Daniel's Forum Replies
Here are the feature releases nomination recipients for March:
THE FALLEN: Ben, Morpheus, Daniel
THE GATEWAY: Saxy, Andi
THE GUARDIANS: Xephyr, Shezma, Morpheus
THE HORDE: Daniel, Ben
THE INFINITE: Andi, Xephyr, Saxy, Shezma
THE NORTH: Ben, Daniel, Shezma, Xephyr
THE PIT: Morpheus, Ben, Daniel
THE REVOLUTION: Daniel, Andi
THE SPHERE: Andi, Daniel
I've removed Rexorcist from the roster given that he's failed to submit his nominations for the last couple of months so I'm assuming that he's lost interest in taking part. We'll see if Morpheus Kitami submits this month given that he didn't submit on time this month & hasn't been spotted around the site much either.
February 2024
01. Dark Tranquillity – “Zodijackyl Light” (from “Enter Suicidal Angels” E.P., 1996)
02. Ablaze My Sorrow – “If Emotions Still Burn” (from “If Emotions Still Burn”, 1996)
03. Demilich – “The Echo (Replacement)” (from “Nespithe”, 1993) [Submitted by Sonny]
04. Nihilist – “When Life Has Ceased” (from “Drowned” demo, 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]
05. diSEMBOWELMENT – “Thou Messiah” (from “Mourning September” demo, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]
06. Darkthrone – “Accumulation of Generalization” (from “Cromlech” demo, 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]
07. Hellwitch – “Nosferatu” (from “Syzgial Miscreancy”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]
08. Gorguts – “Pleiades’ Dust” (from “Pleiades’ Dust” E.P., 2016)
09. Bolt Thrower – “Cenotaph” (from “War Master”, 1991) [Submitted by Sonny]
10. Carnage – “Dark Recollections” (from “Dark Recollections”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]
11. Napalm Death – “If The Truth Be Known” (from “Harmony Corruption”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]
12. Neuropath – “Copulation of Insanity” (from “Desert of Excruciation” demo, 1995) [Submitted by Daniel]
13. Repulsion – “Slaughter Of The Innocent” (from “Horrified”, 1989) [Submitted by Sonny]
14. Morbid Angel – “Pain Divine” (from “Covenant”, 1993) [Submitted by Sonny]
15. Vile – “Alive to Suffer” (from “Stench of the Deceased”, 1999)
16. Coffin Nail – “Trash Future” (from “Charnel Visions”, 2020) [Submitted by Sonny]
17. Medic Vomiting Pus – “Thoracoabdominal Viscerectomy” (from “Thoracoabdominal Viscerectomy”, 2014)
18. Tomb Mold – “Flesh As Armour” (from “Enduring Spirit”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]
19. Malignancy – “Bag” (from “Intrauterine Cannibalism”, 1999)
20. Fossilization – “The Night Spoke The Tongue Of Flames” (from “Leprous Daylight”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]
21. Leng Tch’e – “Too Stupid To Live” (from “Man Made Predator”, 2003)
22. Year Of The Knife – “Last Laugh” (from “No Love Lost”, 2023) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]
23. Nile – “Lashed To The Slave Stick” (from “Annihilation Of The Wicked”, 2005) [Submitted by Sonny]
24. Acranius – “Unit 731” (from “Dishonor”, 2014)
25. Skeletal Remains – “Relentless Appetite” (from “Relentless Appetite”, 2024) [Submitted by UnhinderedbyTalent]
Here's my March nomination Andi:
Dodheimsgard – “Ion Storm” (from “666 International”, 1999)
Herte's my March nomination Andi:
Great Falls – “Born As An Argument” (from “Objects Without Pain”, 2023) [I'm suggesting this is close enough to mathcore]
Here are my March nominations Vinny:
Testament – “Face In The Sky” (from “Souls of Black”, 1990)
Sacrifice – “A Storm In The Silence” (from “Soldiers of Misfortune”, 1990)
