Daniel's Forum Replies
Here's my review:
Atlanta’s Tomarum hadn’t crossed my radar until last year’s “Ash in the Realms of Stone Icons” album. Their 2020 “Wounds Ever Expanding” E.P. had drifted past my gaze without attracting my attention but on the evidence presented on their debut full-length I’d have to suggest that it might be worth me exploring shortly. You see, love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s impossible to deny that Tomarum are a class act.
Tomarum is really the artistic creation of one individual in 26 year-old vocalist/guitarist Kyle Warburn who started writing for the album back in 2017 as a way to work through his mental health concerns. He’d soon meet fellow guitarist Brandon Iacovella & they’d not only form fellow Atlanta technical/progressive death metal outfit Lunar Chamber but Brandon would also offer to help Kyle with his Tomarum project. The intention was not originally to form a permanent band but to utilize hired session musicians to fill out the rest of the instruments although the subsequent success of the album has seen Kyle committing to forming a band for the purpose of live shows. For “Ash in the Realms of Stone Icons” however, Kyle brought in talented fretless bassist Arran McSporran, Inferi drummer Spencer Moore & keyboardist Aaron Baumoel in what must be one of the most shredding groups of extreme metal musicians ever assembled.
Tomarum’s sound is quite remarkable really & I’d probably describe it as a cinematic take on the progressive black metal model. There’s a fair bit of technical death metal influence in there too with the accomplished guitar solos in particular taking an all-out progressive approach. Unlike other artists to have attempted such a sound though, Tomarum almost transcend their links to black metal because, even though they can be devastatingly brutal at times, the atmosphere on offer here has a more sombre & melodic feel to it. Unlike a lot of black metal, Tomarum very rarely sound intimidating or evil as there’s a vulnerability there that’s quite uncommon. Perhaps it’s that element more than any other that sees me resisting the urge to fully commit too & I’d suggest that this is a failing in myself more than it is a criticism of Kyle’s creative vision. I simply find it a little tough to let go of my childhood fascinations with the pure blasphemy of the traditional black metal bands of my youth which is also why it took me many years to come to grips with a subgenre like blackgaze. Recent times have seen me being better prepared for that journey but I’ve found that I’m still not quite ready to claim a record like “Ash in the Realms of Stone Icons” as a genuine extreme metal classic.
The hour-long tracklisting is comprised by seven pieces; five lengthy progressive outings & a couple of short interludes. The album is programmed in chronological order with each track getting slightly more progressive than the last, culminating in the epic 15 minute crescendo that is “Awake Into Eternal Slumber”. There isn’t a weak track included but, by the same token, I’m not sure I’d class any of these pieces as classics as such. Tomarum’s sound is simply a little too melodic for me to force my hand in that regard. It is a very consistent record though with an undeniable air of quality being splashed on everything Tomarum dishes up. The most brutal song on offer “As Black Forms From Grey” is probably my pick of the bunch but I also really dig the one-two punch of single “Condemned To A Life Of Grief” & “In This Empty Space”. The other highlight is the wonderful rhythm section with McSporran proving himself to be one of the most gifted & creative bassists in the extreme metal scene & drummer Moore littering the run time with sprays of devastatingly precise blast-beats. I do like the cinematic way that Baumoel has subtley incorporated his keyboards too as it’s rarely over the top or overly bombastic. Warburn’s vocals are perhaps the weakest part of the Tomarum sound as they can sound a little unintelligent when compared with the sophisticated instrumental contributions around them. I’d also suggest that the progressive solos are a little at odds with the whole black metal aesthetic if I’m being particularly picky.
It’s hard to be too critical of a release like “Ash in the Realms of Stone Icons” though as it’s an incredible effort for a debut full-length. In fact, I’d be very surprised if fans of other modern extreme progressive metal outfits like Ne Obliviscaris, An Abstract Illusion & Xanthochroid don’t jump onboard this train fairly promptly too. I’m not sure the black metal community will be as keen though as Tomarum’s atmosphere is quite regularly at odds with the darkness & aggression of that scene & is mainly linked to the more melodic examples of the sound. The wonderfully accomplished presentation of Tomarum’s package makes it very hard for this old metalhead to deny though & I’ve gotten a lot of enjoyment out of this month’s feature release to be honest.
P.S. What a great album cover too!
4/5
Excellent. I've been meaning to check this one out for a while now.
Industrial metal from Birmingham, England.
Here's my review:
Birmingham’s Scorn is an interesting artist who I first found myself investigating shortly after the release of their debut album & mainly off the back of my infatuation with their record label Earache Records whose consistency in leaving me devastated with each successive release was reaching unparalleled levels at the time. I was utterly obsessed with extreme metal back in the early 1990's (still are today if I'm being honest) & would religiously explore each Earache release with the eagerness of a milk-deprived infant & Scorn's strong links to quality extremists such as Napalm Death gave them an extra layer of intrigue & fascination. My initial experiences with "Vae Solis" didn't exactly live up to those expectations though & I remember thinking that even though it was an interesting & seriously oppressive release, a lot of it did sound like a poor man’s Godflesh. It also saw Scorn diluting their industrial metal sound with external influences that I was perhaps not yet fully equipped to deal with. The cold production job only accentuated the album’s lack of accessibility for a teenage me so the album was afforded three or four listens before I found myself moving on to my next musical endeavor. I wouldn’t return to “Vae Solis” for the best part of two decades & it would be off the back of my newly found interest in the illbient & ambient dub subgenres which Scorn played such an important role in promoting during the 1990’s through high quality albums such as 1994’s “Evanescence” & 1995’s “Gyral”. Once again I would find “Vae Solis” to be reasonably entertaining but, given my recent discovery of Scorn's later directions, I'd decide that it was more like a work in progress than the final product they would become after fully transitioning away from metal. Perhaps now is a good time for me to reassess those feelings though as I feel like I’m free of my past agendas & ready to indulge in Scorn's cold, dark industrial soundscapes.
Scorn were originally a collaboration between two former Napalm Death members in vocalist/bassist Nicholas Bullen & drummer Mick Harris (Defecation/Extreme Noise Terror/Unseen Terror) but for their 1992 debut full-length they’d bring in another well-known former Napalm Death member in Godflesh/Jesu/Fall of Because mastermind Justin Broadrick. Despite the presence of the godfather of blast-beats (i.e. Harris) though, Scorn sees Harris & Bullen taking a mostly programmed approach to their beats & keeping well away from their grindcore roots. Instead, “Vae Solis” is very much a tale of two halves with the first seeing the trio sticking very close to the tried & true method that Justin had been championing with his highly acclaimed Godflesh project. In fact, I don’t think I would have been able to tell the difference between the two artists if tested blind given that Broadrick’s guitar work is so accurate to his past works & Bullen’s vocals seem to have been custom-made to emulate Broadrick’s pitchy clean & grunty hardcore-driven deliveries. While it’s true that this material isn’t quite as effective as Godflesh’s more classic 80’s & 90’s releases, in hindsight I think I’ve been a little harsh on Scorn because none of these tracks would have seemed out of place on a Godflesh album & that’s certainly saying something about the quality of the material. The second half of the record sees Scorn flexing their creative muscles a bit more with post-industrial, dub, electronic dance music & ambient influences all getting an airing with unanimously positive results. Strangely considering the musical territory they cover, Scorn somehow manage to keep “Vae Solis” from sounding unfocused though, perhaps due to the consistent quality of the thirteen tracks included as well as the underlying themes of depression & life’s darker underbelly that perpetuate the entire 75 minute runtime.
