Daniel's Forum Replies
Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers has died at the age of 48. No cause of death has been announced as yet.
This nomination has been passed uncontested.
Manuel Göttsching - "Ash Ra Tempel VI: Inventions for Electric Guitar" (1975)
I first got into this German progressive electronic producer through his 1977 sophomore album "New Age of Earth" which I picked up on CD some time during the early-to-mid 2000's & then quickly took in some of his other releases with this debut full-length being one of the most significant. Essentially, the album title says it all here as 95% of the music you hear across these three lengthy pieces is created using layers & layers of guitar tracks. It's incredibly successful at this undertaking though, even crossing over into genius a lot of the time, with the more ambient second & third tracks being nothing short of utterly mind-blowing. This is a cerebral, transcendental release that celebrates everything that the 1970's krautrock movement was about &, in doing so, leaves us with one the true masterpieces of the progressive electronic genre.
For fans of Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze & Steve Hackett.
4.5/5
Deteriorot - "Manifested Apparitions of Unholy Spirits" E.P. (1993)
I picked this dank, rotting two-track E.P. up through the tape trading scene during the mid-1990's & it left a significant impression on me even though the dubbed cassette recording quality wasn't the best. Thankfully, we're given the opportunity to listen to this material the way it was intended these days with Spotify offering an extended release that includes multiple remasters & extra tracks. You can expect to hear a filthy, swarming & doomy style of New Jersey death metal (aka Incantation/Immolation) that has its feet planted firmly in the graveyard with the ultra-gutteral vocals of guitarist Paul Zavaleta being a real highlight. Opening cut "The Afterlife" is nothing short of classic death metal & I have very little doubt that Sonny & Vinny will froth over this stuff.
For fans of Decrepit, Putrevore & Avulsed.
4/5
These nominations have been passed uncontested.
I dunno about that. KISS seem to have risen from the dead more times than I can count. Perhaps it just costs a lot more than $200.
In other news, Cannabis Corpse have called it quits.
This nomination has been passed uncontested Andi.
Lunar Womb - "The Sleeping Green" (2016)
I've quite enjoyed the third album from this Finnish dungeon synth artist which is essentially the side project of Henri Sorvali of Barathrum/Finntroll/Moonsorrow/Woods of Belial fame. It's my first encounter with Lunar Womb but the smooth synth-driven "Lord of the Rings"-style atmosphere presented across these five tracks is predominantly successful in transporting the listener to a world of fantasy & wonder. The weaker moments come when Sorvali makes attempts at folk melodies which have never been my bag but those sections are in the minority with the last couple of tracks being the creative sweet spot for this material.
For fans of Lord Lovidicus, Örnatorpet & DIM.
3.5/5
In Flames - "Whoracle" (1997)
While 1996's "The Jester Race" album may have been a huge record for these Swedish melodeath champions, it never connected with me personally & neither did In Flames' highly celebrated follow-up record "Whoracle". Whilst I do prefer it to "The Jester Race", "Whoracle" still suffers from many of the same failings in its quest for my affection. A good half of the tracklisting is really pretty entertaining but the other half does very little for me with the song-writing edging much too far into more accessible realms than I'm comfortable with. It's probably telling that my two clear favourites also happen to be the least popular tracks in "Morphing Into Primal" & the title track because it's a strong indicator that I can't appreciate the selling points that In Flames' audience live & die by. Sure... I'd take "Whoracle" over other In Flames releases from the period like 2000's "Clayman" but it still falls short of the mark for me personally.
For fans of Dark Tranquillity, Soilwork & At the Gates.
3/5
POiSON GiRL FRiEND - "Melting Moment" E.P. (1992)
This debut E.P. seems to have built up quite the following over the last decade or so but I have to admit that I find that hard to understand personally. Sure, it's one of the earlier trip hop releases but that doesn't give it the right to be mentioned in the same breath as records like Massive Attack's "Blue Lines" which clearly sits in another stratosphere altogether. The female vocals of nOrikO are intended to sound sweet & they do achieve that intent during the best parts but there are just as many moments where she sounds pitchy & amateurish in my opinion. Plus, the instrumentation is very heavy on the cheap bedroom synths that were around at the time which gives "Melting Moment" a disposable feel. I do quite enjoy the first couple of songs as well as the closing title track but the other material is a long way from the mark (particularly "The Future Is Now" which is fucking awful) & taints the overall experience for me.
