Daniel's Forum Replies
Ministry - "Twitch" (1986)
I hadn't heard the sophomore record from these Chicago industrial metal legends since way back in the early 1990's but this revisit has seen me remembering "Twitch" is not half bad actually, this time taking the band's early synthpop roots & combining them with industrial rock for a sound that straddles both EBM & electro-industrial. The tracklisting suffers a little from inconsistency though with a couple of flat inclusions (see "All Day Remix" & "My Possession") taking some of the gloss off of high-quality material like "We Believe" & album highlight "The Angel". Al Jourgensen's vocals are generally very effective & I really enjoy the techy dance music components which are arranged to give them maximum effect. I feel that "Twitch" is too regularly overlooked by Ministry fans as it's arguably a more interesting release than anything I've heard from Al since the mid-1990's.
For fans of Front 242, Skinny Puppy & Cabaret Voltaire.
3.5/5
Metallica - "72 Seasons" (2023)
I've certainly taken my time getting to Metallica's latest full-length but that's perhaps no surprise when you consider that I haven't enjoyed any of their albums since the Black Album way back in 1991. Things were looking up early in my initial listening experience though with Rhino Bucket guitarist Greg Fidelman's crisp & well-separated production job giving this material the chance to fully capitalize on any merit that can be found in the song-writing. The first three songs are all pretty decent too so there was some reason for optimism. Sadly though, despite being arguably the best record Metallica have produced since 1991, "72 Seasons" suffers from many of the same misguided failings as 2016's "Hardwired...to Self-Destruct".
With twelve lengthy songs spread across a gargantuan 77-minute run time, this record is incredibly self-indulgent with every idea being milked for far longer than it has any right to be. There are also more losses than there are wins here, although admittedly none of those losses are as bad as the weaker inclusions on some of their other post-Black Album releases. The tightness in the performances is part of the reason for that as this is a clinically produced record that's been meticulously compiled to be as perfect as it's humanly possible to be with each component having been layered in just the right pocket. Unfortunately, the age of the various band members is certainly showing at this point though. Jame Hetfield's vocals have been pretty annoying for a long time with little of the aggression of a record like "...And Justice For All". Lars' drumming is very basic & quite rocky, seemingly attempting to emulate AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd a lot of the time which may suit the crunchy hard rock-infused production job but was never going to afford the riffs maximum metallic incision. And Kirk's guitar solos are incredibly uninspired, seemingly having been phoned in & offering nothing much to enhance the song-writing. There are a couple of stretches that have seen me enjoying myself though &, like with all of Metallica's modern-day records, those stretches live up to their name by squeezing every last drop of value out of their instrumental & vocal hooks. The opening three songs mentioned earlier are backed up by the one-two punch of "Chasing Light" & my album highlight "If Darkness Had A Son" to give me some sort of respite from the drearier material like "Crown of Barbed Wire" & "Too Far Gone?".
Overall, this isn't a horrible Metallica record but it's not one that I'd recommend to anyone either. It's just another example of how this ridiculously popular band has become so incredibly detached from their original fanbase & any sort of reality with self-indulgence being the driving force behind their ongoing existence. Despite the inclusion of a couple of thrashers here & there, I've long since accepted that Metallica are no longer a thrash metal band per se so it's not about that. "72 Seasons" simply isn't a high-quality heavy metal album when compared with the rest of the modern-day global metal market so it's not deserving of the attention it's received from an audience that is unwilling to dive deeper than what's fed to them by the commercial media.
For fans of mid-90's Megadeth, "The Ritual"-era Testament & post-2000 Anthrax.
3/5
I thought I'd give Jeff Abbott another crack after enjoying "An Ambush of Widows" recently & I feel very similar about this 355-page murder mystery/who-done-it style thriller. It had me completely captivated until it dumped all of its secrets on me all at once at the end which nullified some of the value in the clever plot twists in my opinion.
We smashed out season 2 of "Nobody Wants This" this week after enjoying season one recently. This show is centered around the unlikely relationship between an outspoken, agnostic woman and an unconventional rabbi & is pretty decent too, even though nothing really happens & season two is essentially a rehash of season one. I have to admit that I have a bit of Kristen Bell thing going though after really digging "The Good Place" earlier this year.
The easy answer is to check out the monthly Metal Academy clan playlists which is where our members already nominate the tracks they're enjoying from each clan.
The D.O.C. - "No One Can Do It Better" (1989)
The debut full-length from this West Coast hip hop MC & it's a pretty decent one too, although I can't prescribe to the praise it seems to receive in some circles these days.
For fans of EPMD, Eric B. & Rakim & Ice-T.