It all seems to work much better than I gave it credit for on my previous two visits & I think that says as much about where I am in life as it does anything about the actual music. I think I’m just better prepared for some of the more experimental material included here. In fact, the tracks that I find to be the most appealing don’t tend to be the Godflesh-worshipping ones with my favourites being the industrial tech house of “On Ice” (which sounds like Justin Broadrick collaborating with Underworld which can’t be a bad thing) & the cripplingly dark & droning ambient of “Orgy of Holiness”. Some may feel that Scorn lose their way across the back end of this admittedly overly long debut album but it never feels boring because the trio never fail to keep you guessing as to what’s coming next but also keep the cold atmosphere relatively stable along the way. The least impressive moments tend to be those where Bullen’s vocals sound a little lethargic & flat as they do on “Lick Forever Dog” & “Heavy Blood” while the highlights often match up with some of Bullen’s deeper bass lines which are where most of the dub influence comes into play. I’ve always loved the deeper end of dub so this element was something I welcomed with open arms & would be one of the reasons I’d become reacquainted with Scorn in the future.
While not ever really hinting at being any sort of classic release & being somewhat forgotten in the wake of Scorn’s legacy outside of the metal spectrum, “Vae Solis” is a very solid industrial metal release in its own right & is more than deserving of your attention, particularly if you’re a fan of bands like Godflesh or Pitchshifter. It may sound pretty familiar early on but a bit of patience will show it differentiating itself as the tracklisting progresses with the long runtime making it a safe value-for-money purchase. If you’re a metal-at-all-costs kinda listener then you may find yourself struggling to maintain your attention during the back-end of the record initially but I’d encourage you to keep an open mind & give “Vae Solis” a few listens to give it the time to fully divulge its secrets.
4/5
You’re not soft Ben. It’s just your musical taste, personality & physicality really.
So I decided it was time to properly create my Top Metal Releases by Year list using our List feature so as to make it nice & easy to edit & keep track of. I'm yet to add a 1974 release as yet but it will be coming once Ben adds it to the database for me. It's also worth noting that I can't add my favourite 2017 release to the list as it's a demo (i.e. the Cavurn rehearsal release) & therefore not available on the site either so it's been replaced with The Ruins of Beverast's "Exuvia" until I can convince Ben to add it.
https://metal.academy/lists/single/217
1970: Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”
1971: Black Sabbath – “Master Of Reality”
1972: Black Sabbath – “Vol 4”
1973: Black Sabbath – “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”
1974: Budgie – “In For The Kill”
1975: Black Sabbath – “Sabotage”
1976: Judas Priest - "Sad Wings Of Destiny"
1977: Quartz – “Quartz”
1978: Judas Priest – “Killing Machine”
1979: Judas Priest – “Unleashed In The East”
1980: Diamond Head – “Lightning To The Nations”
1981: Motorhead – “No Sleep Till Hammersmith”
1982: Ozzy Osbourne – “Speak Of The Devil”
1983: Slayer – “Show No Mercy”
1984: Metallica – “Ride The Lightning”
1985: Exodus – “Bonded By Blood”
1986: Slayer – “Reign In Blood”
1987: Bathory – “Under The Sign Of The Black Mark”
1988: Metallica – “…And Justice For All”
1989: Morbid Angel – “Altars Of Madness”
1990: Slayer - "Seasons In The Abyss"
1991: Death – “Human”
1992: Alice In Chains – “Dirt”
1993: diSEMBOWELMENT – “Transcendence Into The Peripheral”
1994: Darkthrone – “Transilvanian Hunger”
1995: Suffocation – “Pierced From Within”
1996: Burzum – “Filosofem”
1997: The Gathering - "Nighttime Birds"
1998: ISIS – “The Mosquito Control” E.P.
1999: Botch - "We Are The Romans"
2000: Immolation – “Close To A World Below”
2001: Tool - "Lateralus"
2002: ISIS – “Oceanic”
2003: Boris – “Boris At Last -Feedbacker-“
2004: ISIS – “Panopticon”
2005: Deathspell Omega – “Kenose” E.P.
2006: Celtic Frost – “Monotheist”
2007: Ufomammut/Lento - "Supernaturals - Record One"
2008: Pig Destroyer - "Natasha" E.P.
2009: Dragged Into Sunlight - "Hatred For Mankind"
2010: Hate - "Erebos"
2011: Inside The Beehive - "Drink Bleach; Live Forever" E.P.
2012: 7 Horns 7 Eyes - "Throes Of Absolution"
2013: The Amenta - "Flesh Is Heir"
2014: Dead Congregation - "Promulgation Of The Fall"
2015: Akhlys - "The Dreaming I"
2016: Mick Gordon - "Doom (Original Game Soundtrack)"
2017: Cavurn - "Rehearsal" demo
2018: Infernal Coil - "Within A World Forgotten"
2019: Esoteric - "A Pyrrhic Existence"
2020: Oranssi Pazuzu - "Mestarin kynsi"
2021: Fange - "Pantocrator"
2022: Scarcity - "Aveilut"
2023: Hoplites - "Τρωθησομένη"
Ben, can you add Earth Crisis' 1992 "All Out War" E.P. please? It was originally released as a 7" but was later re-released on CD & includes four songs so I think it should qualify.
Here's my submission for August:
Suicide Silence - "Witness The Addiction" (from "The Black Crown", 2012)
Here are my August submissions Vinny. I've included a few random speed metal tracks from old 80's heavy metal records I've been listening to over the last month. If you feel that any of them shouldn't qualify for The Pit then feel free to omit them.
Sword - "Outta Control" (from "Metalized", 1986)
Power Trip - "Soul Sacrifice" (from "Nightmare Logic", 2017)
Heir Apparent - "Nightmare" (from "Graceful Inheritance", 1986)
Vektor - "Cosmic Cortex" (from "Outer Isolation", 2011)
Running Wild - "Merciless Game" (from "Under Jolly Roger", 1987)
Here are my August submissions Ben:
Lunar Aurora - "Der Pakt" (from "Andacht", 2008)
Nocturnal Graves - "An Outlaw's Stand" (from "An Outlaw's Stand", 2022)
Revenge - "Wolf Slave Protocol (Choose Your Side)" (from "Behold.Total.Rejection", 2015)
Deathspell Omega - "First Prayer" (from "Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice", 2004)
Here are my August submissions:
Nocturnal Graves - "Beyond The Flesh" (from "An Outlaw's Stand", 2022)
Suffocation - "Translucent Patterns of Delirium" (from "Suffocation", 2006)
Katalepsy - "Lurking In The Depth" (from "Autopsychosis", 2013)
Apparition - "Unequilibrium" (from "Feel", 2021)
Here's my August submission Xephyr:
King Diamond - "The Candle" (from "Fatal Portrait", 1986)
No August submissions from me thanks.
