Daniel's Forum Replies

Here's my review:

Despite all my years of committed exploration into the metal genre, it still has a habit of surprising me quite regularly with releases that I've thus far overlooked but that very much demand to be heard. The 1998 compilation album "Crippled Lucifer" from Seattle's Burning Witch is one of the better examples of that concept that you're gonna find as it's a fucking pearler. Burning Witch were formed out of the ashes of death doom metal act Thorr's Hammer (whose 1996 "Dommedagsnatt" demo tape I'm a big fan of) & included the legendary Stephen O'Malley (Sunn O)))/ÄÄNIPÄÄ/Gravetemple/Khanate/Pentemple/Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine/Thorr's Hammer/House of Low Culture) on guitar & George Stuart Dahlquist (Asva/Sunn O)))/Goatsnake) on bass with Brad Mowen (Asva/Cryptic Slaughter/Lesbian/The Accüsed) & Jamie "Boggy" Sykes (Thorr's Hammer/Atavist) sharing the drumming duties on this release. The two 1998 E.P.'s that these individuals combined to create on this CD ("Rift.Canyon.Dreams" & "Towers") both offer a sound that's so cold & oppressive that it leaves virtually no hope left for humanity or existence in general.

The version of the release that I've explored kicks off with three of the four songs from the "Rift.Canyon.Dreams" E.P. which is probably the stronger of the two as far as I'm concerned, particularly because the first two tracks "Warning Signs" & "Stillborn" are utterly magnificent, virtually perfect examples of doom/sludge metal with hints at the band member's subsequent drone metal projects. The "Towers" E.P. is more solid than it is mind-blowing but it still contains an absolute beast of a song in "Tower Place" which I've also been forced to place in my Hall of Metal Glory, such is its immense weight & intensity. The production job could not have been better for this style of music with the thick & heavily down-tuned guitar tone sucking me in & slowly crushing me under its pure desolation & I'm often reminded of Melvins sludgier material. The vocals swap between a clean Electric Wizard style doom metal delivery & a savage & visceral hardcore one. I have a preference for the latter but I don't think this release would be what it is without the balance that's provided by having both.

Honestly, it was a big mistake to keep this CD at arm's length for so long as it's everything it's cracked up to be. The quality levels never dip below four-stars & there's a class in the execution that belies the pedigree of the artists in question. I fucking love this shit just quietly.

For fans of Thou, Cough & Sunn O))).

4.5/5

This morning we take a look at one last track from Black Sabbath's 1972 album "Vol. 4" in the lengthy closer "Under The Sun" which generally seems to be associated with doom metal & heavy metal but I'm gonna dispute that. Once again, I'm gonna have to suggest that this song sits much better under a stoner metal tag. Sure, it kicks off with a riff of pure doom but everything that transpires outside of that one riff must surely void any claims to a doom metal tag as that's the only doom component you'll find & it makes up a fairly minimal percentage of the overall duration. The verse riff certainly has claims to heavy metal but it has a clear swing to it that's more commonly found in stoner than it is in heavy metal. Things change up noticeably at the two-minute mark with a pop rock section that sounds more like The Beatles than metal before flying into a frantic Tony Iommi blues rock guitar solo, again not things you'd usually expect from heavy metal which by definition removes the blues component from hard rock. Then finally we have a lengthy psychedelic outro that takes up the last two minutes of the song with multiple layered guitar solos which is clearly more stoner than anything else.

You'll no doubt be picking up a common theme in these threads over the last couple of months. I've never seen anyone else make this claim but I have no hesitation in stating that stoner metal shared the limelight with heavy metal as the dominant genres in metal for the first few years of its existence. The people that vehemently deny stoner metal's existence before Kyuss in the early 1990's are basing their positions purely on historical labelling rather than the technical attributes of the music itself. It really doesn't matter whether anyone had penned the term "stoner metal" at the time. If it looks like a duck & it sounds like a duck then it is a duck as far as I'm concerned.

