossover thrash on RYM but, as with most of the RYM database these days, it's completely mistagged. There's not a second of metal on this motherfucker, let alone thrash metal. It's not bad though.
01. Reign In Blood
02. South Of Heaven
03. Seasons In The Abyss
04. Decade Of Aggression: Live
05. Live Undead E.P.
06. Haunting The Chapel E.P.
07. Show No Mercy
08. Divine Intervention
09. Hell Awaits
10. God Hates Us All
11. Repentless
12. Christ Illusion
13. Diabolus in musica
14. World Painted Blood
15. Undisputed Attitude
01. Human
02. Individual Thought Patterns
03. Symbolic
04. The Sound of Perseverance
05. Live in L.A. (Death & Raw)
06. Leprosy
07. Spiritual Healing
08. Scream Bloody Gore
09. Reign of Terror demo
10. Death by Metal demo
11. Infernal Death demo
01. ...And Justice For All
02. Master of Puppets
03. Ride the Lightning
04. The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited
05. Through the Never
06. Kill 'Em All
07. Black Album
08. Live Shit: Binge & Purge
09. Whiplash E.P.
10. No Life 'til Leather demo
11. Garage Inc.
12. Power Metal demo
13. S&M
14. Hardwired...to Self Destruct
15. Lulu
16. Beyond Magnetic
17. Death Magnetic
18. Load
19. Reload
20. St. Anger
I haven't even heard "72 Seasons" to be honest.
Terry Riley - "A Rainbow in Curved Air" (1969)
It's been a while since I last heard the third album from California minimalism guru Terry Riley but I've always enjoyed it so I thought I'd finally commit to awarding it a firm rating this week. "A Rainbow in Curved Air" includes just the two lengthy tracks with the nineteen-minute title track arguably being the piece that originally saw people becoming aware of the progressive electronic sound & the twenty-two-minute "Poppy Nogood & the Phantom Band" being a droney example of the minimalism concept that Riley had played such as strong role in promoting previously, particularly with his previous record "In C" which was very well received by open-minded music fans. I have to admit that, despite its ground-breaking nature & fresh, bright feel, I couldn't really get into the title track this week. It just seemed too scatter-gun in its approach & could really have done with more focus on structure. It was always "Poppy Nogood & the Phantom Band" that was the real attraction for me here though as I really admire the ideas & execution, particularly in the use of out of phase tape loops which was seriously advanced for the time. I love the deep drone section too. Perhaps this isn't the classic that many people will have you believe it is but there can be no denying its importance.
For fans of Maxime Denuc, Bing & Ruth & Mariusz Duda.
3.5/5
Fester Fanatics - "Greatest Cocktail Party Hits: Vol. 1" (1989)
The second & final studio album from this notorious Sydney heavy metal band & this time it's a fun collection of tongue-in-cheek cover versions that I actually enjoy more than Fester Fanatics' fairly flat 1987 debut album "What Choice Do We Have?". Sure, there are a couple of duds here (see the glam metal version of KISS' "I Want You" & the hard rocking take on The Doors' "Hello I Love You" for example) but the other eight songs are all pretty enjoyable, particularly the two that open the record in the pub rock version of The Swingers' "Counting the Beat" & a thrashed up rendition of The Vapors "Turning Japanese". The production job isn't amazing & front man Alfie Fester is hardly the most talented singer you'll ever encounter but the boys make up for it in laughs & singalongs. Guitarist Jed Starr's guitar solos are the clear highlight of the album as he was a seriously capable shredder that has never received the kudos he perhaps deserved. I can't see this release seeing many of you becoming diehard Fester fanatics but you could do a lot worse than to belt it out at your next house party as it's guaranteed to have your mates singing along.
For fans of Massive Appendage, KISS & Rose Tattoo.
3.5/5
01. Transilvanian Hunger
02. A Blaze in the Northern Sky
03. Under a Funeral Moon
04. Panzerfaust
05. Soulside Journey
06. Old Star
07. Ravishing Grimness
08. Hate Them
09. Arctic Thunder
10. Sardonic Wrath
01. Paranoid
02. Sabotage
03. Mob Rules
04. Black Sabbath
05. Master of Reality
06. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
07. Heaven & Hell
08. Dehumanizer
09. Headless Cross
10. Vol. 4
01. Somewhere in Time
02. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
03. Powerslave
04. The Number of the Beast
05. Peace of Mind
06. A Matter of Life & Death
07. Brave New World
08. Iron Maiden
09. Killers
10. No Prayer for the Dying
Admittedly, I haven't heard Maiden's last album "Senjutsu" as yet.
