Daniel's Forum Replies
So, my rugby league team the Manly-Warringah Sea-Eagles have enjoyed a strong resurgence following the replacement of our coach & are now sitting in third position in a field of seventeen which is certainly promising at this point of the season. I've been pretty disgusted by the performance of the Australian ODI cricket team in Pakistan & Bangladesh so far, having lost four of our five matches. It's about time we reverted to selecting our best team for every match instead of resting most of our best players for Test cricket. The NBA finals series is currently underway & is my main sporting focus with the New York Knicks currently just one win away from the championship at 3-1 over the San Antonio Spurs. Game five is tomorrow & could be the last NBA match of the season although I'm hoping that the Spurs will string it out a bit longer. And finally, who here will be watching the FIFA World Cup? I'm planning on checking out the Soccoroos first match against Turkey tomorrow in the hope of an upset.
I'm glad mate because I'd be a little concerned if you didn't feel what you feel. ;)
Nirvana - "Hormoaning" E.P. (1992)
By 1992, Nirvana had pretty much taken over the world as the clear leaders of the Seattle grunge movement. My best mate had gotten me into their 1991 mega-hit sophomore album "Nevermind" well before the landslide of adulation had started to pour in & I'd fallen head over heals in love with it, a feeling that I still maintain to this day. That discovery had led to us also exploring 1989's "Bleach" debut full-length which I also think is very solid. By the time Nirvana finally made their way over to my home country of Australia though, every man & his dog was looking to blow Kurt Cobain & the release of this exclusive Australian tour E.P. did nothing to dull the enthusiasm of the masses. Much to my regret, I chose not to check out the live shows that it was looking to promote but I did spend a lot of time with "Hormoaning", particularly given that my first girlfriend (who I got together with in 1993 during my final year of high school) was a huge grunge & alternative rock fan. Listening back now, I don't think there's anything particularly classic about the six songs included here which is probably why they didn't make it to a proper album but they're all worth hearing with "Aneurysm", "D-7" & "Even in His Youth" (my personal favourite) being the best of them. Despite their inherent catchiness, the other cuts have a more poppy feel to them which is probably why I don't connect with them as strongly. Still... I've found myself reliving a great time in my life while listening to this release this week & it still really floats my boat. In fact, it competes pretty well with "Bleach" these days if I'm being honest.
For fans of Mudhoney, Babes in Toyland & Hole.
4/5
Children of Bodom - "Hate Crew Deathroll" (2003)
The fourth full-length from these power metal-inspired melodic death metal legends is probably my favourite Children of Bodom studio release these days, although don't mistake that statement for any sort of proclamation of passion as I still struggle with it, just not as much as I do with releases like 1999's "Hatebreeder", 2000's "Follow the Reaper" or 2011's "Relentless Reckless Forever". On the positive, the Fins have backed off the classical influence a fair bit here with the guitars having been ramped up & taking the limelight from the keyboards which had played a more dominant role in the past. When you combine that with some excellent, driving kick drum work from Jaska W. Raatikainen & the brilliant, ultra-shredding lead guitar work of front man Alexi Wildchild Laiho, you receive a noticeably more thrashy sound that even hints at Pantera-style groove metal at times. In fact, there are a few tracks included that I find myself kinda digging (see "Bodom Beach Terror", the closing title track &, my personal favourite, "Sixpounder") but it's unfortunately still not enough to overcome the cheesier material with a noticeable mid-album lull going a long way to sealing the deal on my still generally lethargic feelings to Children of Bodom's best record. Oh well... you can't say that I don't try to understand the appeal in these dudes now, can ya?
For fans of Kalmah, Norther & Wintersun.
3/5
The Cure - "Faith" (1981)
While I quite enjoy The Cure's 1980 sophomore record "Seventeen Seconds", I don't think they'd really sealed the deal with me until this third full-length which I consider to be their first essential album. Songs like the closing title track & my personal favourite "All Cats Are Grey" sit amongst the English gothic rock superstars' finest work & leave "Faith" competing with The Cure's best records, even eclipsing 1989's excellent "Disintegration" album for me during this revisit.
For fans of The Essence, The Chameleons & Joy Division.