2 critera: 
1) Does the band embrace itself as Heavy Metal?
2) Does Heavy Metal accept that band?

I disagree. There are very clear lines between metal & rock from a purely technique point of view as far as I'm concerned & I find it very easy to identify those but over time I've discovered that progressively less metalheads seem to understand what those guidelines are, potentially due to the virtual death of hard rock in the modern music world. It's got very little to do with vocals, lyrics or image & it's all about the way the guitars & drums are used & sound. I've been thinking that I might conduct an educational video on it at some point in order to share the defining characteristics of each genre are & how to identify them. This thread is about dispelling the myths that have gotten well out of hand over time. There are many bands that simply shouldn't be associated with metal but strangely seem to be when they've got no stronger claim to than other bands that are nailed to hard rock. There's no logic to it & I've always hoped that Metal Academy could become the place for people to go when they want to seek clarity on these critically important topics for mankind.

Anyway... today's track is Zarpa Rock's "La guerra cruel" which I'd suggest fits best under heavy psych:

Wow! I’ve rated, reviewed or are otherwise well across 85 of those 100 releases which is a little surprising given that heavy metal isn’t amongst my metal subgenres of choice. That still leaves a fair few to explore though.

My Scoring system is something like this.

.5-Absolute garbage that I never want to hear again,  usually something about it sonically offensive or it's just extremely dull.

1.-It's bad but it's not sonic torture

1.5-It's bad but it's so bad that it has a comedic effect and I'm entertained with it if for all the wrong reasons.

2.0-It's an otherwise average affair but is plagued by some detriment like bad production (bad not raw, raw can be good). 

2.5-The album is utterly average, it's not good or bad, it is something that could be inoffensively left into a playlist, but nobody would miss it's absence. In someways this is the worst thing I can say about a piece.

3.0-This is an average offering but it's from a band that I like, or a subgenre that I like so much that even the mediocre stuff suits me fine.

3.5-Either a low performing album from a great band, or an album where an otherwise unremarkable band punched above their weight.

4.0-This is a good album for the general metal audience, and a great album for fans of it's clan.

4.5-This is a great album for both general metal audiences and fans of the clan.

5.0-This is an album that I would enthuastically reccommend to anyone inside or outside of metalheads.

I'm a bit perplexed by this statement of yours: "They weren't intended to be easy to complete. That's why they're called "challenges" after all."

That reads to me like you chose albums that were intentionally difficult to get into, is that the case? If so, I'm not sure why you go for that as opposed to just bringing out the best stuff, but this is your house so I'd still roll with it.

OK, so it would seem that your scoring system isn't all that different after all. It's just that you're not a fan of the more universally loved releases of their era (at least not on first listen) which is entirely your choice. We haven't intentionally chosen releases that are difficult to get into in any way. On the contrary, we've simply collated the perceived essential releases of the era. What I meant by "They weren't intended to be easy to complete. That's why they're called "challenges" after all" was that it's a lot of work to commit yourself to fully understanding 25 releases & formulating a written expression of your thoughts on each of their respective merits.

Miasma - "Changes" (1992)

This one-off album from Austrian death metallers Miasma slipped under most people's radars back in the day but made a significant impact on a teenage me when I was lucky enough to pick it up from one of my tape trading associates at the time. It offers just the sort of stuff that made the tape trading scene so great with Miasma showcasing a very clear understanding of the death metal ethos. They certainly don't rely on technical skills or precision, instead focusing all of their attention on atmosphere which is majorly enhanced by one of the filthiest guitar tones you'll ever heard & some of the most brutal death growls in existence. This is dirty, sloppy & repulsive death metal for death metal purists only & I, for one, are still well & truly down with this sort of shit. The doom metal infused sections are particularly suffocating & a unanimously positive way. My only criticism is that the album fades away a bit in the back end with the tracklisting being noticeably top heavy.

For fans of Molested, Infester & Rottrevore.