Sodom – “Bloodtrails” (from “Better Off Dead”, 1990)
Sacred Reich – “Love…Hate” (from “The American Way”, 1990)
Tyrant – “Into The Flames” (from “Too Late To Pray”, 1987)
Hellwitch – “Sentient Transmography” (from “Syzygial Miscreancy”, 1990)
Here are my March nominations Ben:
Sadistik Exekution – “Spirits Are Coming” (from “The Magus”, 1991) [It sounds much closer to black metal than death metal or thrash metal in my opinion]
Equilibrium – “Mana” (from “Sagas”, 2008)
Here are my March nominations:
Neuropath – “Nefarious Vivisection” (from “Nefarious Vivisection” demo, 1995)
Nihilist – “Morbid Devourment “ (from “The Head Not Found Session ‘89”, 1989)
Deicide – “Carnage In The Temple Of The Damned” (from “Deicide”, 1990)
Nocturnus – “Standing in Blood” (from “The Key”, 1990)
Grotesque – “Incantation” (from “Incantation” E.P., 1990)
Disbelief – “Assassinate The Scars” (from “Worst Enemy”, 2001)
Here's my March nomination Xephyr:
Suicidal Tendencies – “Go’n Breakdown” (from “Lights Camera Revolution”, 1990) [Yes, it's a heavy metal song]
Here's my March nomination Saxy:
Ugly Kid Joe – “Funky Fresh Country Club” (from “As Ugly As They Wanna Be” E.P., 1991)
Here are my March submissions Sonny:
diSEMBOWELMENT – “River of Salvation (My Divine Punishment)” (from “Deep Sensory Procession Into Aural Fate” demo, 1991) [Can be found on the “Dusk & Deep Sensory Procession Into Aural Fate” compilation]
Earth – “A Bureaucratic Desire For Revenge Part 2” (from “Extra-Capsular Extraction” E.P., 1991) [Can be found on the “A Bureaucratic Desire For Extra Capsular Extraction” compilation]
Fudge Tunnel – “Hate Song” (from “Hate Songs In E Minor”, 1991)
The Thron, Sulphur Aeon & Tilintetgjort ones are my favourites.
At the moment it would seem like the Neuropath CD is likely to come out on top in the race for The Horde Clan Release of 2023 & while I'm certainly flattered that it appears alongside the most popular releases from the clan over the past year I'm also not sure I feel comfortable with it. For starters, it's numbers have been boosted by me awarding it the full five stars which I'm not sure anyone would blame me for but it's a luxury not afforded to other releases & I wouldn't suggest is not an accurate reflection of the music itself. Secondly, "At Damnation's Core" is a remastered compilation of two demo tapes recorded in 1995 rather than a new release. Regardless of those two points, I'd suggest that it also might not be a very good look to have the moderator's CD winning the award when it's very unlikely to get a mention anywhere else. How does everyone feel about this & how would you propose we move forward? These are the options as I see them but feel free to propose your own:
1. We disqualify "At Damnation's Core" from being eligible for the award.
2. We qualify it but ignore my ratings.
3. We leave it as is & what will be will be.
Open thoughts guys? It's very much the same case in The Gallery too by the way as it's ahead there too.
I've always had time for "Seventh Star" & feel that it's been unfairly treated by people that were unable to think of it as the Tony Iommi solo album that it was always intended to be. In fact, I'd take it our records like "Never Say Die!", "Technical Ecstasy", "Forbidden" or "Tyr" these days.
3.5/5
Today's track is Budgie's "Crash Course In Brain Surgery" which is just a hard rock song in my opinion but seems to have been misguidedly elevated to metal status by the public due to the links to Metallica's hugely popular cover version.