For fans of Color Filter, Sugar Plant & Lily Chou-Chou.
3/5
Mastodon - "The Hunter" (2011)
While the fifth full-length from these Atlanta-base progressive metal heroes may be their least impressive to the time, I feel that it's been a little underrated over the years because it still showcases a class act that's not all that far off the peak of their powers. Those people still clinging onto the band's sludge metal roots will be sorely disappointed of course but the production & musicianship are both excellent with the vocal harmonies being a clear highlight (even if I'd suggest that they would have struggled to pull them off live from my couple of experiences with a live Mastodon). The B side does see the overall quality level easing off a bit but there are no weak tracks included & are enough highlights to make "The Hunter" essential listening for our The Infinite members. In fact, I'd suggest that "Stargasm" in particular is some of Mastodon's finest work. I think "The Hunter" has just suffered a bit from the public's lofty expectations coming off the back of 2009's transcendent "Crack The Skye" record.
For fans of High on Fire, Torche & Intronaut.
4/5
YMO - "BGM" (1981)
I hated the first two records from Tokyo synthpop legends Yellow Magic Orchestra to be honest. They were as primitive & cheesy as electronic music gets but the idea of YMO veering into early electro territory on their fourth full-length grabbed my interest & saw me exploring "BGM" this week. The assessment isn't inaccurate either as there is far more genuine electro on offer than there is synthpop here, to such an extent that I feel that a pop tag is pushing the friendship a little. Still... there's not enough consistent quality on offer to keep me interested across the course of the ten tracks with only two songs really standing out as high quality pieces of electronic creativity i.e. the catchy electro-pop of "Cue" & the deep ambience of closer "Loom" (my personal favourite). "BGM" isn't the disaster that I found YMO's first two records to be but it's still a bit flat in my opinion & hasn't done enough to turn my poor initial impressions of the Japanese group around.
For fans of Depeche Mode, Ryuichi Sakamoto & Kraftwerk.
3/5
Hermética - "Ácido argentino" (1991)
I was a fan of both of this Argentinian act's other two albums back in the day but had never heard their highly regarded sophomore record until this week. It's pretty decent too although I wouldn't say that it's had the same impact on me as 1994's "Víctimas del vaciamiento" release did during the 1990's. I'd place it slightly ahead of their 1989 self-titled debut though. "Ácido argentino" sees Hermética's sound sitting between speed metal & heavy metal with the odd thrashier moment here & there. There aren't enough genuine highlight tracks for me to think about my higher scores but there's certainly an energy to this material which is only enhanced by the primitive production values. The guitar solos aren't anything to write home about but that doesn't stop "Ácido argentino" from having the desired impact, even if I don't think it'll be a release that I'll return to very often.
For fans of Malón, V8 & Almafuerte.
3.5/5
I read this who-done-it style thriller across three days. It was really good until the end when all of the twists were thrown out in no time flat. I struggled to keep up with them & felt it would have been better to ease them out over a longer period. It was like he had a deadline to meet so tried to close everything out in a night.
Model 500 - "Classics" (1993)
Although I championed a whole slew of Juan Atkins-produced tracks during my DJ days, I can't say that I rate this compilation of some of his early Model 500 works as much as most Detroit techno aficionados seem to. I bashed the shit out of the brilliant "Night Drive (Time, Space, Transmat)" on dancefloors during the 2000's & it never failed to command the desired impact. I got plays out of this version of closer "Sound of Stereo" too although there's another mix that's much better. The funky "The Chase (Smooth Remix)" was one that I often took with me to early sets but I'm not sure I ever got the chance to play it in a club. The rest of the material tends to be a little too electro-driven for my taste although there isn't anything that I'd suggest is truly bad. Atkins produced under a variety of different monikers so there's a lot to explore but I can't understand why he's opted to include mostly remixes here as some of the originals were stronger. When taken as an overall listening experience, "Classics" is worth a listen but I don't feel that it meets the lofty heights referred to in its title.