3.5/5
Solitude Aeturnus - "Through the Darkest Hour" (1994)
This is the fourth studio album I've heard from what has become my favourite epic doom metal band of all time these days & it's another high-quality release, even if it may be the least impressive of the four so far. I simply cannot get enough of the combination of front man Robert Lowe & the shredding metal guitar work of John Perez. Unfortunately though, there aren't enough genuine classics included to see me reaching for the upper echilon of my rating system, closing power ballad "Shattered My Spirit" being the clear exception.
For fans of Candlemass, Crypt Sermon & Solstice.
4/5
Here's my adjusted Top Ten Epic Doom Metal Releases of All Time list with Lord Vigo's "Danse de noir" dropping out altogether:
01. Solitude Aeturnus - "Beyond the Crimson Horizon" (1992)
02. Solitude Aeturnus - "Alone" (2006)
03. Candlemass - "Nightfall" (1987)
04. Solitude Aeturnus - "Into the Depths of Sorrow" (1991)
05. Candlemass - "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986)
06. Isole - "Bliss of Solitude" (2008)
07. Solitude Aeturnus - "Through the Darkest Hour" (1994)
08. Solstice - "New Dark Age" (1998)
09. Candlemass - "Candlemass Live" (1990)
10. Candlemass - "Ancient Dreams" (1988)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/186
This one is definitely on my list as I religiously check out every successive Testament release. The last couple weren't too bad, without really digging their teeth in, but "Para bellum" seems to be getting more hype than they've received for quite a while so who knows.
I didn't mind the Warmoon Lord's previous couple of albums so I might add this one to the to-do list.
It looks like you double-rated this release Sonny. I didn't mind it when I checked it out in September 2022 but I have to admit that those vocals were an obstacle to me fully committing.
The missus forced me to sit through the whole six seasons of Downton Abbey over the last month or so. I'm not big period piece dramas so it generally wasn't something I looked forward to each night & I'm glad we've moved onto something else now.
I enjoyed the two seasons of "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist" more. At least, the first season was very entertaining. The novelty of the woman who sees people's true feelings by seeing them performing showtunes got a little stale during season two.
Various Artists - "Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings" (2010)
A highly regarded double dark folk compilation that certainly has its moments, even if it is heavily driven by the highlight tracks which can be nothing short of transcendent. I absolutely adore Havnatt's "Dagen og natta" (which reminds me heavily of early The Third & the Mortal) & the wonderfully dark fourteen-minute closer in Syven's "How Fare the Gods?" in particular. There are a few duds along the way but they're comfortably overcome by the soothing atmosphere which emphatically takes me to parts of the world that I have never been before i.e. Scandinavia.
For fans of Empyrium, Current 93 & Of The Wand & The Moon.
4/5
Dark Throne - "Soulside Journey" (1991)
The early Darkthrone demo tapes were fairly underwhelming in my opinion but they started to hit on something of interest with 1989's "Cromlech" cassette which I've always quite liked. Thankfully, they managed to take that promise a step further with their debut full-length which I first encountered through late-night underground metal radio programming & subsequently hunted down through my tape trading circles before the stylistic change to black metal. "Soulside Journey" obviously showcases a very different Darkthrone (or Dark Throne as they were known at the time) to the one who would virtually single-handedly be responsible for the Second Wave of Black Metal boom just a year later but that's not to say that it's not an essential release for extreme metal fans because they were already quite accomplished song-writers by this stage. Fenriz's drumming is the clear highlight here & he shows himself to possess some more than decent chops & some pretty progressive ideas. The music is very much in line with the Swedish death metal sound that was so popular at the time however Dark Throne gave it a more melodic edge while still maintaining that lovely graveyard atmosphere. Nocturno Culto's vocals are very good & you can easily tell it's the same man who would produce such grim performances on future albums, even if they are a little deeper & more deathly. Overall, "Soulside Journey" has stood the test of time very well. It may not be the equal of the next four Darkthrone records but I'd still suggest that it should be essential listening for fans of the band & it'll also keep all of our The Horde members interested too.
For fans of Carnage, Entombed & Cenotaph.
4/5
Vladislav Delay - "Multila" (2000)
A really deep, ambient compilation of dub techno material from a prolific Finnish producer who would go on to release important records across a variety of different EDM subgenres. The best moments are generally found when there's a bit more structure employed, particularly when the beats are a little dancier like they are on the 22-minute epic "Huone" (my album highlight). Occasionally things descend into mush but generally I find easily enough to enjoy in the dense atmospheres on offer here.
For fans of Pole, Basic Channel & GAS.
4/5
Sleep - "The Sciences" (2018)
It's taken me some time to get to the latest full-length from these San Jose-based stoner doom merchants but it's been thoroughly worth the wait. I really enjoyed their two biggest records in 1992's "Sleep's Holy Mountain" & 2003's "Dopesmoker" but this one may be my new favourite Sleep record, taking everything I've dug about the band & celebrating it in a way that only the most seasoned & professional of acts can manage. As usual, it's the more cerebral & psychedelic moments that suit me best with instrumental closer "The Botanist" being my album highlight but there's not a weak track amongst the six on offer here & there's plenty in the way of simple yet crushingly heavy doom riffs too.