4/5

This morning's track is Zarpa Rock's "Contaminación" which I'm gonna suggest sits best under the heavy psych tag. I can't find a YouTube link for the individual song so you'll have to skip to 11:14 in this full album link to hear the song:

Another one of the metal tracks from "Vol. 4" is "Cornucopia" which is built on some stomping groover stoner metal riffs & possesses a well-orchestrated psychedelic section through the middle. This is certainly not the heavy/doom metal track that most people seem to claim it as & is a clear candidate for stoner metal in my opinion.

I just didn't like a lot of the stuff on that list. Outright hated some of it and found most of it very middle of the road. That said I am 35. Which I wouldn't call old, but maybe old enough to be out of touch.  I'd like some other peoples opinions; was the modern era a bit unkind to death metal? Is it just that those particular selections weren't the best examples of output during that time? Am I just old and out of touch? Do I just need more doom elements in my death metal?

The modern death metal scene is in really good shape in my opinion & Ben selected these releases because they're the most highly celebrated records of their era. In all due respect, could it simply be that you're not giving these releases enough time & attention to sink their teeth in? I mean, most of our members take at least a month to complete a clan challenge with no more than one release being reviewed per day. They weren't intended to be easy to complete. That's why they're called "challenges" after all. Admittedly your scoring system is a bit lower than most people's too. My cut-off point for records that I enjoy is 3.5 stars. Yours seems to be a good star lower than that.

Pelle, if you click the video camera image at the top of the reply box & paste the YouTube link in there you can embed it into your post rather than simply presenting a written link.

Welcome Kosie. We're thrilled to have you & I've enjoyed reading your initial reviews which present a clear & well-defined point of view. If there's anything that I can help you with then simply flick me a private message. Ben & I strive to make the Academy a place where members can be open & honest without the risk of criticism or attack so please feel free to indulge in as much or as little of our functionality as you'd like.

Thanks mate. I think it'll work better this way moving forwards so I'll be continuing in that fashion. It simply means that I'm not including any tracks that haven't been fully vetted by a knowledgeable party purely in the interest of variety. Variety isn't as important as quality. If anyone else wants to proceed with their clan playlists in this manner then I'd support it.

This morning's track is Zarpa Rock's "Llega la destrucción" which I regard as being heavy psych:

Black Sabbath's most stoner-oriented record continues with the cocaine-fueled stoner metal anthem "Snowblind" which possesses a doomy atmosphere, psychedelic references & a classic groovy stoner bridge riff:

So, I've done a bit of promotional work for The Guardians & The Horde playlists over the last couple of days to see if I can drum up any interest:

1. Posted about them on the Metal Academy Facebook account (with links included) & shared that with my personal one too. Unfortunately, every time I try to do paid advertising on these posts I'm getting an error message telling me that I can't "boost" these particular posts & I haven't been able to figure out why as yet which is annoying because that's probably our best avenue for promotion.

2. Tweeted about them on Twitter with links.

3. Posted them in Spotify Playlists Subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/SpotifyPlaylists/)

4. Posted them in Spotify Playlist Exchange (https://community.spotify.com/t5/Music-Exchange/Playlist-Exchange/td-p/4529644/page/130)

5. Have just started to contact the bands I've included in these lists to see if they'll agree to share links to them with their followers.

Let's see if that makes any difference then!

Yes it was. Ben & I were obsessed with the figurines. Me in particular.

I just checked out Japanese hard rockers Bow Wow's 1978 fourth album "Guarantee" but found no metal whatsoever. To my ears it's a hard rock record with AOR tendencies & was clearly an attempt at cracking a more commercial market as any sign of the band's harder edge have been smoothly filed off in the name of accessibility.

I must have had Hawkwind on the brain because I incorrectly named the album from which Sabbath's "Into the Void" is taken as "Master of the Universe". Now corrected, before anybody had chance to point out what a numpty I am!!

I had the whole collection of Masters of the Universe when I was a kid. Sold them to a collector for a significant amount of money years later too strangely enough.