Here are my August submissions Sonny:
Anathema - "Sleep In Sanity" (from "Serenades", 1993)
Pentagram - "Evil Seed" (from "Day of Reckoning", 1987)
Apparition - "Nonlocality" (from "Feel", 2021)
With Andi opting to take a break from the feature release roster for the next three months, here are the owners of the August submissions:
THE FALLEN: Vinny, Daniel, Sonny, Ben
THE GATEWAY: Saxy, Saxy, Saxy, Andi
THE GUARDIANS: Morpheus Kitami, Xephyr
THE HORDE: Daniel, Vinny, Ben
THE INFINITE: Xephyr, Saxy, Andi
THE NORTH: Sonny, Daniel, Xephyr, Ben, Vinny
THE PIT: Vinny, Daniel, Ben, Sonny
THE REVOLUTION: Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Andi
THE SPHERE: Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Andi
July 2023
01. Ascended Dead – “Abhorrent Manifestation” (from “Evenfall of the Apocalypse”, 2023)
02. Amorphis – “The Four Wise Ones” (from “Under The Red Cloud”, 2015) [Submitted by Daniel]
03. Violent Dirge – “Craving” (from “Craving”, 1995)
04. Helltrain – “Helltrain” (from “Route 666”, 2004)
05. Kalmah – “Red & Black” (from “Kalmah”, 2023)
06. Flourishing – “The Petrifaction Lottery” (from “Intersubjectivity” E.P., 2012)
07. Blindfolded & Led To The Woods – “Hallucinative Terror” (from “Rejecting Obliteration”, 2023)
08. Scar Symmetry – “Chrononautilus” (from “The Singularity (Phase II – Xenotaph)”, 2023)
09. Haggus – “Mince The Meat Monger” (from “Plausibility of Putridity”, 2018)
10. Carcass – “Fermenting Innards” (from “Reek of Putrefaction”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]
11. Gorguts – “An Ocean of Wisdom” (from “Colored Sands”, 2013) [Submitted by Daniel]
12. The Sawtooth Grin – “Good Touch Bad Touch” (from “Cuddlemonster”, 2001)
13. Rippikoulu – “Ukuinen piina” (from “Musta seremonia” demo, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]
14. Rotborn – “Praise The Downfall” (from “On The Perspective Of An Imminent Downfall”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
15. Frozen Soul – “Glacial Domination” (from “Glacial Domination”, 2023)
16. Entrails – “Crawling Death” (from “The Tomb Awaits”, 2011) [Submitted by Vinny]
17. Vomitory – “All Heads Are Gonna Roll” (from “All Heads Are Gonna Roll”, 2023)
18. Immolation – “Close To A World Below” (from “Close To A World Below”, 2000) [Submitted by Vinny]
19. Plague Bearer – “Rise Of The Goat” (from “Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation”, 2023)
20. Outer Heaven – “Rotting Stone/D.M.T.” (from “Infinite Psychic Depths”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]
21. Cannibal Corpse – “Infinite Misery” (from “Kill”, 2006) [Submitted by Daniel]
22. Teitanblood – “Black Vertebrae” (from “The Baneful Choir”, 2019) [Submitted by Daniel]
23. Mortician – “Chainsaw Dismemberment” (from “Chainsaw Dismemberment”, 1999)
24. Impetuous Ritual – “Lecherous Molestation” (from “Iniquitous Barbarik Synthesis”, 2023)
25. Soilent Green – “Hand Me Downs” (from “A Deleted Symphony For The Beaten Down”, 2001)
26. Fear Factory – “Flesh Hold” (from “Soul of a New Machine”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]
27. Caustic Wound – “Invisible Cell” (from “Death Posture”, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]
28. Disfiguring The Goddess – “Deaths Head Mask” (from “Deprive”, 2013)
29. Hate Eternal – “Nailed To Obscurity” (from “Conquering The Throne”, 1999)
30. Devourment – “Babykiller” (from “Butcher The Weak”, 2006) [Submitted by Daniel]
Running Wild - "Under Jolly Roger" (1987)
I've become familiar with six or seven of German heavy metallers Running Wild's more well-known releases over the years but have invariably struggled to see their appeal. They just seem to lack the sort of class & x-factor required to see me finding interest in such a mild-mannered brand of 80's metal. Their third full-length "Under Jolly Roger" is no different with guitar-slinging front man Rock 'n' Rolf sounding particularly clumsy & second-rate & the song-writing offering little in the way of excitement. Admittedly the track programming on the Spotify version of the album I've been exploring sees the only three tracks that I enjoy being kept right until the end of the tracklisting so I was kinda bored by that stage. There are no unequivocal disasters here with Running Wild's no frills brand of heavy metal being pretty much in line with the likes of Grave Digger, Judas Priest & Accept but it's more that "Under Jolly Roger" offers little in the way of depth or sophistication & I can't see myself ever coming around to them to be honest.
3/5
Vektor - "Outer Isolation" (2011)
Despite finding enjoyment in all three of their highly praised full-lengths, I've always been pretty vocal about how overrated I think Arizona progressive thrash metal four-piece Vektor are. Interestingly (but perhaps not surprisingly) though, it's the least popular of the trio of albums that I find the most appeal in with 2011's "Outer Isolation" managing to top Vektor's more widely celebrated albums in terms of overall consistency for mine. There's not a weak track included here & the opening three song run sets a very solid platform for the rest of the album. Front man David DiSanto's Chuck Schuldiner-style rasp can be a touch divisive but I'd suggest that there will be very few Voivod, Coroner & Аспид fans that don't get long-term jollies out of Vektor's sophomore record.
4/5
German heavy metal.
I picked "Onward to Golgotha" up through the tape trading scene back in the day & thoroughly enjoyed it but I have to admit that I've never placed it alongside the top tier death metal acts. It wasn't until Incantation's 1994 sophomore release "Mortal Throne of Nazarene" (& it's darker alternative mix release "Upon the Throne of Apocalypse") that they got to take up that position for me personally. They'd further improve that with 1998's "Diabolical Conquest" too & it's gone on to become my Incantation release of choice these days.
Pentagram - "Day of Reckoning" (1987)
I think it’s fair to say that I became a fan of Virginia-based doom metal legends Pentagram relatively early in their recording career, if not all that early in terms of their overall tenure as a band. The Pentagram story really began way back in 1971 but, given that their debut album didn’t see the light of day until 1985 & I became acquainted with them in early 1990’s, I’d suggest that I was earlier than most, especially when you consider that they’re still a functioning band today. The self-titled debut made a significant impact on me, perhaps more so than I knew at the time. Black Sabbath played a strong role in my formative years through a double compilation that included the best of the 1970’s Ozzy Osbourne releases & “Pentagram” did a fantastic job at tapping into the same areas with a sound that included a little more heavy metal than the band’s traditional doom metal peers. Pentagram weren’t afraid to up the tempo a little while always maintaining their knack for creating the crushingly heavy & guitarist Victor Griffin had clearly mastered the art of creating timeless riffs after a decade or so of studying the godfather of metal Tony Iommi. Despite my allegiances with the self-titled album, my obsession for the extreme metal scene would see me leaving Pentagram back in the early 90’s though & we wouldn’t cross paths again until I’d investigate the “First Daze Here: The Vintage Collection” compilation some time in the 2010’s. I quite liked that collection of Pentagram’s 1970’s hard rock material but it didn’t raise the same level of interest as the self-titled album (also known as “Restless”) did so I haven’t returned to it since. After exploring a slew of mid-80’s heavy metal albums during drive time with my kids of late though I’ve found myself craving something a little heavier which has led me to Pentagram’s 1987 sophomore album “Day of Reckoning” in the quest for the ultimate riff. Let’s find out how it’s faired, shall we?