ATLUS Sound Team - "Persona5" video game soundtrack (2017)
An immense 3 hour 47 minute/110 track collection of material from this Japanese video game production team, covering a whole range of sounds from jazz to funk to soul to lounge to EDM to metal. As with all releases of this type, a lot of the material isn't given adequate time to breathe & there's a fair amount of filler but there are also plenty of golden moments for those with a bit of patience. I tend to favour the deeper, loungier material with the more electronic sounding stuff having more of a disposable AI vibe. The best songs are usually also the longest ones though so the wins outweigh the losses to make this worth a few listens, particularly on long drives when you need something lengthy that doesn't require much thinking or effort. The funk/jazz bass playing is nothing short of spectacular throughout too.
For fans of Osamu Sato & Out Ass Mao, The Brand New Heavies & Buckshot LeFonque.
3.5/5
The tool being used was definitely AI as you know it Sonny. It's worth noting that there are different calibers of AI programs around though. Our bass player is a graphic designer too & we initially wanted him to do the cover artwork so that it would truly represent the band. After six weeks of him trying to come up a result using a free AI program, the label & I decided that we weren't able to get the result we were looking for & agreed to have the label's designer give it a crack with his expensive AI software package. The results were remarkably different & in very quick time too. As with anything, I would suggest that there's an art form to this process too so the human element was certainly a factor.
Essentially AI software is using a pool of material to morph together all of the ideas that are given to it so the more direct guidance you give it, the more unique & detailed your result becomes. This is not very different to the music creation process which generally starts with influences. Some bands will provide an exact replica of another band's sound while others will simply use it as inspiration to create something more unique. The whole Pestilence online shit-fight is an interesting one because I honestly don't think too many people would have said anything if they hadn't gone with such a cheap & dodgy AI image that's not a true representation of what these tools can do. It certainly didn't help that they then went & defended themselves in such an aggressive way & with such bullshit reasoning. Yes, it's true that most artists/labels can't afford to contract an elite artist to create something entirely tailored to their vision but they could easily have purchased something pre-existing online from a little-known yet still highly talented artist for virtually nothing. In fact, I'd be surprised if people wouldn't have paid Pestilence to take their art given the band's profile. Musicians definitely deserve to have their product released in a package that represents their vision though. I'm proud of the one we produced but it isn't what I visualized in my head & I even had to change the title I initially wanted for the CD because it didn't fit the image we eventually went with. Thankfully I think it looks great & people seem to agree.
Honestly, a lot of music out there already sounds like it was produced by AI. Just look at the glut of Japanese video game soundtracks on the market that seem to inevitably reach the upper echilons of the RYM charts. Plus, a large part of modern-day music is sample-based which almost entirely borrows from the huge pool of historical music (see hip hop & electronic dance music for example). I just see AI as another tool that can be used for as much good as it can for bad depending on who's using it. I obviously don't condone plagiarism but I have no issues with following this process to assist in achieving some fresh & original artwork which AI can certainly do.
While I can understand people's issues with AI art, I feel that it's worth sharing a few things from the perspective of a recording artist that has been in the position to navigate the options for their own album release. Firstly, it's probably worth clearing up that it's generally not the band that ends up paying for the cover art. It's the label. We didn't pay a cent for our cover art & we had the option to go with AI or otherwise. The creative control was completely sitting with me & the rest of the band too. The options presented to us were a) we could have the label purchase a pre-delivered piece of art of our choice from an online source or b) we could have the label's graphic designer create something that was tailored to my specific vision using AI. Contrary to popular opinion, there is actually not much cost difference between the two options as online art can be secured for virtually nothing given that the artists are all super-keen to have their work feature on album covers & there's a huge amount of competition for spots.