For fans of Cybotron, Underground Resistance & Jeff Mills.
3.5/5
So, I finally got around to revisiting this old favourite & there's no doubt that it's a really solid piece of death metal. It kinda sounds like a dirtier version of the conventional death metal of James Murphy's Disincarnate project which would make sense from a timing point of view. I dunno why people tend to slap "Serenadium" with a brutal death metal tag because there's really very little BDM included. Perhaps it's the ultra-gutteral vocals (think Grave meets Seance) & the clear Suffocation influence that pops up from time to time. I could be entirely mistaken but I also hear a fair bit of Neuropath here, especially on the closing track "Retorn" which has an almost identical riff to one of mine. The tracklisting is extremely consistent (almost a flat line in fact) but I don't think there's anything that I regard as being "classic". Still... I maintain my position that "Serenadium" is Iniquity's finest work & it should satisfy the requirements of all but the most selective of Horde members.
For fans of Swollen, Serocs & Vengeful.
4/5
Jay Munly - "Jimmy Carter Syndrome" (2002)
It took me a couple of listens to get into the fourth full-length from this Canadian gothic country artist, mainly due to the fact that I find the first four tracks to be pretty boring. Things pick up after that though with the B side surprisingly being fairly consistent with most of the highlights residing there. The Nick Cave influence is very clear at times & I love the contributions of Sixteen Horsepower/Wovenhand front man David Eugene Edwards who is a bit of a favourite of mine these days. "Jimmy Carter Syndrome" is worth a listen but I wouldn't say that it's essential listening like some critics seem to.
For fans of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Sixteen Horsepower & Slim Cessna's Auto Club.
3.5/5
Fleshwater - "We're Not Here To Be Loved" (2022)
This was my first listen to a Fleshwater record & it's been a reasonably enjoyable experience too. Their debut album doesn't see them trying anything particularly new but they do what do well & the dual male/female vocal attack adds a bit of interest. Deftones have clearly influenced this Massachusetts act but the song-writing is consistent & the performances are strong too, particularly the drumming which is probably the highlight of this short 27-minute alternative metal release.
For fans of Deftones, Narrow Head & Loathe.
3.5/5
I've always really enjoyed "The Spectre Within" (4/5) & I regard it as a step up from the records either side of it (both 3.5/5). 1991's "Parallels" (4/5) is still my favourite Fates Warning release though.
Potentially but only if the release has paid for itself already. Most deals will require the labels costs to be paid for before the band starts earning any royalties at all & you'd be surprised by how few actual sales there are for lesser-known releases in the modern day.
I don't use Bandcamp myself but it is true that it gives more back to independent artists than other services, generally about 85% of the sale price in fact. It is worth noting that many of the releases that you see there have been posted by labels though & all bets are off in that situation as it depends on the deal the band has with their label as to how much they receive. We have a very fair deal going with Sphere of Apparition who make looking after their artists a priority but that may not be the case for other bands/labels.
Zbigniew Preisner - "Trois couleurs: Bleu" (1993)
Another Krzysztof Kieslowski film soundtrack I picked up on CD in the mid-1990's; this one the first of the three-part "Trois couleurs" (aka "Three Colours") series which I adored at the time. I think this one might have been the first Kieslowski film I saw as well as the first Preisner release I purchased. While it may not be as classic as 1991's incredible "La double vie de Véronique (The Double Life of Veronika)" film score (4.5/5), "Bleu" still oozes of the poise & class that would become Preisner's calling card. From memory, I think the final installment "Trois couleurs: Rouge" was my favourite of the three CDs but this one is still an excellent example of the type of classical music I connect with. Deep, stripped back, emotionally engaging & slightly gothic. And I can't deny that I was somewhat infatuated with Juliette Binoche at the time either.