“Day of Reckoning” is a well composed, executed & produced album that showcases a band that have clearly paid their dues & know their craft well. In fact, the tight instrumental performances & chunky production job for the time really represent a lot of the appeal for me personally as it’s not nearly as consistent a record as the debut was. Pentagram had dropped any semblance of the hard rock sound they’d maintained on the self-titled through tracks like “Run Your Course” & “20 Buck Spin” by this point but I’d suggest that there’s not as much of your pure doom metal sound either with only album highlight “Evil Seed” fully embracing the dark side. The classic heavy metal sound that had perpetuated some of “Pentagram” is toned back a touch here too with the majority of the tracklisting sitting in the murky mid-point that is the traditional doom metal sound. There’s a fair bit of groovier mid-tempo stuff going on here, often hinting at the stoner metal sound that Sabbath had created with their 1972 “Vol 4” album. The use of tightly harmonized guitar melodies pops up quite regularly too & neither of those techniques traditionally sit within my musical comfort zones.
There’s an inconsistency to the tracklisting on “Day of Reckoning” which is in direct contract to “Pentagram” which I found to be without blemish. The album begins very poorly with a couple of numbers that do very little for me in the title track & “Broken Vows”, both which seem to be quite popular but are stylistically at odds with my taste profile. I also struggle with the nine minute centrepiece that is “Burning Savior” with Bobby Liebling’s out of key vocals putting me off through the early stages & the eventual crescendo all coming a little too late. Thankfully though, the combination of the tight performances, solid production & Victor’s undeniable skills as a riff master see the remainder of the record doing enough to recover & leave me with a generally positive feeling by the end of closing track “Wartime”. There are nowhere near the quantity of highlight tracks as its older sibling sported but the wins outweigh the losses to an extent that makes “Day of Reckoning” worth a few listens but I just can’t see myself returning to it any time soon. In fact, I’d suggest that I’m probably more likely to return to the “First Daze Here” compilation than I am to “Day of Reckoning” & I haven’t felt like revisiting that particular release for a good decade or more.
At the end of the day, I think my inability to fully engage with “Day of Reckoning” comes down to personal taste more than anything else. Much like my younger brother & fellow Metal Academy administrator Ben, I’ve never been all that big on the more traditional doom sound as I greatly prefer a more pure, modern & oppressive brand of doom metal. I’ve never really connected with groovy mid-paced stoner riffs but I can appreciate when they’re done well like they are here so there’s enough of interest to keep me going. Fans of Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus & Witchfinder General will likely really dig "Day of Reckoning" but I’m not going to deny that I find it hard to understand the tendency for fans to rate Pentagram’s heavy metal-driven numbers more highly than their slowest, doomiest material which can be pretty amazing in my opinion. If only there was more of it here!
3.5/5
It's about the wall of heavily-effected & continuously strummed open-string guitars with whispy vocals layered over the top to create a dreamy atmosphere.
Oni - "Incantation Superstition" (2023)
You know what? You can’t get too cocky in this vast & varied landscape that we know as the global metal scene because just when you start to think you know everything there is to know you’re likely to get hit in the back of the head with something you weren’t even aware existed but was right under your nose the whole time & that’s certainly the case with Adelaide-based death metal outfit Oni. I like to think that I have a pretty decent knowledge of the Aussie extreme metal scene (both current & historical) but when I met up with the label head of Sphere of Apparition Records recently he mentioned that the their first major release would be coming from a cool early 2000’s death metal band whose angle saw them tackling themes taken from Japanese demonology. I’d never even heard of Oni before but I trust his judgement so I made a point of checking them out once the CD was released earlier this year.
The ”Incantation Superstition” compilation draws together the entire recorded output of Oni which amounts to two 2001 releases (i.e. the “Enshrined To The Dead” demo & a split CD with delightfully monikered fellow Adelaide outfit Jesus Anal Penetration) as well as a cover version (“Altar of Sacrifice”) taken from the “Hell At Last – A Tribute To Slayer” compilation. Impetuous Ritual vocalist/guitarist & Portal/Grave Upheaval drummer Ignis Fatuus has done an excellent job at remastering & preparing this material as the tracklisting flows pretty seamlessly between the tracks from the various sessions & you won’t experience any jarring changes in sound along the way. The production job is more than reasonable for such old demo recordings too with all of the instruments & vocals being not only clearly audible but also maintaining a suitable amount of raw extremity so all of the ingredients are here for a rewarding trip into the annals of Australian metal history.
The 32 minute runtime kicks off with the five tracks taken from the split CD which I’m assuming is the more recent of the two releases due to its slightly more technical song structures but there’s not really that much of a stylistic difference between the two to tell you the truth which certainly helps with the flow of the tracklisting. The release opens with a short but splendidly executed intro piece that immediately presents the listener with Oni’s Japanese themes before the band blasts off into four hectic & quite brutal death metal outings. This is followed by the three track “Enshrined To The Dead” demo which I slightly favour over the split, especially the last two tracks “Seppuku Blade” (my personal favourite) & “Incantation Superstition” which are particularly strong. The older material might not be quite as psychotic as the material from the split but I feel that it works better from a compositional sense so it offers a touch more appeal for the naïve teenage tape trader that’s still such a big part of me all these decades later. The Slayer cover version represents more of a bolt-on as its style is quite different to the rest of the tracklisting. As someone whose favourite metal album of all time has been ”Reign In Blood” for about 35 years now, Oni was always going to have their work cut out for them in covering a track like “Altar of Sacrifice” which was metal perfection to begin with. They do a pretty reasonable job at replicating the song it has to be said but if you’re going to cover such a well-known & undeniably classic track then you really need to do something a little different with it if it’s to have the desired impact. As it is, “Altar of Sacrifice” comes across as a touch disposable given that it's essentially a down-tuned version of the original & features deep death metal vocals that don’t gel nearly as well as Tom Araya’s did. It’s not a weak song as such but it’s probably the least interesting inclusion on a very consistent tracklisting at the same time.
All of the hints I’d seen online had me expecting to hear something in line with the brutal death metal model when going into “Incantation Superstition” but the reality is a little different to that. Sure, there’s a fair bit of brutality to Oni’s sound but that’s not the only feather in their caps as there’s a lot more going here than that. I feel that the technical death metal subgenre is a much better fit for Oni as their riff & song structures are a touch more complex & a lot more chaotic which brings to mind the more tech death-oriented records from bands like Cryptopsy & Nile. It’s all presented with an inherently underground aesthetic that sees them maintaining enough looseness in their performances to avoid the sterility of the super-precise modern tech death world though. Oni’s riffs are angular & quite jerky at times which never allows the listener to relax. They kinda sound like a runaway train a lot of the time, as if they’re on the brink of crashing but have the technical chops to hold it all together while giving their audience a sly, knowing grin. Despite the technicality though, Oni always keep a foot in the classic death metal camp with “Altars of Madness”-era Morbid Angel appearing to be the main catalyst. The riff structures, blast-beats & super-shredding Trey Azagthoth-style guitar solos all owe a debt to the greatest Florida death metal band of them all although the super-underground atmosphere also tends to have me reaching for comparisons with fellow Morbid Angel disciples Sadistic Intent too.