4/5
Dystopia - "Human = Garbage" compilation (1994)
While I've never been able to get into the 2018 self-titled comeback album from these legendary Oakland sludge metallers (3/5), I've always really dug a couple of their 1990's E.P.'s in 1994's "Human = Garbage" (4/5) & 1999's "The Aftermath" (4/5). After recently discovering & thoroughly enjoying the extended compilation release of Grief's "Dismal", I found myself in the mood to continue indulging in some oppressive American sludge metal so found myself reaching for this similarly laid out compilation release that draws together the previously-mentioned "Human = Garbage" E.P. with the Dystopia contributions to their 1993 split album with English crust punkers Embittered & their 1993 split single with Boston's Grief. All of that extra material was recorded in 1992 & you can easily see the development that's taken place between those tracks & the ones taken from 1994's "Human = Garbage" E.P. In fact, there's a noticeable gap between them if I'm being honest, even if I do find myself receiving mild enjoyment from the majority of the extra inclusions. Overall though, I think I'll be sticking to the traditional "Human = Garbage" E.P. in future as the extra material included on this compilation only detracts from the very solid quality of that release.
For fans of Grief, Sea of Deprivation & Skaven.
3.5/5
Grief/Dystopia - "Lifeless/Sleep" split single (1993)
This three-song split single is a beauty, although its appeal is strongly weighted towards the Grief material for me personally with opener "Lifeless" being a truly classic sludge metal anthem & "Fucked Upstairs" also being very solid. The Dystopia track "Sleep" isn't too bad either but they would definitely produce much better in the future. I can see myself reaching for this release from time to time.
For fans of Eyehategod, Noothgrush & Iron Monkey.
4/5
Slowdive - "Slowdive" E.P. (1990)
While I've been a long-time fan of their 1993 sophomore album "Souvlaki", I have to admit that I'd never explored any of Slowdive's other releases until this week but boy am I glad I have now because this first-up three-song effort is simply marvelous. Opener "Slowdive" is a very solid piece of shoegaze but it's really the two "Avalyn" tracks that see my interest ballooning & my emotions being dragging unceremoniously into the stratosphere through beautifully whispy dream pop melodics & textured layers of post-rock guitar atmospherics. This one has really taken me off-guard & I have no doubt that I'll be returning to "Slowdive" regularly in the coming years as it's a genuinely classic release that I'm even gonna position a step above "Souvlaki".
For fans of Della Zyr, Antropoceno & Ultracherry Violet.
4.5/5
My feelings are kinda the polar opposite to yours on those two records Sonny. I find the song-writing to be pretty flat on "Gates to Purgatory" (3/5) so feel pretty similarly to how I do about Running Wild in general as they're are one of the few big name metal acts where I struggle to understand what all the fuss is about. In fact, of the eight or nine Running Wild releases I've heard over the years, I've only really enjoyed one in 1991's "Blazon Stone". I didn't like Riot's first couple of releases from the 1970's as they were both too glammy & commercialized for my taste with very little in the way of genuine metal but "Fire Down Under" (3.5/5) was a different story & became the earliest Riot record that I enjoy. While I do prefer their other 1980's releases (see "Restless Breed", "Born in America" & particularly "ThunderSteel" which is really solid & the only Riot record I find myself returning to semi-regularly), the glossy, hook-laden accessibility of "Fire Down Under" offers me a fair bit of appeal with the classy vocals of Guy Speranza being a highlight. I don't understand the links to US power metal though as "ThunderSteel" is only Riot record I've heard that falls into that category.
I believe “Elegy” is probably my favourite Amorphis record.
Archgoat - "Angelcunt (Tales of Desecration)" E.P. (1993)
I wasn't a huge fan of 1991's "Jesus Spwan" demo but Finnish war metal legends Archgoat really nailed their death metal-driven sound on this debut proper release. The lovingly titled "Angelcunt" E.P. offer thirteen minutes of ugly, noisy, highly blasphemous music for those with the darkest & most violent taste in extreme metal. I don't think it's my absolute favourite Archgoat release these days (that honour sits with 2018's "The Luciferian Crown" album) but it's certainly in the conversation.
For fans of Blasphemy, Beherit & Black Witchery.
4/5
Colosseum - "Valentyne Suite" (1969)
The 1969 sophomore album from this unique & experimental London-based outfit is a very interesting listen that combines a number of different influences & elements to create a fresh & quite complex sound that sits somewhere between jazz-rock & progressive rock. "Valentyne Suite" also represents my first dalliance with Colosseum who appear to be one of the most widely celebrated members of the English Underground movement of the late 1960's. The first four songs are all fairly enjoyable but it's the seventeen-minute title track that closing the tracklisting that's the real gold here with the progressive rock finally coming to the fore. There's an impressive consistency to all of this material but I just couldn't quite connect with it enough to see me returning to this future in the future, although I've unanimously enjoyed the experience nonetheless.