And yet you apparently started the thread in order to do just that. ;)
My adjusted Top Ten Funeral Doom Metal Releases of All Time list after checking out the debut album from Sacramento duo Oromet today:
01. Esoteric - "The Maniacal Vale" (2008)
02. Esoteric – “Paragon of Dissonance” (2011)
03. Shape of Despair - "Monotony Fields" (2015)
04. Esoteric – “Metamorphogenesis” (1999)
05. Esoteric - "A Pyrrhic Existence" (2019)
06. Ahab - "The Call of The Wretched Sea" (2006)
07. Esoteric - "The Pernicious Enigma" (1997)
08. Evoken – “Atra Mors” (2012)
09. The Howling Void – “Shadows Over The Cosmos” (2010)
10. Oromet - "Oromet" (2023)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/132
Oromet - "Oromet" (2023)
This debut album from a new Sacramento-based duo is a great example of the funeral doom metal genre in my opinion & I'm surprised that it hasn't been mentioned as yet. With its three tracks spanning a suitable 43-minute duration, it doesn't outstay its welcome like so many funeral doom records do. It's also quite melodic with a noticeably epic feel that provides just a little differentiation from the pack. The second track "Diluvium" is spectacular & is one of the better examples of the genre you're gonna find. There's just not quite the musical proficiency to reach my elite scores but this is a damn fine release nonetheless & has even bumped its way into the lower positions in my top ten for the genre overall.
4/5
Dying Fetus - "Make Them Beg For Death" (2023)
The new Dying Fetus album is... well... you know... yet another Dying Fetus record with all of the same characteristics as every other one of their releases. Groovy hardcore riffs, slower slam sections, guitar-practice-sounding sweep-picking flourishes... they're all here. The production is super-clean & clinical but it doesn't change the fact that Dying Fetus will always be a band that I unanimously enjoy to some extent but never genuinely love. They just sound a little bit sterile & lacking in quality control when it comes to the use of some pretty lackluster riffs at times which is frustrating when they can be so crushing at others. In saying that, I'd suggest that this might be my second favourite of Dying Fetus' record from 2012's "Reign Supreme" but there's very little between most of them in all honesty. As usual, people will try to attach the tech death tag to "Make Them Beg For Death" but (also as usual) it's not an accurate description of their sound, despite the consciously techy moments which generally sound forced.
3.5/5
Kostnatění - "Úpal" (2023)
Last year's sophomore album from one-man Minneapolis avant-garde black metal project Kostnatění is a really solid release & should probably come into these discussions somewhere. It's currently sitting solely in The North but it's very clear to me that it should have a dual clan allocation with The infinite as it's made an obvious attempt to sound as strange as possible with a Deathspell Omega influence being pretty obvious in the guitar work. It doesn't all work but the majority of the record is highly engaging, despite being more interesting & intriguing than it is traditionally enjoyable. I'm placing it just behind Odz Manouk's "Bosoragazan (Բոսորագազան)" & Panopticon's "The Rime of Memory".
4/5
This morning's investigation is the title track from Budgie's 1974 "In For The KIll" fourth album which I regard as being hard rock:
Today's track is Black Sabbath's "Spiral Architect" which I regard as being symphonic prog.
That's brings "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" to an end. It was actually a much closer thing than I would have thought going in. Despite it containing more hard rock record than it does metal though, there was still just enough metal to qualify. Unlike Sabbath's first four full-lengths which I now regard as being stoner metal releases, this one is more of a classic heavy metal record too. Tomorrow we'll start looking at Budgie's 1974 fourth album "In For The Kill".
Today's track is Black Sabbath's "Looking For Today" which I'd suggest is simply hard rock:
I'm aware of that Rex. I'm actually conducting this exercise as a part of another initiative I'm looking at doing in the future though & it's important that I check out or revisit all of these proto-metal records if I'm gonna make a good fist of that. And for the record, I don't think "Thunder & Lightning" is a metal record either just quietly.
I checked out Thin Lizzy's 1973 third album "Vagabonds of the Western World" this morning & didn't find any metal to speak of there. I'd suggest that it's a hard rock record with blues rock & funk rock influences so we won't be investigating it in this exercise.
I don't mind the Hellripper album. It's certainly a bit of fun, isn't it? I'm just not sure that I could ever truly "love" a blackened speed metal record like that one though as it mostly sounds like drunken party music which doesn't offer as much substance as I would usually look for in my extreme metal. "Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags" reminds me of a more blackened version of Midnight or the faster Venom tracks. The thrashier material (" The Cursed Carrion Crown" & my personal favourite "Mester Stoor Worm") is the most appealing for me personally & brings to mind Toxic Holocaust's more blackened moments while there are a couple of tracks that are pure Motorhead worship. I've just managed to get this up to a reasonable rating but I'd take the Demoniac album over this one.