Black Sabbath reign continued when they returned with their fourth studio album "Vol. 4" on 25th September 1972, a record that included "Tomorrow's Dream" which is a track that most people seem to claim as heavy metal but that I'm gonna suggest is much closer to stoner metal:

This morning's track is Zarpa Rock's title track from their 1978 debut album "Los cuatro jinetes del Apocalipsis", a song that I'd suggest should qualify as heavy metal:

I honestly can't imagine where you're finding any metal in songs like the titled track & "The Shed" Andi but anyway... we'll move on.

I checked out the 1978 self-titled debut album from Sarajevo outfit Divlje Jagode today but didn't find any metal. It's a progressive/hard rock record as far as I'm concerned.

Crematory - "Denial" E.P. (1992)

This one-off E.P. from a little-known Swedish death metal band created a fair bit of hype in the tape trading scene back in the day so I ended up picking it up & quite enjoying it. I wouldn't say that it's anything terribly original but Crematory offer a very consistent fifteen minutes of extreme metal with a clear penchant for the underground. I find it really strange that literally no one on the internet has commented on the very clear grindcore component going here as it's significant enough for "Denial" to qualify as deathgrind in my opinion. I mean, there's so much here that reminds me of early 1990's Napalm Death & particularly "Symphonies of Sickness"-period Carcass (which I suspect was the primary influence) to balance out the classic Swedish death metal characteristics. All four songs are pretty decent. Unfortunately none of them stand out as highlights though which leaves "Denial" as one of those releases that I dig while I'm listening to it but rarely find myself returning to.

For fans of Carcass, Wombbath & Dismember.

3.5/5

My revised Top Ten Deathgrind Releases of All Time list with "Denial" doing just enough to usurp Napalm Death's "Mass Appeal Madness" at number ten:

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 Choirs" (2019)

05. Lock Up - "Necropolis Transparent" (2011)

06. Cephalic Carnage - "Misled by Certainty" (2010)

07. Damaged - "Passive Backseat Demon Engines" E.P. (1995)

08. Napalm Death - "Harmony Corruption" (1990)

09. Napalm Death - "Mentally Murdered" E.P. (1989)

10. Crematory - "Denial" E.P. (1992)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/223

Dismember - "Pieces" E.P. (1992)

1992's "Pieces" E.P. was the second release I picked up from Swedish death metal legends Dismember after their 1991 debut album "Like an Ever Flowing Stream" album, both of which I picked up through trading back in the early 1990's. Despite the unanimous hype around the early Dismember records, I have to admit that I've never seen either as being particularly essential, even though I get a fair bit of enjoyment out of both. I think it simply comes down to my preference for a more sophisticated & extreme version of the death metal model to the one being churned out by the Swedes at the time to be honest. "Pieces" is very much in line with Like an Ever Flowing Stream" but I tend to slightly favour the album over the E.P. due to the greater number of highlight tracks. There's not a lot in it though as I'd suggest that "Pieces" is perhaps a touch more consistent. Anyway... if you like this sort of Swedish BOSS HM-2 pedal-driven death metal then you'll no doubt get a kick out of "Pieces". Just don't expect anything terribly life-changing with closer "Soon To Be Dead" being clearly the strongest inclusion.

For fans of Entombed, Carnage & Grave.

3.5/5

Also taken from Deep Purple's 1972 "Machine Head" album, we find this heavy metal chugger "Pictures of Home". Just listen to that driving chugger of a metal riff from the bass & guitars which manages to overcome some fairly swinging drumming to qualify as legitimate metal in my opinion.

This morning we close out Rainbow's "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" album with "Rainbow Eyes", a ballad that I'd suggest sits best under the chamber folk tag. That leaves me with a very clear "NO" result for "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll". There's really only the one metal song included in the infamous "Kill The King" & I've always struggled to understand how anyone could view it differently to be honest as it's just so clearly a hard rock record as far as I can see.