For fans of Georges Delerue, Yann Tiersen & Arvo Pärt.
4/5
Various Artists - "Warfare Noise" compilation (1986)
"Warfare Noise" is a seminal compilation record that I picked up through a Chilean tape trader back in the day. It records the early days of Brazil's exciting Belo Horizonte extreme metal scene & features two tracks from each of the four artists, all of which were still learning to play their instruments which subsequently sees the material offering some seriously raw death/thrash from a time when death metal was still in its infancy. There's some good shit here (particularly from Sarcofago & Mutilator) but the release is seriously disadvantaged by the incompetent contribution of Chakal whose two songs open the tracklisting. I wasn't much of a fan of Chakal's debut full-length "Abominable anno domini" from the following year but this shit isn't even up to that standard. The closing track from Holocausto isn't worth writing home about either but I generally enjoyed the rest of the material. It's easy to see why Sarcofago would go on to be the most significant of the four artists though as "Recrucify/The Black Vomit" is a step up from the other material included.
For fans of Sarcofago, Mutilator & Holocausto.
3/5
This one sounds interesting & I'm not across these guys so I might place them into my to-do list.
I enjoyed my time with "Sentinels" last year but haven't returned to it since. I'd suggest that it's the best thing that Vulture have done since their debut though.
I quite like "Geister" but think it's been disadvantaged by being positioned between two records that I regard as being genuine classics in "Im Wald" & "Die Berge". I really should return to it to give it a proper rating at some point.
I've always quite liked "Mindloss" since first picking it up through the tape trading scene during the early 1990's. I think I probably reach for the 1992 follow-up "False" a little more regularly when I feel like a Gorefest hit but both are certainly worth a listen.
I don't mind "Iowa". It's my favourite record from a band who I generally find to be pretty enjoyable without ever really pushing out into essential territory.
Wow! I've never even heard of these guys.
Gary Moore - "Still Got the Blues" (1990)
The ninth full-length from this legendary Irish guitarist saw him veering away from his hard rock roots towards an electric blues rock sound for the first time (at least across an entire album) & making huge headway on the global charts in the process. There can be no denying Gary's skills behind his axe as his tone & chops are simply to die for but I have to admit that (despite having to hear this record over & over again as a teenager due to my father's obsession with it) I do tend to find a lot of this material to be pretty flat. Moore's voice isn't exactly the most compelling while the song-writing has a tendency to sound pretty generic for the blues genre. The best parts are when he goes for a deeper & more stripped back sound like he does on album highlight "As the Years Go Passing By" but there is more to interest me on 1995's "Blues For Greeny" record that I mentioned just above this review.
For fans of Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa & Derek Trucks.
3/5
Leviathan - "The Tenth Sub Level of Suicide" (2003)
I've always really enjoyed the debut album from this Californian one-man black metal act. "The Tenth Sub Level of Suicide" is often championed as one of the premium releases for the DSBM movement but that's not really an accurate description of what you can expect because there is far more conventional black metal on offer than there is the depressive/suicidal variety, despite what the unintelligible lyrics & occasionally desperate vocals might have you believe. The slower & more depressing sections of the record (see wonderful album highlight "The Idiot Sun" for example) may well be the strongest though which is perhaps where the confusion stems from. I don't think Leviathan's subsequent full-lengths have topped this one since so it's easy to see why it's been embraced so tightly by the American black metal scene.
For fans of Lurker of Chalice, Xasthur & Twilight.
4/5
Bro, treading some reviews in an effort to grasp an inkling of why this album gets any kind of slack, I found that Sodom fans consider this a disjointed work in comparison to the classics. And to that, I say, "Check out Thembi and call me in the morning." If you ask me, this whole albums feels the way I've been asking it to feel, a largely consistent vibe that shows the band trying to expand. I came into this expecting anything from 60-80 / 100, but I'm not gonna lie, I'm in the rare came again, the Prometheus / Tauhid / Fulfillingness' First Finale / no better EDM than FSoL camp: this is better than Agent Orange. They're doing what they can to put out another real Sodom album while trying to expand their horizons, and they largely succeed. This album has tricks up its sleeve that I wished Agent Orange would even simply try to attempt.