For fans of Frank Zappa, Soft Machine & The Nice.
3.5/5
Black Alice - "No Warning" E.P. (1984)
This four-song E.P. is one of the earlier releases from my local Australian metal scene & is a damn fine one too. I quite liked the Perth four-piece's 1983 debut album "Endangered Species" but this follow-up release sees them gaining additional consistency & is highlighted by the magnificent title track which has become one of my favourite Aussie metal anthems over the years. Front man Rob Hartley possesses a seriously powerful voice that would no doubt have made him a star if he'd been located elsewhere, at times seeing him sounding like a less grindy version of Accept's Udo Dirkschneider. " Running Hot, Running Wild" is a bit disappointing but the other material offers plenty of chunky heavy metal & hard rock that should appeal to all of our The Guardians members, at least those that can locate a copy as you won't find "No Warning" on Spotify or YouTube.
For fans of Accept, Judas Priest & Taist of Iron.
4/5
I think "Strong Arm of the Law" (4/5) was definitely Saxon's best work to the time. I quite like "Wheels of Steel" (3.5/5) but "Strong Arm of the Law" saw them indulging in more of their Judas Priest influence which made it Saxon's first genuine heavy metal record in my opinion. I've never thought much of Saxon's self-titled debut (3/5) to be honest.
The Who - "Live at Leeds" (1970)
This highly praised live release is often spoken of in terms of the greatest live rock records of all time & with good reason too because it simply oozes of electricity & intensity & would go on to influence a whole generation. I've never been a huge The Who fan but it's hard to deny that they really knew what they were doing during the start of the new decade with Roger Daltrey's voice simmering in hard rock integrity & Pete Townshend's guitar crunch making people's hair blow back, not to mention the rock-solid rhythm section of bassist John Entwistle & drummer Keith Moon. I don't like the short, more commercial "Substitute" much but material like opener "Young Man Blues" (my personal favourite), "Shakin' All Over", the "My Generation" medley & closer "The Magic Bus" is both captivating & exhilarating, even if I was probably never likely to reach for my more classic ratings for a release from these guys.
For fans of The Kinks, The Jam & Led Zeppelin.
4/5
Frozen Doberman - "Dying Phase" E.P. (1991)
I discovered this Central Coast-based Aussie thrash metal four-piece's debut release through a late-night underground metal radio program at around the time this record was released, mainly off the back of the opening title track which is the clear highlight of the E.P & was receiving regular air-time that year. I later saw Frozen Doberman open for Sepultura at the Hordern Pavilion on their 1992 "Arise" tour too. Looking back at "Dying Phase" now, it really does rely far too heavily on the title track as the other three songs included aren't terribly interesting, particularly punky closer "The Scrubber" which is pretty awful. Front man Adam Marsh's vocals sound a fair bit like Anthrax's Joey Belladonna at times however he doesn't have the same sort of range or class. This E.P. isn't horrible & is certainly a step up from their self-titled demo tape from 1989 but the song-writing lacks energy which leaves this material sounding a bit flat in my opinion.
For fans of Anthrax, Nuclear Assault & Mortal Sin.
3/5
Ben, please add Aussie thrashers Cromok, Critical Mass, Betrayer, Neophobia & Fatal Array.
Ben, please add Aussie bands Orgy of Pigs, Anatomy, Deracination, Tscabeze, Faces of Death, Sanctum & Discarnated
What I meant was that "World Extermination" is about as grindcore as grindcore gets with the dial wound firmly up to eleven so if you're not all in with the genre then you may struggle with it.
Rhythm & Sound - "See Mi Yah" (2005)
The fourth & final CD I purchased from this incredible German artist during the 2000's is a compilation of vinyl releases from the period. The interesting thing is that all of them come with basically the same backing track, only with slight variations in the arrangements & different Jamaican vocalists who each take different lyrical & melodic directions. And boy does it work too! I could honestly listen to that backing track in isolation for the entire duration of this release to tell you the truth as it puts me into a level of relaxation that I rarely achieve. Highlight tracks like "Lightning Storm", "See Mi" & "Free For All" are some of Rhythm & Sound's very best material, although I do think that their previous releases are just slightly better than this one which sees them abandoning their techno roots for a pure dub & roots reggae sound.
For fans of Babe Roots, Frenk Dublin & Deepchord Presents: Echospace.