After reviewing some very impressive examples the label sent through (none of which I could tell were created using AI), I initially chose to go with the AI option which meant that the label were paying their experienced graphic designer to work with me on creating something that was previously only in my head. I gave him a whole bunch of ideas & he then delivered me various different concepts, some of which were very closely aligned to what I was imagining in my brain. The more detailed the information I gave him about what I wanted, the more accurately he was able to get the drafts to align with my vision. I'd ask him to change little details about the images & he would make the required adjustments so they were constantly evolving. In the end, we were very close to coming up with something that looked nothing like anything I'd ever seen before yet perfectly fit the vision I had as the creator of the music the release was presenting. Unfortunately for us, the owners of the AI software our designer was using decided to take a stand against any form of graphic violence at an inopportune moment & banned most (or all) of the many sources that the software were drawing from to create these images. I was told that we couldn't salvage the work we'd done up until that time too. At that point, we had the option to stick with the AI but go for a far less imposing outcome or to take a look at the market for pre-existing pieces. I opted to do the latter &, after spending a week searching, I came up with a selection of agreeable options, none of which would have cost the label more than $140 USD with many being well under $100 USD. There were some things that I didn't like about the eventual winner to begin with (i.e. it had firey devil horns at the top that looked a bit cheesy & the structure wasn't perfectly centrered) so we simply asked the creator to change those things, which they did in quick time, presumably digitally.
Now, let me be clear that Ben was across the whole process & he always preferred the non-AI options which is not surprising given that he's a long-time art fan. Me personally? I actually feel like we missed the opportunity to have the CD presented with a cover that better represented the vision I had in my head & looked like nothing I'd ever seen before using AI. The idea that AI art is simply a rehash of other people's ideas isn't entirely accurate from what I saw as the designer was able to create pretty much what I had in my head & could tailor the finer details to my specifications. While the eventual artwork we used is certainly attractive, it looks very much like it could have come from the early 90's Roadrunner releases & is not nearly as intimidating or dark as the ideas we were tossing around earlier on. It's also worth mentioning that someone was still being paid during this exercise & probably more than it would have cost to buy an image from an online artist too.
That's just my two cents & I'm acutely aware that I might get flamed for sharing these thoughts. I'm not a passionate supporter of AI but I thought it was worth sharing my experiences so that others can take what they wish from it. I think it's also worth remembering that a lot of the music we listen to is drawing upon things like chords, synthesizers & drum programming as tools. Those things were all created by someone else & are simply being presented in a different way. Perhaps this is different. Perhaps not.
Iron Lightning - "Don't Fear... the Darkness" demo (1989)
The first of two demo tapes from Brisbane trio Iron Lightning who were spawned from what was arguably Queensland's first thrash metal act in Black Widow. It's a pretty rough affair that sees the band taking the popular US sound of Metallica & Megadeth & combining it with a clear US power metal influence. The vocals are very much a poor man's take on James Hetfield &, while the song-writing is fairly expansive, the execution is quite primitive which leaves "Don't Fear... the Darkness" sounding pretty lacklustre.
For fans of Lååz Rockit, Sentinel Beast & Hades.
2.5/5
For the record, cassettes have made a huge comeback in underground extreme metal circles which is why you're seeing those cassette insert covers from releases that are literally only made in that physical format. I've received a few cassettes from metal connections only recently actually & thought to myself "What the f**k am I supposed to do with this then?"
I honestly couldn't care less whether a band utilizes AI for their cover artwork. We were actually going to use AI for the Neuropath cover artwork before the platform our designer was using decided to ban all the gory stuff. The ideas we were coming up with were genuinely unnerving & intimidating & suited the themes beautifully. I was initially disappointed that we couldn't use it until I noticed the eventual artwork we went with on sale online.
I take all of those things into account in my individual track ratings Rex. That's one of the reasons that I'm so meticulous about listening to releases from start to finish & in their entirety as a complete piece of art.
Another place where I find that the methodology Ben & I use isn't perfect is when you've got a lengthy single-track release like Meshuggah's "I" E.P. for example. You end up with a flat score for the release that doesn't differentiate it with smaller percentages. It's not a major problem but it's worth noting nonetheless. It's better when those lengthy tracks are broken up so that you can score the individual parts (see the Spotify version of Edge of Sanity's "Crimson" for example).
One characteristic of the Excel sheet Ben & I use is the difficulty in achieving a genuine five-star release & you can see that reflected in my Metal Academy scoring. You see, for a release to meet the criteria for the full five stars it has to average at least 4.75/5 across its entire run time. When you're looking at each track in such detail you'll soon find that even some of your all-time favourites don't meet that criteria. I like that attribute personally as I like to keep my five-star ratings for a select few. Others may not though so there's no right or wrong way to score your art. Sonny's & Vinny's way is no better or worse than my own as far as I'm concerned & I can completely understand if people think that my methodology is overly analytic. It does, however, ensure that I'm actively listening at all times as you need to be when you're scoring each individual track against a scoring matrix. It also makes the creation of lists very simple as it just requires a bit of intelligent filtering.