3.5/5
A new live video from San Jose metalcore act Sunami whose 2020 self-titled E.P. I had some time for:
Today's track is Black Sabbath's "Who Are You? which I would suggest is symphonic prog:
Florida death metal legends Massacre have a brand new E.P. coming out on 1st February called "Tri-pocalypse".
Here are the feature releases nomination recipients for February:
THE FALLEN: Morpheus, Ben, Daniel
THE GATEWAY: Andi, Saxy
THE GUARDIANS: Rexorcist, Xephyr, Shezma, Morpheus
THE HORDE: Ben, Daniel
THE INFINITE: Shezma, Andi, Xephyr, Rexorcist, Saxy
THE NORTH: Xephyr, Ben, Daniel, Shezma
THE PIT: Rexorcist, Morpheus, Daniel, Ben
THE REVOLUTION: Andi, Daniel
THE SPHERE: Daniel, Andi
As I said last month, please feel free to submit your nominations immediately guys as I shouldn't need to chase you in the back end of the month.
Rexorcist, will you be participating given that you didn't submit your nomination on time for inclusion in the January features? If you don't respond within a week then we'll revert to the next member in the queue for The Guardians & The Pit which will be Xephyr & Morpheus respectively.
Morpheus, Rexorcist, Shezma & Xephyr, I'm still waiting for your feature release nominations. If I don't receive them before 31st January then you'll miss your turn.
For our newer contributors, please be aware that you need to create a feature release post for your nomination(s) on the 1st February so that our members have a place to share their thoughts.
My old Iron Maiden "World Slavery Tour 1984-85" baseball shirt has finally packed it in which has left me feeling quite emotional.
The only real contenders for The Sphere Release of 2023 are Godflesh's "Purge" & In This Moment's "Godmode" with less than a week to go so get those ratings in.
The frontrunners for The Revolution Release of 2023 Award are August Burns Red's "Death Below", Will Haven's "VII" & Unearth's "The Wretched; The Ruinous" at the moment with less than a week to go so get those ratings in.
The frontrunners for The Pit Release of 2023 Award are Hellripper's "Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags", Demoniac's "Nube negra" & Enforced's "War Remains" with less than a week to go so get those ratings in.
The frontrunner for The North Release of 2023 Award are Panopticon's "The Rime of Memory", Hellripper's "Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags" & Malokarpatan's "Vertumnus Caesar". There's less than a week to go so get those ratings in.
The frontrunner for The Infinite Release of 2023 Award are Ne Obliviscaris' "Exul', King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard's "PetroDragonic Apocalypse" & Periphery's "Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre". There's less than a week to go now so get those ratings in.
The main contenders for The Horde Release of 2023 Award are Neuropath's "At Damnation's Core", Horrendous' "Ontological Mysterium" & VoidCeremony's "Threads of Unknowing". There's less than a week to go so get those ratings in.
Cirith Ungol's "Dark Parade" album is the frontrunner to win The Guardians Release of 2023 Award with less than a week to go with Malokarpatan's "Vertumnus Caesar" & Kamelot's "The Awakening" being the main competition. Get those ratings in guys.
Katatonia's "Sky Void of Stars" & Klone's "Meanwhile" are neck & neck in the race to take out The Gateway Release of the 2023 Award at the moment followed by Sleep Token's "Take Me Back To Eden". There's less than a week to go so get those ratings in guys.
Great Falls' "Objects Without Pain" album is the frontrunner to take out The Fallen Release of 2023 Award with less than a week to go followed by FVNERALS "Let the Earth Be Silent" & Ahab's "The Coral Tombs" so get those ratings in.
Cheers for the rec, Daniel! Here's my review summary:
Circuit Circuit perform a promising sound of experimental mathcore. After their self-titled EP, they made another one, Body Songs. And here we have some great powerful mathcore that leans into nu metal, basically mashing together the early 2000s eras of Converge and Linkin Park. Guitar grooves and shouted vocals have surely united two separate realms in the present. The circuits these guys have will keep you wired....