At the time of writing this, I've given this album its highest rating on Metal Academy: 92/100 = 4.5 stars.
You're the first person I've ever seen agreeing with my position that "Better Off Dead" was the best Sodom release to the time.
I don't often read biographies, but I bet this is an interesting read. Does he speak about the case that Priest faced in the US when they were accused of their music causing the two kids to commit suicide? That must have been a trying time for the band as they faced potentially very serious consequences for what was a tragedy not of their doing.
Yes, he goes into some depth about that case which is really interesting. He is also completely open about his sexuality & the challenges he faced during a time when celebrities couldn’t be as open about such things & also his substance abuse/addiction. Did you know that he never actually intended on quitting Priest after “Painkiller”? It was just a miscommunication that resulted in him being replaced.
I'd place the rawer "Persecution Mania" slightly ahead of "Agent Orange" personally but they're both very solid releases. The six-year period from 1987-1992 was Sodom's peak in my opinion but I do have to admit that I've never thought of them as a tier one thrash metal act. I don't think they're in the same class as Kreator & have never awarded them one of my more elite scores.
Here's my updated Top Ten Ambient Releases of All Time list after revisiting Delerium's 1988 debut album "Faces, Forms & Illusions" this week:
01. Biosphere – “Substrata” (1997)
02. Robert Rich – “Somnium” (2001)
03. Steve Roach – “Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces” (2003)
04. Brian Eno – “Ambient 1: Music for Airports” (1978)
05. Stars of the Lid – “The Tired Sounds of” (2001)
06. Stars of the Lid – “And Their Refinement of the Decline” (2007)
07. Steve Roach – “Structures from Silence” (1984)
08. Klaus Schulze - "Timewind" (1975)
09. A Winged Victory For The Sullen – “A Winged Victory for the Sullen” (2011)
10. Delerium - "Faces, Forms & Illusions" (1988)
Delerium - "Faces, Forms and Illusions" (1988)
Most people would probably only know Vancouver producers Delerium through their huge 1999 dance club hit "Silence" which features the wonderful vocals of Sarah McLachlan. The majority of punters wouldn't be aware of the fact that some of the duos earlier material was pretty spectacular though with records like 1991's "Stone Tower" & 1994's "Spheres" having become firm favourites of mine over the last fifteen years or so. Formed as the side project of Bill Leeb & Rhys Fulber (both of influential industrial act Front Line Assembly), the earlier Delerium efforts championed a more ambient & ethereal sound than what you might expect based purely on their later material with the debut spending as much time in IDM as it does experimenting with a number of ambient subgenres. The military style tempos of Front Line Assembly are still noticeable at times but the album features a strongly majestic & timeless feel as well as giving early glimpses of the Arabian & Eastern influences that would become stronger on later releases. It's difficult to pick out highlights as all tracks are very strong with the exception of the electro-industrial number "Mecca" which I feel lets the album down a bit & would've been better suited to Leeb's Front Line Assembly project. I really enjoy the more foreboding & ambient moments like the tribal rhythms of "Monument Of Deceit", the sinister darkness of "Inside The Chamber" or the building intensity of "Strangeways". The B side is particularly brilliant actually & has played a strong role in me bumping my score up from my traditional four stars on this occasion. I'm baffled as why this record doesn't receive more attention, especially when you consider the time it arrived on the scene which predated a lot of their competition in this field.
For fans of Front Line Assembly, Noise Unit & Synaesthesia.
4.5/5
Deftones - "private music" (2025)
I ALWAYS enjoy a Deftones album as they're quite simply the most consistent alternative metal act to ever have hit the global scene & they never disappoint. They are kinda AC/DC-ish in that you'll never be surprised by what you receive though. For all the hype around the scope of their influences, every Deftones record sounds pretty much the same as there's never a drastic departure from their past glories. They just tend to experiment a little with what they put in the gaps between the heavy stuff that makes up most of each record. In saying that though, boy do they know how to write a chunky alternative metal song & that's still very evident on what is now their tenth full-length album.