Tomorrow we'll begin a new release in 1978's "Los cuatro jinetes del Apocalipsis" debut album from Spain's Zarpa Rock (or simply Zarpa as they're more commonly known as). This particularly underground record has built up quite a reputation in the underground as being a bit of a player in the early metal scene. Let's see if it lives up to its reputation, shall we?

Here are the feature releases nomination recipients for July:

THE FALLEN: Daniel, Ben

THE GATEWAY: Saxy, Andi

THE GUARDIANS: Xephyr, Daniel

THE HORDE: Ben, Daniel

THE INFINITE: Xephyr, Saxy, Andi

THE NORTH: Xephyr, Daniel, Ben

THE PIT: Ben, Daniel

THE REVOLUTION: Daniel, Andi

THE SPHERE: Andi, Daniel

No, I'm in the minority, too.  I checked some ranked lists around the internet, and it's rare to find Sin After Sin in the top 4.  Typically the battle's between Painkiller, Vengeance and Defenders.  The latter two are a bit straightforward for me, especially Defenders.  That was the first of the various Priest albums I got through in the last 24 hours, and I really can't even say it holds a candle to the others, let alone to Invincible Shield or even British Steel which is more hard rock than anything.

Interesting. I guess it just goes to show what an important band they were given that a lot of people have very different preferences. For the record, "Defenders of the Faith" is comfortably my second favourite Priest record behind "Painkiller" (which is the only Priest record that I regard as being a genuine classic just quietly).

June 2024

01. Civerous – “Shrouded in Crystals” (from “Maze Envy”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

02. Krisiun – “The Great Execution” (from “The Great Execution”, 2011) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

03. Abhorrent Decimation – “A Glass Coffin Burial” (from “The Pardoner”, 2017) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

04. Gorguts – “Disincarnated” (from “Considered Dead”, 1991) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

05. Malevolent Creation – “Premature Burial” (from “The Ten Commandments”, 1991) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

06. Akercocke – “Shelter From The Sand” (from “Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone”, 2005) [Submitted by Sonny]

07. Septicflesh – “Anubis” (from “Communion”, 2008) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

08. Balmora – “A Dagger To The Heart Of Finality” (from “With Thorns Of Glass & Petals Of Grief” E.P., 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

09. Critical Extravasation – “Waltz of Hypocrisy” (from “Order of Decadence”, 2022) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

10. Neuropath – “Rectal Pulpation” (from “Nefarious Vivisection” demo, 1995) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Sadistik Exekution – “Cautness Darling Blood” (from “The Magus”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. PainKiller – “Skinned” (from “Buried Secrets”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Venenum – “Merging Nebular Drapes” (from “Trance of Death”, 2017) [Submitted by Sonny]

14. Massacra – “Atrocious Crimes” (from “Enjoy The Violence”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

15. Coffins – “Chain” (from “Sinister Oath”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

16. Gorephilia – “Devotion Upon The Worm” (from “In The Eye Of Nothing”, 2020) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Grave – “Deformed” (from “Into The Grave”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Stortregn – “Cold Void” (from “Finitude”, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

19. The Crown – “Devil Gate Ride” (from “Deathcrown King”, 2000) [Submitted by Daniel]

20. Deicide – “Bury The Cross… With Your Christ” (from “Bury The Cross… With Your Christ”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

21. Soreption – “Architects of the Apocalypse” (from “Monument of the End”, 2018) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]

22. Suffocation – “Catatonia” (from “Human Waste” E.P., 1991) [Submitted by Sonny]

23. Discordance Axis – “Jigsaw” (from “The Inalienable Dreamless”, 2000) [Submitted by Sonny]

24. Dying Fetus – “Enlighten Through Agony” (from “Make Them Beg For Death”, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

