Daniel's Forum Replies

Celtic Frost - "Monotheist" (2006)

The fifth & final album from these seminal Swiss heavy-weights is an astounding piece of gothic doom metal. The production is absolutely stunning & you'll do very well to find a heavier release than this one. It's a true work of art that sees the band traversing a wide array of influences with the gothic rock of Sisters Of Mercy & Bauhaus getting just as much air time as your classic Black Sabbath. The diversity of approaches in the vocal delivery is a masterstroke too. This is certainly my favourite Frost release these days.

4.5/5

Ben, please add Mad Butcher (Germany).

Ben, please add Mace (USA).

Ben, please add Lustre (Sweden).

Ben, please add Lumpur (Indonesia).

Ben, please add Ludicra (USA).

Ben, please add Ludichrist (USA).

"Horrorscope" is my favourite Overkill record too actually. 

Yeah it's an undisputed classic that came at a time when both of us were in our metal prime if you know what I mean. It says a lot about the remarkable consistency of Chuck Schuldiner that I slightly favour the previous couple of Death albums over this one. It's still an easy 4.5/5 though.

Am I the only one that finds "Crystal Mountain" to be a little bit too light-weight? It seems like that's everyone's favourite track these days but it's comfortably the LEAST impressive to my ears.

Ben, this one's in my all-time top ten metal albums so I'll take offence if you don't at least give it a couple of spins. Preferably on an amazing sound system turned up to obscene levels whilst tripping balls in a pitch black room.

Well I noticed that some of the more highly celebrated releases I've included over the last two months have been new & exciting for some of our members so I thought I'd include some of the elite releases each month mixed in with some not so well known ones.

Just what does this track hope to accomplish on an already disappointing record.

The lengthy & much more downtempo blackened stoner metal change-up track from the Brazilian thrashers' 1987 second album "Anthropophagy". It sounds totally different from the rest of the album but suffers less from the inherent production issues due to its added space. There's plenty of "Vol 4"-era Black Sabbath to a couple of the groovier riffs.

Vulcano - "Anthropophagy" (1987)

The second studio album from these Brazilian thrash metallers.

2.5/5

Ben, please add Lair of the Minotaur (USA).

Ben, please add Kraanium (Norway) & Lock Up (UK).

Ben, please add Kingdom of Sorrow (USA) & Kollwitz (Norway).

Ben, please add Juggernaut (USA).

The greatest Viking metal anthem of all time in my opinion. You'll never hear a more graphic depiction of a Viking battle than this.

Yeah I don't mind that track although it's not one of my album highlights. I have to admit that while I always enjoy Vektor's classic albums I've never found them quite as mind-blowing as the rest of the metal scene seem to. "Black Future" is my favourite of them though.

Ben, please add Jesus Cröst (Netherlands).

Ben, please add Iskald (Norway).

Ben, please add Inverloch (Australia).

Attomica - "Attomica" (1987)

The debut album from this Brazilian thrash metal outfit. Their sound is built around US thrash riffs ala Metallica's "Ride The Lightning" & early Exodus only the vocals are pure black metal & they regularly employ some well executed blast beats which gives the music a good energetic feel. The production & performances are quite raw but I find their style immediately appealing. It's a shame that they hadn't quite figured out how to best structure their songs at this stage because each track has good parts but they don't always fit together smoothly & promising sections are often repeated for too long. They've also over-extending the track lengths much further than they needed to be with only seven tracks across 38 minutes. "Attomica" isn't quite at the same level of other early Brazilian thrash debuts from bands like Sepultura, Dorsal Atlantica or Vulcano but it's still well worth pursuing for fans of your rawer, more underground thrash.

3.5/5

Mid-80's Brazilian thrash metal with black metal vocals & blast beats.

Not to mention his amazing performance on an even more iconic album in Death's "Human" from 1991. Sean had a major influence on my life so it's even more sad that such a talented individual has been taken from those that love him at such a young age (he was only 48 years old). My heart goes out to his husband in particular right now. It's been a particularly bad month for drummers following the passing of Rush legend Neil Peart only a couple of weeks ago.

Ben, please add Attomica (Brazil).

This is very true. But a 1.5 rating is just as valuable as a 5 in my opinion. And don't pretend you don't love it. I'm sure you start licking your lips as soon as you realise that it won't be an easy undertaking.

Unless they're from me & then he'll make out like I'm a slave driver. :)

Excellent! I'm very pleased that the monthly feature release concept is working & people are discovering cool sounds they may have previously overlooked because this was always the intention.

Ditto. I'm a big fan of both that song & Andi. Have a great day mate.

I actually don't mind "Mountains Above The Sun" although it's far from an album highlight. "Collapse" is the only dud on that record in my opinion.

Life-changing Canadian tech death metal with a shit-tonne of atmosphere.

Ben, please add Interment (Sweden).

Ben, please add the Infernal War/Kriegsmaschine split.

Ben, please add Impending Doom (USA).

Ben, please add I Shalt Become (USA).

Ben, please add The Howling Void (USA) & Humanfly (USA).

An absolute shocker taken from the 1987 debut album from these Texan thrashers.

Devastation - "Violent Termination" (1987)

The debut album from these Texans is a pretty poor example of US thrash metal really. It's in the style of the first couple of Exodus, Dark Angel & Slayer albums only it's not nearly as effective. To be fair there are some exciting & chaotic solos ala Slayer/Morbid Angel & more than the odd decent riff across this tracklisting however these elements never manage to overcome the terrible production, inadequate drumming & thoroughly awful vocals which are pretty much spoken. Devastation would go on to become a lot better than this.

2.5/5

Ben, please add Horseback (USA) & Howl (USA).

Ben, please add Helrunar (Germany).

Dream Theater - "Images & Words" (1992)

4.5/5

One of my all-time favourite progressive metal anthems from 1992.

Ben, please add Hellish Crossfire (Germany).

Ben, please add Heaven (Australia).

Ben, please add Hæresiarchs of Dis (USA).

Ben, please add Habitual Defilement (USA) & Haemorrhage (Spain).