4.5/5
I feel similarly about "Mind Wars" to be honest Vinny. As with Holy Terror's 1987 debut album "Terror & Submission" (which I'd suggest is more of a speed metal record than this one), I come away from it with a middling feeling of mild enjoyment without ever having that the deal has truly been sealed. I do think that "Mind Wars" was a slight improvement on "Terror & Submission", although I've gone with a 3.5 rating for both of them.
"Hail to England" is an interesting one for me personally. You see, I quite enjoy the other three of Manowar's first four albums, particularly "Into Glory Ride" which I return to semi-regularly, but I've never managed to get into their most highly praised record. My main issue with "Hail to England" is the production job which pretty much nullifies the guitars altogether & leaves me wondering where all the riffs are. I don't think it's a terrible release but it's simply not one that I get much pleasure out of so I've never been able to understand why most fans place it ahead of the other early Manowar releases. 3/5
Ben, please add Aussie thrashers Frozen Doberman's "Dying Phase" E.P. from 1991.
Insect Warfare - "World Extermination" (2007)
I've loved this Houston trio's sole full-length since first discovering Insect Warfare back in 2009. "World Extermination" is one of the most relentlessly brutal records you'll ever experience with twenty tracks crammed into a 23-minute runtime that's essentially a total blastfest at dizzying velocities. The vocals of Rahi are truly monstrous & leave the impression that he's one of the most pissed off creatures on the face of the earth while drummer Dobber Beverly possesses the ability to hit some of the highest speeds on record without ever threatening to tire or lose power. "World Extermination" isn't a release for the casual grindcore listener. It's about as chaotic & abrasive as they come & I love every second of it.
For fans of Wormrot, Death Toll 80k & Assück.
4/5
Here's my revised Top Ten Grindcore Releases of All Time list:
01. Nails - "Abandon All Life" (2013)
02. Nails - "You Will Never Be One Of Us" (2016)
03. Discordance Axis – “The Inalienable Dreamless” (2000)
04. Pig Destroyer – “Prowler in the Yard” (2001)
05. Pig Destroyer – “Terrifyer” (2004)
06. Wormrot - "Voices" (2016)
07. Insect Warfare - "World Extermination" (2007)
08. Nasum - "Helvete" (2003)
09. Atka - "Untitled Album 1" (2018)
10. Terrorizer - "World Downfall" (1989)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/149
That's a pretty extensive list Zach. Us Aussies were pretty isolated from the rest of the world during the peak of the glam metal explosion so we tended to watch from afar but we did still have our own little scene that no one would ever have heard of. These guys were arguably the most important Australian glam metal act & later moved from Adelaide to Sydney with a change of moniker to BB Steal. This debut album is pure glam metal in my opinion, although "Escapee" even sneaks over the border into heavy metal temporarily. See what you think.
I've always quite liked "Ample Destruction" but don't ever really feel the urge to return to it. It's a 3.5-star record for me personally.
Unfortunately, my old Darkthrone "Transilvanian Hunger" long-sleeve now has enormous holes in the elbows & I've finally laid it to rest so that I receive the sheer joy of replacing it with another awesome band shirt.
That's an interesting observation Sonny. I'll make sure that Ben is aware of it as I'm sure it wasn't the original intent.
Saint Etienne - "Foxbase Alpha" (1991)
The debut album from this London-based trio offers a broad array of easy-listening, springtime vibes from a whole slew of different subgenres, from alternative dance to downtempo to UK street soul. The fifteen-song tracklisting is highly inconsistent but, when Saint Etienne get it right, they can hit some serious peaks, as seen in atmospheric EDM highlight "Stoned to Say the Least" & downtempo gem "Like the Swallow". Unfortunately, there are some noticeable periods of lethargy, particularly on the B side, which takes away some of the gloss while vocalist Sarah Cracknell isn't exactly a star which doesn't help. There's certainly enough to keep me interested though.
For fans of Stereolab, The Avalanches & Broadcast.
3.5/5
Grief - "Dismal" compilation (1992)
Boston's Grief are one of my favourite exponents of filthy sludge metal, particularly their 1994 debut album "Come to Grief" which I regard as being a genuinely classic metal record. I've also really enjoyed their 1992 "Dismal" E.P. this year which has led me to check out this compilation release which draws that release together with their 1992 self-titled E.P. & their two tracks from the 1993 split single with Californian sludgers Dystopia (both of which I was previously unfamiliar). Needless to say that this collection makes for a formidable listening experience too with all three releases offering some very solid & ultra-heavy material. If I had to pick, I'd suggest that the tracks taken from the split release are the most consistently impressive but this is a very consistent record without any real blemishes so there's not much in it. I simply love this cold & oppressive, doom-laden sludge sound & if that sounds like you then I'd urge you to check this compilation out at some point.