There are number of Japanese intros & outros used throughout the release & they’re unanimously effective in achieving their desired outcome, so much so that I have to express a little disappointment that I couldn’t hear a little more of the Japanese influence in the actual death metal. I’m sure the lyrics are sporting it in spades but I can’t hear a lot of it in the instrumentation. The band go with several different vocal styles with a deep death growl & a higher, snarlier delivery being the protagonists. I prefer the higher-pitched one for the most part as it sounds less generic & a touch more aggressive. The bass lines benefit from their strong positioning in the mix & make the most of the opportunity by contributing more to the overall package than most death metal bassists are afforded the pleasure of.
Overall, “Incantation Superstition” works very well in paying homage to one of the Australian death metal scene’s less familiar yet still quite talented artists. The continuity of the production job also gives it the opportunity to work as an album in its own right too if you give it the chance. There isn’t a weak moment on the tracklisting & the relatively short run time means that the listener’s patience isn’t challenged which gives the release the potential to reach a whole new audience. In saying that though, I’d probably suggest that Oni’s best work may well have been ahead of them as I’m not quite sure they’d completely galvanized their sound as yet. They’d hit on something fresh & interesting from a stylistic & thematic point of view but I think they needed a little more time (perhaps just in the studio) to pull it all together in a way that’s more unified & fluent so as to truly rip the listener's face off (at least as a full-length release as I do think that "Enshrined to the Dead" is a very solid effort in isolation). As it is though, “Incantation Superstition” has left me surprised that I hadn’t heard of Oni before as local bands of this quality are few & far between, particularly those that possess such a clear pedigree with the extreme metal scene that I love so much.
3.5/5
Being heavy isn't the sole deciding factor in whether a band are metal or not though in my opinion. You either play metal riffs or you don't. You can be heavy as fuck but if your sound is still rooted in blues-based rock riff structures then you're not a metal band as far as I'm concerned.
Anyway... if we're going to push the threshold a bit then I'd suggest the industrial techno I used to play as a DJ is as metal as fuck. A lot of the early 2000's stuff coming out of Madrid was darker & more aggressive/abrasive than 99% of metal.
It was the title track from "I Want To Be There" which is a fairly uplifting & shoegaze-heavy take on blackgaze. By it's very definition blackgaze is a combination of black metal & shoegaze & examples that fit that criteria are generally best suited to The North in my opinion. But it's the fact that a lot of blackgaze artists also dilute their sound with strong post-rock & screamo influences that sees the waters being muddied a bit & often resulting in a dual clan arrangement (with The Infinite in particular). I'm comfortable with that personally. I've indulged in most of the primary shoegaze releases over the last year or so at some point & I feel that The North is still the most appropriate location for the undiluted blackgaze sound. Some folk metal releases seem much more out of place in The North in my opinion but we're obviously open to everyone's thoughts on this.
Doomy heavy metal from Virginia, USA.
Andi, the releases mentioned in that video have nothing to do with metal in my opinion (although I do agree with his statements around The Prodigy's links to industrial metal). The Bjork & Radiohead (& to a lesser extent Wu Tang Clan) albums are some of the biggest records in my life but I don't think he's saying that they sound like metal as such, at least I hope he's not because they offer no relation at all as far as I can see.
Kyuss and Elder are classified as stoner metal, so I'd go with someone a little less brutal in that regard. I'm no EXPERT on stoner but I do know a few things. I'd say QOTSA, but their attitude seems closer to punk than metal. And I'll completely avoid tagging Colour Haze and Monster Magnet as close to metal. I guess Fu Manchu would be a good one. The line between stoner rock and stoner metal can be hard to determine.
Quoted Rexorcist
Kyuss & Elder are incorrectly tagged as stoner metal in my opinion. In fact, Kyuss are tagged as Non-Metal here at the Academy & we have a number of Elder releases in the Hall of Judgement too. The grey area is that Stoner Rock possesses a Black Sabbath/doom metal influence by definition which often confuses things but sees it being an obvious candidate for this thread.
I'd go with some of these subgenres:
* Stoner rock bands like Kyuss & Elder.
* Some of the more extreme hardcore punk subgenres like crust punk & thrashcore.
* Heavy psych bands like Flower Travellin' Band, Buffalo & Sir Lord Baltimore.
Dark Quarterer - "Dark Quarterer" (1987)
The idea of Italian heavy metal trio Dark Quarterer has long been a source of fascination for me to be honest. How they avoided causing any sort of blip on my radar back in the 1980’s & 1990’s but have somehow managed to build such a committed & loyal following over the many years since has left me intrigued as to what they could possibly offer, particularly given the comparisons to some of the more reputable & epically inclined acts from the US scene. I’d never given them a chance up until now though strangely enough so my recent decision to start spoon-feeding my three young kids some less extreme metal releases during drive time seemed like the perfect opportunity for some blind experimentation. It’s proven to be a rewarding experience too, significantly more so for myself than for my kids though it has to be said.
Dark Quarterer’s self-titled 1987 debut album has been gifted with an almost enigmatic reputation in the heavy metal scene. It’s production job is as raw as fuck with the rhythm guitars sitting much too far back in the mix, the vocals trying their best to drown out the instrumentation & a generous coating of distortion layered over the top of everything thanks to some inappropriate use of levels in the studio. Somehow though, this all seems to work to Dark Quarterer's advantage by giving the album an additional touch of underground street credibility but I have to say that I’m a little on the fence about it personally. You see, people are dead right to refer to Dark Quarterer’s sound is being a particularly epic one with bassist Gianni Nepi possessing a soaring voice to rival the most metal claw-inducing power metal front man & the three musicians producing lengthy, layered & extravagant pieces that sit as much in the progressive rock space as they do the heavy metal one. Now, when you take that description into account, I can’t help but feel that a big, clear prog production job might have brought out some additional complexities in Dark Quarterer’s music, even though I can definitely see the appeal in the super-underground packaging too. Perhaps I’m just looking for a little more warmth given that “Dark Quarterer” sounds very much like it was recorded & released in the 1970’s. 1981 would probably have been the very latest I would have guessed this record to hail from in a blind test given that both the prog rock & heavy metal influences are clearly drawn from that era.
In saying that though, Dark Quarterer have still managed to produce a very complex, mature & organic sound for just a trio of instrumentalists. The compositions aren’t technical as such but they are heavily expansive & often improvisational in nature with all three men contributing creatively to the holistic package. Guitarist Fulberto Serena is clearly the protagonist from an instrumental point of view though as these pieces are overflowing with lengthy & quite capable lead guitar solos that any 70’s prog/fusion shredder would be happy to claim as their own. Opener “Red Hot Gloves” sees Nepi’s vocal approach seemingly drawing upon Rob Halford’s efforts on the first couple of Judas Priest albums while the more epic pieces see him achieving quite a bit of crossover with the most epic of the epic in Manowar’s Eric Adams. It all works well too (particularly on album highlight “Gates Of Hell”) & there are no weak songs included on the very consistent 43 minute tracklisting.
Perhaps what holds me back from scoring “Dark Quarterer” a little higher is that it never sounds all that heavy. There are some hints at a doomy edge at times with the vocals occasionally even drawing comparisons with Candlemass’ front man Messiah Marcolin but I don’t feel that the trio ever quite get there, leaving things feeling a touch more mind-mannered than I'd like. The guitar tone doesn’t help as it’s a little more rock than it is metal while the guitar solos I mentioned would fit fairly seamlessly within the context of a prog rock or jazz fusion outfit. Early US heavy metallers Legend are probably a pretty good point of comparison as they always seemed to have one foot in the prog rock/jazz fusion camps & suffered from similar production issues. Dark Quarterer's riffs & vocals are undeniably metal though with their epic atmosphere reminding me a lot of Manilla Road & their heavier, doomier moments touching on Cirith Ungol. These attributes will no doubt appeal a lot more to others than they do to me so I think “Dark Quarterer” is definitely worth a few listens for the discerning listener that enjoys a distinctly 70’s based sound.