25. Devourment – “Shroud of Encryption” (from “Molesting the Decapitated, 1999) [Submitted by Sonny]

26. Hour of Penance – “The Morality of War” (from “Devotion”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

27. Benighted – “Le Vice des Entrailles” (from “Ekbom”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

June 2024

01. Bonfire – “Temple of Lies” (from “Temple of Lies”, 2018)

02. Running Wild – “Sinister Eyes” (from “Pile of Skulls”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

03. Paul Di’Anno’s Battlezone – “Rip It Up” (from “Children of Madness”, 1987)

04. Axel Rudi Pell – “Too Late” (from “The Crest”, 2010)

05. I Am The Intimidator – “Eat My Smoke” (from “I Am The Intimidator” E.P., 2024)

06. Sir Lord Baltimore – “Caesar LXXI” (from “Sir Lord Baltimore”, 1971)

07. Danzig – “Heart of the Devil” (from “Danzig III: How The Gods Kill”, 1992)

08. Dust – “Love Me Hard” (from “Dust”, 1971)

09. Black Sabbath – “Paranoid” (from “Paranoid”, 1970)

10. Stryper – “Co’mon Rock” (from “The Yellow & Black Attack” E.P., 1984)

11. Blaze Bayley – “Absence” (from “Circle of Stone”, 2024)

12. Venom – “Countess Bathory” (from “Black Metal”, 1982)

13. Myrath – “The Empire” (from “Karma”, 2024)

14. Alestorm – “Voyage of the Dead Marauder” (from “Voyage of the Dead Marauder” E.P., 2024)

15. Scanner – “Space Battalion” (from “The Cosmic Race”, 2024)

16. Avantasia – “Scary Eyes” (from “Lost in Space Part 2” E.P., 2007)

17. Cage – “Spectre of War/Science of Annihilation/At the Edge of Infinity” (from “Science of Annihilation”, 2009)

18. Frozen Crown – “Crown Eternal” (from “Winterbane”, 2021)

19. Týr – “Hammered” (from “Battle Ballads”, 2024)

20. Dreamtale – “Silent Scream” (from “Everlasting Flame”, 2024)

21. Dragonforce – “Pixel Prison” (from “Warp Speed Warriors”, 2024) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

22. Rage – “Cold Desire” (from “Afterlifelines”, 2024)

23. Firewind – “Land of Chaos” (from “Stand United”, 2024)

24. Manticora – “Demonday” (from “Mycelium”, 2024)

25. Sodom – “One Step Over The Line” (from “Tapping The Vein”, 1992)

While I certainly quite like "Sin After Sin" & "Screaming For Vengeance" & have had a very long relationship with both, I've always felt that they were heavily overrated with neither being essential Judas Priest releases for me personally.

I can say the same for "Stained Class" actually. I guess my sweet spots for Priest are a little different to the norm.

Comecon – “Ulcer” (from “Megatrends in Brutality”, 1992)

Balmora – “An Angel’s Final Prayer” (from “With Thorns of Glass & Petals of Grief” E.P., 2023)

Critical Defiance – “The Search Won’t Fall” (from “The Search Won’t Fall…”, 2024)

Exhorder – “Unforgiven” (from “The Law”, 1992)

Solstice – “Cleansed of Impurity” (from “Solstice”, 1992)

Sodom – “Hunting Season”, (from “Tapping the Vein”, 1992)

Sadus – “Machines” (from “A Vision of Misery”, 1992)

Aura Noir – “Caged Wrath” (from “Black Thrash Attack”, 1996)

Master’s Hammer – “Utok” (from “Ritual”, 1991)

Evilfeast – “From The Northern Wallachian Forest… Tyranny Returns” (from “Elegies of the Stellar Wind”, 2017)

Emperor – “My Empire’s Doom” (from “Wrath of the Tyrant” demo, 1992)

Critical Defiance – “Full Paranoia” (from “The Search Won’t…”, 2024)

Malevolent Creation – “Multiple Stab Wounds” (from “The Ten Commandments”, 1991)

Critical Defiance – “All The Powers” (from “The Search Won’t…”, 2024)

Asphyx – “Diabolical Existence” (from “The Rack”, 1991)

Pestilence – “Twisted Truth” (from “Testimony of the Ancients”, 1991)

Convulse – “Incantation of Restoration” (from “World Without God”, 1991)