For fans of Noothgrush, Eyehategod & Dystopia.
4/5
Oh... & I almost forgot... this record is an excellent release in its own right too:
Grief - "Grief" E.P. (1992)
4/5
Ben, please add Grief's self-titled 1992 E.P. which was released on 12" vinyl in 2015.
Minor Threat - "Minor Threat" E.P. (1981)
The debut release from this seminal Washington four-piece pretty much set the standard for straight edge D.C. hardcore with its eight-song tracklisting roaring past r in less than ten minutes. While the energy levels remain through the roof throughout, unfortunately I can't say that all of the song-writing is good enough to see me coming back for more though if I'm being completely honest. Tracks like "Screaming at a Wall" & opener "Filler" (my personal favourite) show what was possible but the rest of the E.P. is more mildly enjoyable than it is essential in my opinion. I can see why others who are more hardcore-inclined may feel differently though.
For fans of S.O.A., The Teen Idles & Void.
3.5/5
Brodequin - "Instruments of Torture" (2000)
I first discovered Tennessee brutal death metallers Brodequin through their 2001 sophomore album "Festival of Death" back in 2009 & very quickly found myself indulging myself in the rest of their back catalogue. I'd only recently returned to metal after spending a decade in the electronic dance music scene & was looking to satisfy my long-standing urges for the sort of devastatingly brutal death metal I'd drenched myself in during the mid-1990's. These guys produced some of the most brutal death metal you'll ever find during the early 2000's so I perhaps gave them more time than they actually deserved if I'm being honest. This debut album "Instruments of Death" is a clear case in point because it's nowhere near as good as it's made out to be.
There are two main gripes that I have with it that prevent me from being able to connect with a release like "Instruments of Torture" in 2026. The first & most obvious is the ridiculous vocal performance of bass player Jamie Bailey who makes no attempt whatsoever to enunciate actual words here, instead producing an almost never-ending drainpipe pig-grunt that I find enormously annoying, single-handedly destroying my chances of finding any genuine enjoyment in "Instruments of Torture". The second is the sloppy drumming of Chad Walls who doesn't seem to possess the endurance to consistently keep up with Michael Bailey's at times very solid death metal riffage. This is a real shame because the pieces are all here but Brodequin simply can't manage to put them all together in a similar way to how they've done with their much cleaner 2024 comeback record "Harbinger of Woe" which I really enjoy. There is certainly better brutal death metal out there than "Instruments of Torture" so perhaps it's for the best that its runtime is limited to just twenty-five minutes. Oh well... I guess you can't win 'em all.
For fans of Liturgy, Disgorge & Orchidectomy.
2.5/5
Babasónicos - "Babasónica" (1997)
I usually struggle with clean-sung Spanish vocals (particularly male ones) but I have to admit that the quality of the music produced by this Argentinian rock outfit has won me over in the end. I hadn't heard them previously but, on the evidence here, their sound would seem to sit somewhere between stoner rock & alternative rock with a smattering of more stripped back psychedelic material spread across the thirteen song tracklisting. There are certainly four or five tracks included where I find myself failing to connect (generally where those vocals are at their weakest) but there are more where I've managed to identify the sort of appeal that's seen "Babasónica" being placed on a pedestal by South American audiences over the last couple of decades. I'm not sure I can see myself returning to "Babasónica" in the future but it's been an interesting experience nonetheless.
For fans of Queens of the Stone Age, Los Brujos & El Otro Yo.
3.5/5
Këkht Aräkh - "Pale Swordsman" (2021)
I have to admit that it's taken me a good five years to build up the courage to decide how I feel about this controversial black metal hit whose primary claim to fame was the succession of memes that were drawn from its ridiculous cover photo. The black metal scene generally isn't too kind to artists who present themselves in such a vulnerable fashion so you do tend to get a skewed view of the quality of a product like this one based on the triggering of people's gag reflex but I choose to base my judgement purely on the musical quality of such a release & it did take me a few listens to overcome, not only that cover, but also the unintimidating sound of this Ukraine one-man outfits second full-length. I mean, despite being influenced by classic black metal artists like Burzum & Darkthrone, "Pale Swordsman" does make most blackgaze acts sound pretty sinister in comparison but that doesn't mean that there's no substance behind it.