Equinox - "Ecstasy in Black" demo (1989)
A particularly underground one-off demo tape from a Sydney-based thrash metal band that used their limited skills to create some fairly basic yet still quite catchy mid-paced material based mainly on the popular US model. The raspy Mille Petrozza-esque vocals give things a slightly different spin though which helps Equinox to get under my skin a little bit. I find the first two of the three songs included ("Whisper" & "Rise to Offend") to be quite enjoyable while closer "Lost Legion" tends to fall a little flat, in large part due to its lack of ambition. If you like your thrash a little more chuggy & utilizing your more controlled tempo ranges then you may find some enjoyment in "Ecstasy in Black" but I doubt you'll give it a lot of time.
For fans of Anthrax, Exodus & Metallica.
3.5/5
I understand exactly what both of you are saying, but do you not find that your opinions and "enjoyment factor" changes over time? Just for example, I have been re-evaluating my 2016 list (from RYM) which was made at the time and found that several albums have moved significantly, both up and down. I was convinced of their positionings at the time, but time has woven it's spell and now I am equally convinced otherwise. I guess I am asking can a list ever be anything more than a snapshot in time?
There will always be occasions when our opinions change over time. I think that can be minimized a bit by giving each release the time to fully sink in & be experienced in different environments when you initially encounter it but, even then, there are times when I've found that I simply didn't fully understand a new sound or even an entire subgenre & it took me a several revisits to come around to it (see post-metal, dissonant death metal, blackgaze, etc.). I find that my opinions don't seem to change all that much on the stock genres over time though & I put that down to experience & the standard way I score each release. Ultimately, I don't think it matters all that much if your scores are just a reflection of how you felt in a certain year though. You can always change it retrospectively as I've had to do a number of times over the course of my recent reassessment of a lot of the releases I listened to back in the 1980's & 1990's.
I have got to ask, Daniel, are you being serious about the spreadsheet or is that a bit of sarcasm aimed at ardent listmakers like myself, because I can assure you I do nothing of the sort?
No, I'm completely serious Sonny. Been doing it for many years now.
Of all of the more widely acclaimed black metal acts on the planet, Negura Bunget is one that I've always struggled with to be honest. I go into each revisit with an open mind & high hopes but inevitably find myself tentatively backing away with my hands up & a look of confusion on my face.
I would suggest that my release scoring system is as comprehensive as it's possible to be. Many years ago, I created a spreadsheet that takes the duration of each track & my scores for each song & comes up with an average enjoyment score across the total duration of the release. It obviously doesn't allow for factors like programming or overly indulgent length but I try to use the individual track scores to reflect my feelings on those sort of things in order to try to cover all aspects of the release in question. This makes benchmarking one release against another quite simple as I have each one recorded to two decimal places & can use my discretion when there are any ties. This exercise is just something I do for myself as I enjoy the process. I don't honestly think anyone else would care what my 26th favourite funeral doom release is. In my experience, I've found that anything over a top ten will hold no interest to other people. I believe Ben still uses the same spreadsheet too.
I think the Ulcerate, Oranssi Pazuzu & Knocked Loose records were kinda no-brainers. I'm skeptical about the Critical Defiance one's claims but at the end of the day it comes down to how much the entire site has enjoyed a release which is always going to favour the more well-known artists.
Mortal Sin - "Voyage of the Disturbed" single (1989)
This limited edition 12" single was only sold at live shows at a time when the Sydney thrash legends were at the peak of their popularity. It features the title track (which was drawn from Mortal Sin's "Face of Despair" sophomore album from the same year) as well as three live cuts which were recorded at arguably the most important Australian metal performance of all time in the Sydneysiders hometown support slot for Metallica's "...And Justice For All" tour. I've always quite liked "Voyage of the Disturbed" so that was never gonna be an issue. The production job on the live material is very raw though. Thankfully the song-writing still gets the opportunity to shine through on two of the three live cuts with the title track doing justice to its studio version & "Terminal Reward" showing why it's one of my favourite cuts from "Face of Despair", even if it has lost a bit of its glossy coating along the way. Unfortunately, "For Richer For Poorer" hasn't fared quite so well but there's still enough to keep me interested here, despite the fact that a release like this one was never going to be particularly essential.
For fans of Xentrix, Stone & Hobbs Angel of Death.
3.5/5