3.5/5
This was the album were they really started getting closer to mastering their signature sound
Interesting perspective. Personally, I would have thought that when most people refer to the signature Deathspell Omega sound they're really referring to the more dissonant & avant-garde experimentation of 2010's "Paracletus" rather than the more traditional black metal sound of “Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice”.
Epic progressive rock-infused heavy metal from Italy.
Deathspell Omega - "Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice" (2004)
French black metal legends Deathspell Omega may not have clicked with me immediately upon first impressions but they’ve certainly made up for lost time, having gone on to become my favourite modern black metal band for many years now. Admittedly, those first impressions were based on 2010’s extremely dissonant “Paracletus” album which is a hell of a lot to take in for the uninitiated old-school extreme metalhead. It wouldn’t take long for its wonders to open up to me though which saw my affections taking a drastically upward curve, particularly once I discovered Deathspell Omega’s unbelievable array of E.P.’s, many of which would soon sit amongst my black metal records of choice. With all of the talk about their brilliant avant-garde & dissonant material though, it's easy to forget that this band began as a more traditional black metal outfit who was still more than capable of competing with the big boys & their 2004 third full-length “Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice” is a prime example of that.
Now, it’s probably worth noting that my first experiences with “Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice” were taken a little out of context as I’d already flipped out over later & more ambitious works like “Kénôse”, “Veritas Diaboli Manet in Aeternum: Chaining the Katechon”, “Mass Grave Aesthetics” & “Fas – Ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum”, all of which set an incredibly high benchmark. It’s interesting that I didn’t find myself struggling to connect with “Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice” on the same level though, perhaps because the album takes a much more familiar route via a traditional black metal style that’s somewhat similar to Norwegian icons Immortal a lot of the time. Or maybe it’s that you can very easily see the roots of the band’s fully developed signature sound in this release which is still of an undeniably high quality. I’d suggest that it was probably a bit of both but there’s honestly nothing stopping you from appreciating this record as a solid black metal album in its own right because it’s exceptionally consistent in its delivery.
“Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice” presents thirteen tracks that offer quite a bit of variety without ever deviating from the black metal template. It has to be said that its 77 minute duration is certainly overly ambitious though & I feel that it could have done with a fair bit of culling. In fact, there’s enough elite level material here to have created a genuinely classic 40-45 minute black metal release as the highlights are nothing short of superb. The production job sits well within the confines of the trademark sound Deathspell Omega have built for themselves over the years as it’s cripplingly dark & dense with the powerful drums & Clandestine Blaze/Stabat Mater mastermind & Fleshpress drummer Mikko Aspa’s croaky Abbath-style vocals being the protagonists. The musicianship on display is exceptional as always with former Hirilorn guitarist Hasjarl’s riffs already showing regular signs of the angular approach he’d take on later releases & my beloved blast-beats being performed with the utmost precision. Many of the tracks see wild changes in tempo taking place at various stages & there’s a case for saying that some of the material sounds a little pieced together but you’ll rarely see a moment of respite from the blasphemic atmosphere that pervades the album & this is only further enhanced by the use of religious chants & the sophisticated lyrics which Aspa delivers over the blackened chaos that surrounds him. There’s a supreme confidence in everything Mikko does that never fails to draw me in as he simply seems to know extreme metal music as well as anyone you’ll encounter.
So how does “Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice” compare with Deathspell Omega’s more widely praised & inherently creative material then? Well it’s certainly not inferior in any way. In fact, I’d probably take it over their 2007 follow-up album “Fas – Ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum” if pushed & it’d just sneak into my top five for Deathspell Omega’s back catalogue overall. The reason I’ve hesitated to reach for my more elite scores goes back to my comments on the length as I find it to be fairly excessive. I mean, what real purpose does closer “Malign Paradigm” serve for example? Is it a weak track? No, it’s actually pretty enjoyable when taken in isolation but its positioning at the end of the tracklisting sees it sounding a little out of place in terms of both style & production, not to mention the fact that it's clearly the least apealling of the thirteen tracks included. The tracklisting would have been much better off ending on the blasting masterpiece that is “Drink The Devil’s Blood” in my opinion. In fact, there are five tracks that I'd happily tag as being genuine black metal classics which is certainly impressive but when you’ve gone for thirteen tracks (none of which are interludes) then you’re always going to risk diluting the overall effect of your best material. Still… I don’t think Deathspell Omega are capable of producing anything that’s not both highly engaging & astoundingly professional so it’s very hard to be too critical. If you enjoy bands like Blut aus Nord, Aosoth & Abigor then chances are you’ll really dig “Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice” too.
4/5
US power metal from California, USA.
I haven't checked out any of King Gizzard's releases since 2019's very solid "Infest the Rats' Nest' album. That release is consistently labelled with the thrash metal tag but I didn't hear much in the way of genuine thrash to be honest. It was more of a stoner metal record in my opinion. Is this one more obviously a thrash album?
A very solid mid-80's traditional doom metal number from Californian heavy metal icons Cirith Ungol.
Mid-80's progressive metal from Seattle, USA.
Cirith Ungol - "One Foot In Hell" (1986)
My experiences with highly regarded Californian heavy metal legends Cirith Ungol have been fairly inconsistent over the years to tell you the truth. I struggled with their 1981 debut album “Frost & Fire” quite a bit, failing to understand the widespread appeal that seems to follow the band wherever they go. It was obviously a much more commercially focused offering compared to later releases though & I found the doomy, Black Sabbath-inspired 70’s atmosphere of their classic 1984 sophomore album “King of the Dead” to sit a lot closer to my musical sweet spot, even if there was far too much filler to see it becoming an essential release in my opinion. That album's more up-tempo material was significantly weaker than the slower, heavier tracks but I liked where Cirith Ungol were going with things so I always intended to follow-up on their 1986 third album “One Foot In Hell” at my earliest availability. Well, I’m afraid that earliest availability has ended up being six or seven years later now but better late than never as they say.
“One Foot In Hell” was Cirith Ungol’s first record with legendary US metal label Metal Blade & I was led to believe that this had resulted in a stronger production job based on the consensus drawn from other people’s reviews. I don’t see it personally as the release has clearly maintained a pretty rough-&-ready, live-in-the-studio aesthetic that kinda buys into Cirith Ungol’s retro-cool vibe, particularly during the more proggy moments where we find the band reaching out into jam territory. There are a lot fewer of those moments than I was expecting here though with the band opting to explore a more straight-forward sound for the most part. There isn’t as many touches on genuine doom metal as I’d hoped here with a good three-quarters of the tracklisting residing in more up-tempo heavy metal territory although when the band do opt to get their Sabbath on we find some of the best parts of the record, particularly on the crushing album highlight “Chaos Descends” but also on “Doomed Planet” to a lesser extent. The lone US power metal number “Blood & Iron” is also pretty strong though which is an indication that I’m simply into a heavier sound if I’m being honest about it.