Lone contributor Crying Orc isn't exactly a virtuoso but he presents his ideas with passion & authenticity, almost thumbing his nose at the black metal traditionalists out there. There's a fragility to his melodicism & a boldness to his tendency to want to showcase his own vulnerability, as best showcased in gentle closer "Swordsman". Don't get me wrong. I do still have to confess that I definitely crave a darker format for my black metal. I just find that there's nothing terribly wrong with "Pale Swordsman" when taken as a purely artistic form of expression instead of comparing it with my long-standing ideals about what black metal should be. Album highlight "In the Garden" is a prime example of this as it's bookmarked by some fairly lightweight tremolo-picked riffage but, at its gooey centre, you can find the sort of atmosphere that I crave from my European black metal with the Orc's easily intelligible snarled vocals sitting very well over some highly melancholic guitar arpeggios.
If I was being critical, I'd suggest that the couple of piano-driven interludes are pretty flat & some of that is due to the production which has stolen the brightness that could have given these pieces a bit of life & replaced it with artificial vinyl crackles. Apart from that though, I've found enough quality in these simple black metal songs to keep me interested. It's very easy for people to dismiss the album based on a cursory listen because we are a flawed species with a tendency to want things to be as they first appear. A deeper investigation can sometimes surprise us though & I've found "Pale Swordsman" to have grown on me over time. Not enough to see me returning to it in the future I suspect, but enough for me to afford it a respectable score.
For fans of Draugveil, Felvum & Ebony Pendant.
3.5/5
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Axis: Bold as Love" (1967)
As a guitarist myself, I've always held Jimi Hendrix up as the rarified gem of the rock music world that he was. But that doesn't mean that I simply froth over everything associated with him though as I think people have a tendency to be misled by his iconic stature at times. Jimi's 1967 sophomore album is a pretty good example of that as it's generally regarded as a timeless classic yet the song-writing is a little inconsistent if you examine it in closer detail. There aren't any weak numbers included as such, but there are a number of obviously less significant filler tracks scattered across the release which have a big enough impact on the overall package to see me only finding the strength to award "Axis: Bold as Love" a middling score overall. Sure, "Castles Made of Sand" is an absolute masterpiece & sits amongst my very favourite Jimi pieces while "Little Wing", "If 6 Were 9", "One Rainy Wish" & the title track are all very solid examples of the early psychedelic rock sound. But it would be remiss of me to simply ignore the handful of short, poppy & fairly inconsequential (if still fairly catchy) tunes that fill the space between these more successful creative endeavours & it's for this reason that "Axis: Bold as Love" is the Jimi Hendrix Experience record that I rarely reach for with 1968's "Electric Ladyland" & 1967's "Are You Experienced" (in that order) both being on semi-regular rotation for most of my life.
For fans of Cream, Robin Trower & Funkadelic.
3.5/5
Holocaust - "Hypnosis of Birds" (1992)
I hadn't heard the third full-length from this Scottish NWOBHM act before but this week's experience with 1992's "Hypnosis of Birds" has been unanimously positive as well as quite surprising. You see, I wasn't much of a fan of Holocaust's 1981 debut album "The Nightcomers" which is by far their most well-known release. It was a very basic, rough-&-ready heavy metal affair that's light-years away from the sophisticated & quite technical progressive metal we find here. There are some hints of Holocaust's roots to be found here & there (see the first half of the opening title track or the re-recording of the band's signature piece "The Small Hours" which Metallica covered on their 1987 "Garage Days Re-Revisited" E.P.) but, for the most part, Holocaust have moved on creatively with only guitarist John Mortimer remaining from the lineup that delivered the debut. Mortimer also handles the vocals this time which are admittedly nothing special. It's the instrumentation that's the real win here with some of this material reminding me a lot of more popular progressive metal artists like Mastodon, Devin Townsend or Dream Theater. Unfortunately, there are no genuine classic of offer but the quality is consistently strong enough to make "Hypnosis of Birds" a great listen nonetheless, even if the production is a little rougher than you'd generally expect from a prog record. This is definitely my new favourite Holocaust release, over-taking the fairly underground 1980 "Heavy Metal Mania" E.P. which I quite like. And by the way, please ignore the RYM tagging which includes Avant-Garde Metal & Heavy Metal, neither of which are relevant.
For fans of Voivod, Anacrusis & The Thought Industry.