Bolt Thrower – “Destructive Infinity” (from “War Master”, 1991)

Immolation – “Those Left Behind” (from “Dawn of Possession”, 1991)

Autopsy – “Destined to Fester” (from “Retribution For The Dead” E.P., 1991)

Comecon – “Omnivorous Excess” (from “Megatrends in Brutality”, 1992)

PainKiller – “Warhead” (from “Guts of a Virgin”, 1991)

Hypocrisy - "Suffering Souls" (from "Penetralia", 1992)

Anthem – “Night Stalker” (from “Gypsy Ways”, 1988)

Sorrow – “Insatiable” (from “Hatred & Disgust”, 1992)

Anathema – “…And I Lust” (from “The Crestfallen E.P.”, 1992)

My Dying Bride – “Sear Me” (from “As The Flower Withers”, 1992)

Welcome to the Academy ZeroSymbolic7188. We're very glad you enjoy the concept & encourage you to be as active as you'd like on the site. There are some very cool activities that go on every month (like the Hall of Judgement genre-tag voting, our nine monthly clan Spotify playlists & our monthly clan feature releases) & if you'd like to be involved in any of them then simply shoot me a private message & I can help guide you through the process. If not, then enjoy the site & our tight-knit little metal community.

While I certainly quite like "Sin After Sin" & "Screaming For Vengeance" & have had a very long relationship with both, I've always felt that they were heavily overrated with neither being essential Judas Priest releases for me personally.

The 24th March 1972 would be a significant day in rock music with Deep Purple releasing arguably their heaviest & best record in their illustrious sixth full-length "Machine Head". It kicks off with a belter of a heavy metal track too in the driving headbanger "Highway Star" which has gone on to become an iconic inclusion in the band's back catalogue over the years:

Today's track is Rainbow's " Sensitive to Light" which I regard as being hard rock:

I'm across about two thirds of the Illdisposed back catalogue Andi. I remember picking up "There's Something Rotten... In the State of Denmark" back in my tape trading days & got some mild enjoyment out of it. I liked their earlier & more conventional death metal albums a little better unsurprisingly enough.

Ok, so I've updated all of the playlist titles, descriptions & images & they now seem to be much easier to find in Spotify searches. With next month's The Guardians & The Horde lists, I've attempted to program them in a way that will offer immediate appeal to the casual listener with five strong tracks from the primary genre kicking off proceedings. I've also made an attempt to ensure that I had the best material from each release on The Guardians list & have picked a couple of obvious classics in order to draw in the less educated audience. The Horde playlist is looking really bloody good now that it's 100% comprised of member's selections actually so I think that was a good move. I'm planning to start a social media marketing campaign for those two playlists in June to see what I can accomplish too.

The brand new "Les chants de l’aurore" seventh full-length from French blackgaze/post-metal outfit Alcest is being released on 21st June. Some of Alcest's releases have really grown on me in recent years while others have left me feeling a bit flat but I'll no doubt give this one a run at some stage, particularly given that I enjoyed the promotional video for the opening single recently.

The brand new "Discontinued" fifth album from New York brutal/technical death metallers Malignancy hits the streets on 14th June. I really dug everything I've heard from these guys to date, particularly their 1999 debut album "Intrauterine Cannibalism" which was stellar, so I'll most certainly be indulging in this one at some point.

The seventh full-length album from LA sludge metallers Thou hits the shelves tomorrow & is called "Umbilical". I've had mixed experiences with Thou on record over the years but there's no doubt that they're a fantastic live act.

A new live album from San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal legends Exodus hits the streets tomorrow. It's called "British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live at the Astoria)" & was recorded on the 1989 tour for their excellent "Fabulous Disaster" third album.

Another fresh new live recording from [hate5six], this time from Detroit metalcore outfit Cold as Life whose 1998 "Born to Land Hard" debut album I quite like.

Genre-shunning Tokyo experimental band Boris share some of their favourite music in a special NTS radio residency:

https://www.nts.live/shows/boris/episodes/boris-21st-may-2024