The tracklisting isn’t the most consistent you’ll find with a few obvious fillers being chucked in amongst the eight tracks & the effects of that are accentuated by the short run time. In fact, much like Judas Priest’s heavily overrated 1977 “Sin After Sin” third album, “One Foot In Hell” is a great example of the "quality canyon" concept, only this time we see it having a greater effect on the overall result with a more than decent start & finish to the album being somewhat ruined by a very poor middle. “Nadsokor”, “100 MPH” & “War Eternal” all sit well below par in comparison to Cirith Ungol’s best material & the album sounds thrown together as a result. Apparently the band’s musical direction was heavily influenced by the label’s demands if we’re to believe the band’s reports & that may well be true because there are a few very simple Motorhead-style heavy metal tunes included that aren’t half as appealing as Cirith Ungol’s more expansive & challenging works. Perhaps it’s that divisive front man Tim Baker simply can’t pull this shit off but I don’t think that’s entirely fair as the song-writing sounds pretty flimsy & lacking in inspiration while Tim at least maintains a level of street-cool that adds a little interest, even if he struggles to fit his wild howls over the top of some of the more accessible song structures. The longer tracks certainly offer more scope for the band to experiment with a few lengthy guitar solos offering some much needed respite.
I’ve been disappointed with “One Foot In Hell” as I expected more from such a highly regarded heavy metal record to be honest. I have no doubt that diehard fans will still enjoy it, as will those with a strong penchant for the more epic 80’s heavy metal acts like Manilla Road, Pagan Altar & Brocas Helm, but be warned that this isn’t half as epic or heavy a record as “King of the Dead” was & it’s not nearly as enjoyable either. I’d probably take it over “Frost & Fire” but not by much as neither are exactly my cup of tea.
3/5
Katalepsy - "Autopsychosis" (2013)
The slam death metal subgenre can be a jarring prospect for even the most hardened of death metallers at times. There are a number of challenges that you must first overcome if you're to connect with this super-extreme form of metal & I have to admit that, even though I’m no doubt Metal Academy’s resident slam death metal aficionado, I still find myself struggling with some of the acts that flaunt the subgenre’s less appealing characteristics in the most overt fashion. The tight, pinging snare drum sound, the ultra-deep, completely indecipherable vocals & the fairly generic slam breakdowns can all be pretty repulsive to the casual listener & I can certainly understand why, even if I’m able to look past these failings for the most part. This is what’s so great about the 2013 sophomore album from Russian five-piece Katalepsy as they’ve chosen to dilute or omit those elements to create a much more agreeable & palatable brand of death metal.
“Autopsychosis” sees Katalepsy drawing almost as much influence from my beloved brutal death metal sound as it does the slam one to be honest which is probably a major contributor to why I like it so much. Current 7.H Target front man Igor Filimontsev’s death growls may be unimaginably deep but they also maintain a monstrous quality that transcends the limitations of slam most of the time & are subsequently a more appealing prospect. The production job is very good indeed & there’s no sign of ping in the snare drum sound at all which is a significant relief to this particular extreme metal nut. The band also reach outside the confines of their chosen genre for inspiration at times, indulging in regular dalliances with the technical death metal subgenre along the way. The flashy burst of technicality may not be the most artistically creative undertakings you’ll find but they do add an additional layer of sophistication to a subgenre that can often sound more than a little dumb. There’s even a fairly melodic progressive interlude included which creates nice change of pace towards the back end of the tracklisting.
There’s a lot to like about “Autopsychosis” actually & it represents one of the better slam releases I’ve encountered. The slam elements don’t sit all that far away from my favourite artists from the genre like Pathology & fellow Russians Abominable Putridity while the more straight-up brutal stuff is in line with Cerebral Bore. You’ll do well to identify any sort of blemish in the tracklisting as the eleven tracks are all of roughly the same quality, making this an extremely consistent release that should tempt more than the odd extreme metal fan across into uncharted slam waters.
4/5
Here's my updated Top Ten Slam Death Metal Releases of All Time list which sees the Delusional Parasitosis/Ecchymosis/Dissevered/Bleeding split album being pushed out:
01. Pathology – “The Time Of Great Purification” (2012)
02. Abominable Putridity – “The Anomalies Of Artificial Origin” (2012)
03. Devourment – “Obscene Majesty” (2019)
04. Katalepsy - "Autopsychosis" (2013)
05. Devour The Unborn – “Consuming The Morgue Remains” (2012)
06. Disfiguring The Goddess – “Sleeper” (2012)
07. Pighead – “Rotten Body Reanimation” (2012)
08. Coprophiliac – “Whining Bitch Treatment” (2012)
09. Devourment - "Butcher The Weak" (2006)
10. Devourment - "Molesting The Decapitated" (1999)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/145
Heir Apparent - "Graceful Inheritance" (1986)
Seattle-based US power metal outfit Heir Apparent are one of those bands whose name you’ve seen floating around a lot in the metal scene over the years but who very few people you know have actually heard. They seem to have gained somewhat of a cult following for one reason or another but I wouldn’t have had the slightest clue about why before giving their 1986 debut album “Graceful Inheritance” (not a terribly metal title it has to be said) a few spins this week. Having spent a bit of time with it now I feel like I’m starting to get it though.
You see, Heir Apparent are the sort of metal band that appeals to the metal purists out there. They tick a lot of boxes as they’re unapologetically metal, possess some serious chops & are ambitious enough to draw in the prog crowd as well. I’m not sure I buy the whole “US power metal” thing though. One or two tracks of the thirteen tracks included are chunky enough to justify those sort of claims but the vast majority of “Graceful Inheritance” sits pretty close to Iron Maiden’s more progressive mid-to-late 80’s material & the production doesn’t see the album’s overall heaviness doing much to eclipse the NWOBHM in terms of aggression either with the guitar sound being fairly thin even if it is clear & effective. The traditional heavy metal tag would seem to be a btter fit for Heir Apparent in my opinion with three or four songs also meeting the criteria for legitimate progressive metal. I can only assume that it’s the higher register vocals that see people immediately making the connection to US power metal although the added weight of album highlight “Another Candle” & the fairly flat speed metal number “Nightmare” may also have contributed to this misconception.
There’s a general class about everything Heir Apparent do here with all three of the instrumentalists proving themselves to be very capable exponents of their craft. Guitarist Terry Gorle absolutely slays with a whole slew of impressive guitar solos & lead runs throughout the album while bassist Derek Peace (who would also feature on Savage Grace’s 1987 “Ride Into The Night” E.P.) makes full use of a Steve Harris-style position in the mix by showcasing his ambitious & creative technique. Front man Paul Davidson has a pretty good voice for this type of music too but I’m not sure you’d say he competes with the top tier. I could kinda take him or leave him to be honest but he’s not gonna disappoint too many fans of the classic heavy metal sound either.
There’s certainly enough quality on “Graceful Inheritance” to warrant investigation as it’s a very accomplished effort for a debut full-length to tell you the truth. One gets the feeling that Heir Apparent had been very active in honing their craft for the three years leading up to its recording as they offer a level of sophistication that very few US metal bands could match in the mid-1980’s. In saying that though, the song-writing is a little inconsistent as the album isn’t short of filler material, even if there’s nothing truly awful included. Those weaker moments tend to marry up with the occasions when Heir Apparent find themselves settling for more commercially accessible chorus hooks or simpler riff structures a lot of the time too as their strength is in their superior chops & expansive instrumental experimentation. Nonetheless, “Graceful Inheritance” is definitely worth a few listens for fans of Crimson Glory, Fifth Angel & Queensrÿche as it never sounds like the product of a band that deserves to drift off into the distance with very little fanfare.