4/5
I haven't gotten around to checking out any of Messa's other material since really enjoying 2018's "Feast for Water" album but I'll definitely get around to this one at some point because it's been the source of many rave reviews from sources that I trust.
I've never heard of these guys. A nice, obscure pick here Vinny.
Dear GOD the last reply to this was in 2023!
That's because I started a generic Rock thread since then & have been posting all rock-related posts there.
I'm a big fan of Elder & of the "Lore" album which is my second favourite of the four Elder records I've heard behind "Reflections of a Floating World". I don't think any of the three full-length albums I've experienced from them are metal though. The "Spires Burn/Release" E.P. is probably the only one of the four releases that I'd suggest is metal enough to qualify & it's still kinda 50/50. They're a great stoner rock band though & I'm glad you're enjoying them Rex.
I'll speak with Ben to confirm the best way to achieve this.
I just finished this series on Netflix & quite enjoyed it although I'm not sure I'm as fanatical about it as Ben is.
Suicide - "Alan Vega · Martin Rev" (1980)
I've never really understood the appeal of the 1977 self-titled album from this New York duo but I thought I'd give their highly praised sophomore record a chance to impress me nonetheless. It sees Suicide sitting somewhere between synthpop & synth punk with the dodgy vocals of Vega presenting a significant challenge for me. There are a couple of decent tracks here in the one-two punch of "Touch Me" into "Harlem" but I have to admit that I find the rest of the ten song tracklisting to be somewhat of a chore. I think "Alan Vega · Martin Rev" might actually offer me less appeal than the debut to be honest as it simply sounds so cheap by today's standards.
For fans of Silver Apples, The Young Gods & Metal Urbain.
3/5
Archgoat - "The Luciferian Crown" (2018)
I thought the fourth full-length from this Finnish war metal four-piece was their best work to the time when I first heard it shortly after release &, off the back of this week's latest revisit, I'd suggest that those feelings still hold up. Archgoat have always had a great sound & "The Luciferian Crown" is another well produced record that doesn't try too much but does what it does very well. It kinda sounds like Blasphemy meets Celtic Frost meets early Carcass which can't be a bad thing, can it? There's a big death metal component included here with the inclusion of ultra-deep vocals, doomier tempos & guitar solos all blending very well with the frantic war metal of the band's roots. This is a really solid release for the subgenre in my opinion, particularly the first couple of tracks which are brilliant. The only qualm I have is that the quality dips a bit through the middle of the tracklisting with "Messiah of Pigs & "Darkness Has Returned" being a touch weaker than the rest of the material.
For fans of Blasphemy, Beherit & Black Witchery.
4/5
Here's my updated Top Ten War Metal Releases of All Time list:
01. Infernal Coil - "Within a World Forgotten" (2018)
02. Bestial Warlust - "Vengeance War 'Till Death" (1994)
03. Teitanblood - "The Baneful Choir" (2019)
04. Teitanblood - "Death" (2014)
05. Antichrist Siege Machine - "Purifying Blade" (2021)
06. Teitanblood - "From the Visceral Abyss" (2025)
07. Antichrist Siege Machine - "Vengeance of Eternal Fire" (2024)
08. Archgoat - "The Luciferian Crown" (2018)
09. Abominator - "Barbarian War Worship" demo (1995)
10. Impaled Nazarene - "Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz..." (1993)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/216
Alice Coltrane - "Turiya Sings" (1982)
I discovered this lovely, meditative release many years ago now & have returned to it semi-regularly in the time since. "Turiya Sings" sees the iconic jazz artist & former wife of the legendary John Coltrane taking a dramatic stylistic departure from her jazz roots by composing nine deep new age pieces that utilize her own mantra-style vocals in praise of the Lord. It's quite a transcendental experience with the better inclusions relaxing & soothing me in a way that few others can.
For fans of Nala Sinephro, Sofie Birch & Mary Lattimore.