Unlike many people, I'm not gonna claim that "private music" is some kind of return to form because the truth is that these guys have never dropped their game. 2016's "Gore" record has been unfairly treated while their last one "Ohms" is nothing short of an unheralded classic as far as I'm concerned so I have no problem admitting that I always expect gold from this group. And "private music" does offer more gold, perhaps not the shiniest gold they've produced, but gold nonetheless. And that's enough for me, ya know? Sure, I will say that I think "private music" is probably the least impressive Deftones record since their debut "Adrenaline" but it's still a beautifully produced effort that further highlights how important these Sacramento dudes have become over the years.
Opener "My Mind is a Mountain" is one their finest works & hit me like a tonne of bricks while "Cut Hands" sits in a similar class to someone like Tool. There are three or four numbers that see the quality levels dropping a touch (generally when they make an attempt at more melody as I greatly prefer a screaming Chino over a thick wall of chunky alt-metal riffage) but there's nothing like a dud to be found here. I just could have done with a couple more classics to justify the enormous praise this release seems to be receiving from fans at the moment. I love Deftones & I love this record. It's not any stronger & doesn't really differentiate itself all that much from anything else they've done since their very early days though so it's certainly not gonna convert any naysayers.
For fans of Fleshwater, Thornhill & Bleed.
4/5
Ooooo.... I haven't heard of these guys but are liking the description so I'll add them to my to-do list for the future.
Night Sun - "Mournin'" (1972)
This one-off album from a relatively unknown German band is actually really solid. I first checked it out while exploring all of the underground proto-metal of the 1970's last year & really enjoyed it with this return visit only strengthening my feeling that these guys deserved more attention than they've received over the years. Night Sun's sound blends hard rock, progressive rock & heavy psych beautifully with a higher register vocalist who sounds very similar to what you'd get if you crossed Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant with Deep Purple's Ian Gillan which can't be a bad thing. The musicianship is excellent & I particularly enjoy the heavier & more psychedelic moments with album highlight "Living With the Dying: being a genuine early heavy metal classic. Despite the tracklisting tailing off a bit over the last few tracks, "Mournin'" comes highly recommended from this old metalhead.
For fans of Lucifer's Friend, Flower Travellin' Band & Sir Lord Baltimore.
4/5
Eno - "Another Green World" (1975)
I've never quite understood the appeal in the highly praised fourth full-length from English ambient wizard Brian Eno if I'm being honest so I've found myself returning to it more often than I probably should have over the years in the quest for the elusive appeal that everyone seems to inevitably find in it. I've found myself getting a little closer to unlocking its secrets on this occasion too, although I still find it to be no more than a mildly enjoyable listen. I'd describe the sound of "Another Green World" as being a combination of art rock & electronic music with the fourteen-song tracklisting jerkily offering material from both sides of that equation. The more ambient/electronic stuff interests me the most which isn't really a big surprise with some of the rock & pop tracks coming across as being more quirky than anything else which has never been my preference in music. Still... you can't deny the dude's ambition as there are very few records that sound like this one & there's certainly enough to keep me interested here, even if I do think that this might be the end of the road for me & "Another Green World".
For fans of Robert Fripp, Cluster & David Bowie's "Low" album.
3.5/5
Cocteau Twins - "The Spangle Maker" E.P. (1984)
While I thoroughly enjoyed 1983's excellent duo of releases in third full-length "Head Over Heels" & the equally high-quality "Sunburst & Snowblind" E.P., "The Spangle Maker" E.P. saw Scotland's Cocteau Twins taking a clear step up into the more elite echelons of popular music with three stunning tracks that never fail to leave me feeling exhilarated through their glistening beauty & emotive elegance. The vocals of Elizabeth Fraser are as spectacular as you'll find & cement her as one of my favourite front women of all time. The first two tracks in particular have simply ruled my playlist so far this week so this should be compulsory listening for dream pop & ethereal wave lovers.
For fans of Tamaryn, White Flowers & Cranes.
4.5/5