For fans of Electric Wizard, Om & High On Fire.
4/5
Hermann Nitsch - "Island: Eine Sinfonie in 10 Sätzen" (1980)
There are times when all serious music lovers subject themselves to long periods of aural pain in the interest of expanding their musical horizons & that is exactly what I've done this week while sitting through a full three active listens to this 3 hour 43 minute experimental release from Austrian composer Hermann Nitsch. "Island" is built on a concept that combines the early drone sound with modern classical arrangements however it regularly crosses over the border between music/art & meaningless noise for long periods, leaving the vast majority of listeners wondering just what in the actual fuck they're listening to with the sounds being emitted from the speakers often resembling the members of five symphony orchestras all warming up through completely disparate exercises before a show. When it comes together, you get some deep, unusual & quite cerebral drones but when it doesn't it's just a total mess &, given the really long track durations, you're stuck with it for what seems like an eternity before the next piece shows up, often providing more of the same. The length of this release is absolutely absurd as there are nowhere near enough different ideas to sustain even half of the run time. I'm afraid this one has just gone straight over my head, despite my enjoyment of a few of the thirteen pieces.
For fans of John Cage, Cornelius Cardew & Terry Riley.
2/5
Hermética - "Víctimas del vaciamiento" (1994)
I recently checked out the 1991 sophomore album "Ácido argentino" from these Argentinians for the first time & quite enjoyed its high-energy brand of speed/heavy metal which has led me to revisit Hermética's more popular follow-up record from 1994. I hadn't heard it since way back in the mid-1990's & I can see why as it's been more of a struggle for me than "Ácido argentino" was. This time we get a cleaner production job & a sound that sits more regularly in traditional heavy metal territory than it does thrash or speed metal so there's definitely more accessibility on offer. The tracklisting starts quite strongly but starts to tail off after the first couple of songs, only recovering sporadically during the remainder of the record. The Spanish vocals aren't amazing which doesn't help Hermética's cause. They're definitely at this best when they speed things up for the thrashier end of their sound but it doesn't happen regularly enough to see me returning to this album in the future.
For fans of Malón, V8 & Almafuerte.
3/5
Autechre - "Amber" (1994)
1993's "Incunabula" debut album was an incredible way to start Autechre's recording career & has been an all-time favourite of mine for around 25 years now. If anything, the 1994 sophomore record "Amber" is even better though & cemented this Manchester duo as a truly elite artist in my musical journey.
For fans of Aphex Twin, B12 & LFO.
4.5/5
Lykathea Aflame
Afterbirth - "Four Dimensional Flesh" (2020)
The second & best of this New York outfits three albums to date sees the four-piece tackling a noticeably progressive take on the brutal death metal model, complete with super-gutteral, ultra-deep slam death metal style pig-grunts. Some of this record is so musical for a BDM artist & subsequently impresses with its ambition, even if those vocals will always be a limiting factor as far as I'm concerned. "Four Dimensional Flesh" is well worth checking out for our The Horde clan members though.
For fans of Lykathea Aflame, Wormed & Pyrexia.
4/5
Scorn - "Colossus" (1993)
I thoroughly enjoyed this Birmingham act's 1992 debut album "Vae Solis" & it's received many replays over the years. Their early E.P.'s were also worth checking out, particularly 1992's "Lick Forever Dog" (my pick of Scorn's early works) but "Deliverance" from the same year isn't too bad either. Scorn's sophomore full-length is not as essential as their more metallic debut album but it's still a decent listen, this time sitting somewhere between industrial, post-industrial & Scorn's trademark illbient sound. "Colossus" isn't the first Scorn record I reach for but you can certainly do worse, particularly given it includes gems like the dark ambient piece "Little Angel" or illbient anthem "Scorpionic".
For fans of Necro Deathmort, Einstuerzende Neubauten & Techno Animal.
3.5/5
I quite liked "Sehnsucht" & "Mutter" when I finally committed to exploring them in recent years so I've always intended on checking out the popular German act's follow-up album "Reise, Reise", eventually finding a similar level of appeal in it, despite it sitting just behind those two in my Rammstein pecking order. Unlike some of our other reviewers, I am gonna highlight the fact that there are three or four weak songs included (see "Keine Lust", "Stein um Stein", "Amour" & particularly "Los") but there's comfortably enough quality to outweigh the flatter moments with "Dalai Lama" & "Ohne dich" being my clear favourites. I can't see myself ever genuinely loving a Rammstein release but there is plenty of energy & fun about "Reise, Reise" so I can see the appeal for fans of the more commercial end of metal.
For fans of Eisbrecher, Turmion Kätilöt & Disturbed.
3.5/5
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.