4/5
Burzum - "Fallen" (2011)
Varg Vikernes' eight (second recorded after his release from prison) studio album was a major disappointment for me at the time but it's been a good decade & a half since we last crossed paths now so I thought I'd give it another chance to capture me this week. Unfortunately, despite not being quite as bad as I first thought, "Fallen" is still a fairly underwhelming experience with pretty much every element being less effective than they've been during Varg's incredible creative peak of the mid-1990's. The overall sound is thrashier than he'd offered up before & spends time in both the conventional & atmospheric black metal space. There's a noticeable lack of synthesizers here though which is regrettable when you consider how wonderfully Varg's utilized them in the past. Vikernes' harsh vocals are totally different too & sound like he's really struggling to reproduce them in his old age while his incorporation of clean vocals is misguided, even bordering on being cringe-worthy. In saying all of that, there are some great black metal riffs here at times which leads to a good half of the record being pretty enjoyable (see "Jeg faller", "Vanvidd" & my personal favourite "Enhver til sitt"). Sadly though, the other half is pretty lacklustre with the tracklisting petering out badly at the end & collapsing completely with the God-awful neo-pagan folk closer "Til Hel og tilbake igjen". Look... you can obviously tell from my rating that "Fallen" isn't a complete disaster but it simply isn't up the task of maintaining Burzum's legacy. In fact, it's hard to deny that it does its best to tarnish it. I think "Fallen" was comfortably the weakest Burzum album to the time.
For fans of Drudkh, Forgotten Woods & Judas Iscariot.
3/5
Miles Davis - "Live-Evil" (1971)
Miles' 1971 double album is a very solid representation of where he was at creatively at the time & is a hybrid package that features both studio & love material. It's a lot less avant-garde than the highly praised "At Fillmore: Live at the Fillmore East" from the previous year but has maintained a strong focus on improvisation with the star-studded lineup of contributors making for a very interesting & highly captivating listen which comfortably eclipses the previously mentioned 1970 live release for me personally. The influence of funk is quite pronounced throughout & I really dig that combination in my jazz fusion. The short & more ambient "Little Church" is the only blemish to be found here with the lengthier inclusions being not only the most indulgent but also the most compelling. I'd suggest that opener "Sivad" is probably my favourite piece but "What I Say", "Funky Tonk" & closer "Inamorata & Narration by Conrad Roberts" are also very strong. This release won't let down too many Miles fans.
For fans of Weather Report, Herbie Hancock & Mahavishnu Orchestra.
4/5
Here's the current list of releases with high votes in the Hall of Judgement. I encourage anyone who is eligible but is still yet to submit a vote on any of these records to consider participating so that we can reach a consensus that utilizes the full 15 vote system.
Celtic Frost - "Into the Pandemonium" (The Infinite/The Pit) Currently has 12 votes & just one more may see us reach a result
Oranssi Pazuzu - "Mestarin kynsi" (The Infinite/The North) Currently has 11 votes & just one more may see us reach a result
Black Sabbath - "Black Sabbath" (The Fallen/The Guardians) Currently has 11 votes & just one more may see us reach a result
Black Sabbath - "Master of Reality" (The Fallen/The Guardians) Currently has 11 votes & needs at least a couple more for a result
Sarcofago - "I.N.R.I." (The North/The Pit) Currently has 10 votes & needs at least a couple more for a result
Napalm Death - "Death by Manipulation" (1992)
This 1992 compilation popped up in my Spotify feed while I was driving this week & it has been a while since I last checked it out so I decided to give it another crack. "Death by Manipulation" compiles a number of Napalm Death's early singles & E.P.'s & falls very much in line with my feelings on 1987-1992 era Napalm Death in general in that I find it to be generally enjoyable but fail to really connect with it to a point that I feel like reaching for it for future revisits. I sit very much in the camp that feels Napalm's best work was still to come through records like "Utopia Banished" & "Fear, Emptiness, Despair", although I do really dig 1988's "The Curse" E.P. & their 1989 split with S.O.B. (admittedly due to the S.O.B. material). It's handy to have all of these records collected together on the one release but I don't think it's as essential as people seem to think.
For fans of Terrorizer, Brutal Truth & early Carcass.
3.5/5
Here's my updated Top Ten Deathgrind Releases of All Time list:
01. Napalm Death - "Utopia Banished" (1992)
02. Cattle Decapitation - "Monolith of Inhumanity" (2012)
03. Brutal Truth - "Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses" (1992)
04. Full of Hell - "Weeping Choir" (2019)
05. Damaged - "Passive Backseat Demon Engines" E.P. (1995)
06. Brutal Truth - "Need to Control" (1994)
07. Exhumed - "Dissecting the Caseated Omentum" demo (1992)
08. Lock Up - "Necropolis Transparent" (2011)
09. Cephalic Carnage - "Misled by Certainty" (2010)
10. Napalm Death - "Harmony Corruption" (1990)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/223
https://metal.academy/hall/640
For the record, I disagree & have voted NO on this nomination. There is certainly a doom/death influence but it's not enough for a primary tag in my opinion.