3.5/5
Proggy US power metal from Seattle, USA.
This nomination has now been posted in the Hall of Judgement.
Are you saying that this release is a combination of heavy/power metal-based symphonic metal & melodic/symphonic death metal in roughly equal parts Andi? Just clarifying before I go to the effort of adding the Hall entry.
P.S. I've just added Symphonic Death Metal subgenre to the release as it qualifies based on our current criteria.
Anathema - "Serenades" (1993)
Nostalgia is a very powerful emotion. For an obsessive music fanatic like myself it can be so potent that it’s actually kept me from reviewing Liverpool doom/death legends Anathema’s debut album for far longer than it should have. You see, 1993’s “Serenades” (as well as ALL of Anathema’s other 1990’s material) had nothing short of a life-changing impact on my life at the time. There were some seriously hard times during that period of my life including death, drugs, unwanted pregnancy, abortion, adultery, etc. & Anathema represented a place for me to curl up in a ball, wallow in my sorrows, rejuvenate my strength & return to the world with renewed vigor. For this reason, I’ve found the idea of reviewing “Serenades” to be a highly daunting (if not impossible) task. I mean, how could I possibly do it justice? I was well aware that not all of this record was spectacular enough to warrant the five star rating I’ve dished out for it without a hint of hesitation over the years & it scared me to have to deal with that in a way. Perhaps I didn’t want to face a world where “Serenades” is just another record? I dunno but it’s time I overcame my fears in this regard though, if only to ensure that my Top Ten Death Doom Metal Releases of All Time list is a genuine portrayal of the quality of each release.
Ben & I discovered Anathema very early on in their recording career & I regard myself as being very lucky to have done so. 1992’s “The Crestfallen” E.P. was a marvellously atmospheric way to kick things off & saw the band taking huge strides forwards following a couple of crudely produced demo tapes that I picked up through the tape trading scene. Their debut full-length has proven to be much more divisive than the E.P. though & for reasons that I’ve always struggled to understand to be honest. My gut instinct tells me it’s been heavily down-rated by fans of Anathema’s later progressive/alternative rock releases which is a theory that’s pretty easy to believe although there are other factors that come have come into play too. Vocalist Darren White’s mournful death growls can be pretty tough going for those that don’t buy into the sheer hopelessness of Anathema’s depressive, mournful approach to doom metal while the inclusion of a 23 minute ambient piece at the end of the tracklisting is no doubt an insurmountable obstacle for your average metalhead. The album jumps around quite a bit stylistically too as it presents a number of disparate influences throughout its 66 minute runtime. None of these things have proven to be challenges for me personally though. In fact, I genuinely love all of those elements to tell you the truth.
The production job on “Serenades” is pretty dirty which is probably one of those love it or hate it things. Personally I think that the down-tuned guitars benefit from it as it adds to the mournful quality of the album. The rhythm section sounds natural though, particularly the drums which possess an organic depth. The performances are excellent all round with the Cavanagh brothers proving themselves to be the owners of true genius in the way they create complex melodic counterpoints that combine into one devastating harmonic result. This technique has been one that I’ve forever admired & few have ever come close to matching. When they get things just right they can build some truly transcendent & emotionally charged doom metal that reaches into my soul & tears my heart-strings to pieces. This has never been better highlighted than it is on “Sleep in Sanity” which is one of the greatest couple of doom/death tracks ever recorded. The re-recording of “They (Will Always) Die” (which was originally including on “The Crestfallen” as “They Die”) goes very close to matching it too with “Under A Veil (Of Black Lace)” completing a trio of astoundingly high quality examples of their type. The gentle acoustic ballad “J'ai fait une promesse” is just as strong with female singer Ruth Wilson’s sweet tones making me feel like I’m drowning in honey while the epic ambient closer “Dreaming: The Romance” is incredibly well written & executed for a metal band. As an avid fan of ambient music, I have to say that it’s remarkable that Daniel Cavanagh has been able to pull off a work as fully realised & consistently engaging as this monster piece which sees me melting into my environment in a state of satisfied relaxation to cap off what is an immensely important record in my life.
Is “Serenades” the perfect record I always wanted it to be? Well, no I don’t think it is as I can’t say that I genuinely "love" tracks like “Sleepless” & “Where Shadows Dance”. I’ve always found it funny that easily the most popular track on “Serenades” is also it’s clear weak point in my opinion. The gothic rock-inspired “Sleepless” has become a very popular anthem for the band over the years (in part due to its accompanying video clip) but if you look closely you’ll find it to be one of the least significant moments on the album. The clean vocals sound sloppy, the structure is very basic & the more up-tempo metal riffs are not half as compelling as when Anathema reach deep inside of themselves to draw out the darkest memories of the most shattering parts of life. Regardless of what era of Anathema’s back catalogue I explore, they have an uncanny knack for making me feel things that no other metal band can & I can’t see that changing any time soon. "Serenades" offers more of those moments than most as it's built around some incredible highlights. You really need to buy into what Anathema are selling if you’re going to reach their gooey centre though as their complexities are not as obvious as that of their peers who generally don’t reach as far when it comes to structural complexity. If you go nuts for bands like Katatonia, Paradise Lost & My Dying Bride then I implore you not to be put off by the undue criticism of “Serenades” because it’s one of the more special doom/death releases you’ll find. It sits more than comfortably alongside the star-studded back-catalogue of one of the most important bands in my life.
4.5/5
Here's my updated Top Ten Death Doom Metal Releases of All Time list with "Serenades" dropping down a few places:
01. diSEMBOWELMENT – “Transcendence Into The Peripheral” (1993)
02. Cavurn - "Rehearsal" demo (2017)
03. My Dying Bride – “Turn Loose The Swans” (1993)
04. The Ruins Of Beverast - "Exuvia" (2017)
05. Anathema – “Serenades” (1993)
06. Anathema – “The Silent Enigma” (1995)
07. Winter - "Into Darkness" (1990)
08. My Dying Bride – “Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium” E.P. (1992)
09. Evoken - "Quietus" (2001)
10. Katatonia – “Brave Murder Day” (1996)
An early example of the stoner metal sound from this Canadian heavy metal outfit featuring plenty of "Vol 4" era Black Sabbath influence..
I opted to go with all clans & included some that I'd heard a little bit of before but had never committed to intense scrutiny:
01. Akhlys - "The Dreaming I" (2015)
02. Dead Congregation - "Promulgation of the Fall" (2014)
03. Oranssi Pazuzu - "Mestarin kynsi" (2020)
04. Lucid Planet - "Lucid Planet II" (2020)
05. Scarcity - "Aveilut" (2022)
06. Ode & Elegy - "Ode & Elegy" (2022)
07. Altarage - "Succumb" (2021)
08. Nehëmah - "Requiem Tenebrae" (2004)
09. M.S.W. - "Obliviosus" (2020)
10. Esoteric - "A Pyrrhic Existence" (2019)
Gulasch666, have you checked out the Hall of Judgement as yet? It's where we assess the validity of a release's existing clan & genre assignment. We have a number of Hall entries that are close to being finalized so feel free to have your say on where these releases end up residing.
I agree that "Rage For Order" is a progressive metal record Andi. I'd also suggest that it's not even close to a traditional heavy metal release so if this nomination is successful I'll be submitting an additional Hall entry to have it removed from The Guardians.