4/5
I'm not sure I pick up on the nu metal/Linkin Park thing to be honest. I actually think I may not be able to tag "Body Songs" as being metal at all if I gave it a little more time & scrutiny. The opening track is probably the only inclusion that I'd suggest possesses a clearly metallic sound. The mathcore tag isn't exactly accurate even during the more metallic moments either as "Body Songs" isn't always particularly chaotic & complex though it is often dissonant. I guess that ambiguity contributes to its intrigue though, doesn't it?
Today's track is Black Sabbath's "Killing Yourself To Live" which is a really difficult one to categorize. It's certainly more rock than it is metal but the chorus & solo section are so critical to the way the song plays out that I've allowed it to qualify as metal regardless. I'm going with a multi-tag arrangement of heavy metal, hard rock & stoner rock.
Balmora - " With Thorns of Glass & Petals of Grief" E.P. (2023)
I struggled with last year's five-track debut E.P. from Connecticut-based outfit Balmora who combine melodic metalcore with 1990's melodic death metal. I suppose that's hardly a surprise I given that I'm not a huge fan of either subgenre but I still feel that the combination could have been done much better than it is here. Balmora's sound is probably a little stronger on the melodeath side of things but the core-ish vocal delivery & consistent use of breakdowns are hard to ignore. This one wasn't completely awful but simply wasn't for me.
3/5
Nuclear Power Trio - "Wet Ass Plutonium" (2023)
This extraordinarily talented power trio/super group have produced a record that sits somewhere between the progressive metal of Dream Theater & the instrumental guitar shred of "Meltdown"-era Vinny Moore with a wide array of influences being utilized from funk to flamenco. The world-class bass playing of Nick Schendzielos (Cephalic Carnage/Havok/Job for a Cowboy) is absolutely astounding while guitarist Greg Burgess (Allegaeon/Cryogen) is no slouch either. In fact, the performances & production job are perhaps a touch too clinical which leaves things sounding a touch sterile at times. Perhaps I was never going to rate a record like this one higher than I have, despite the consistency of the tracklisting. It's possibly more about style than it is substance.
3.5/5
Circuit Circuit = "Body Songs" E.P. (2023)
This five-song E.P. from Tennessee-based hardcore outfit Circuit Circuit is very solid indeed & is now my new frontrunner for The Revolution Release of the Year. I have no idea what Sasscore is but this certainly doesn't sound like the description of that subgenre. It's definitely a lot more post-hardcore than it is mathcore but there's a strong consistency to the tracklisting & an electric energy in the performances that ensures that the listener is perennially captivated. An excellent production job ensures that I feel like I'm listening to an important record due to the vibrancy of the sounds blasting from the speakers. Circuit Circuit kinda sound like System of a Down meets The Dillinger Escape Plan & I can see Xephyr, Andi & perhaps even Saxy all being interested in this one.
4/5
Today's track is Black Sabbath's "Sabbra Cadabra" which I consider to be hard rock:
Well done Shezma. I'd suggest going chronologically as it helps with context.
This morning's track is Black Sabbath's "Fluff" which I'd suggest fits best under the chamber folk tag:
Also, I checked out Bang's 1973 third album "Music" this morning & there's no metal there whatsoever. In fact there's really very little hard rock either. It sits in between rock, soft rock & progressive rock in roughly equal portions in my opinion so we won't be investigating it in this exercise.
The first ever live release from Swiss industrial metallers Samael (entitled "Passage - Live") is due for release on 16th February & appears to be a complete reenactment of their 1996 fourth full-length "Passage". I have some time for "Passage" so this one might be worth a listen.
Emperor front man & progressive metal icon Ihsahn's self-titled eighth solo album is due for release on 16th February. I'm well across his 2008-2012 period but haven't checked out his last few records, potentially because I didn't get on all that well with 2012's "Eremita" at the time. Perhaps it's time to get back in the saddle with this one.
The Demoniac album is pretty good but hasn't exactly blown my socks off to be honest. The aggressive Teutonic thrash style stuff (think Kreator & Destruction) is great but the progressive experimentation often doesn't work & some of the decisions around song structure were misguided too. The highlight is clearly the guitar solos & I like the raspy vocals too. It's certainly not a tech thrash record like it's being tagged as though as it's not all that technical. It's just thrash metal with progressive influences for mine.
3.5/5