Daniel's Forum Replies

Stormwitch - "Stronger Than Heaven" (1986)

I first encountered German heavy metallers Stormwitch during my research for the Metal Academy podcast back in the mid-2010’s with their 1984 debut album “Walpurgis Night” being the release in question. It wasn’t awful but didn’t offer much more than poorly produced & executed NWOBHM worship, often crossing the line into Iron Maiden plagiarism at times. I got the feeling that the best may yet to come from Stormwitch though, particularly given the consistent praise I'd seen dished out for their 1986 third album “Stronger Than Heaven”, so I penciled it in as one to investigate in the future. That future may have ended up being many years later but here we are. Let’s see what Stormwitch at the peak of their powers sounds like, shall we?

Well, the production job is certainly better than the crude, distortion-drenched debut which is certainly a positive but the music is still pretty unintimidating & melodic, a little too much for my taste to tell you the truth. It’s a very German record in that regard. The Maiden worship is still present but it’s been toned down a little & we’re starting to hear the building blocks of the European power metal movement with some almost poppy choruses & a focus on a more epic atmosphere creeping in at times. That may mean that Stormwitch are starting to mature & find their own sound but they’re also drawing a little further away from my taste profile & I have to say that I preferred it when they were simply copying their NWOBHM idols if I’m being completely transparent.

The lead guitar work has improved remarkably in the two years since the debut as we now see Lee Tarot pulling off some much flashier solos that often represent the high points of some of the songs. Front man Andy Aldrian is serviceable enough but I still can’t say that I see him competing with the big boys of the heavy metal genre. He’s certainly got enough chops to pull off a memorable chorus or two though. The problem is that there aren’t very many decent ones here with album highlight “Slave To Moonlight” being the only one of the eight tracks with strong enough song-writing to see him being given the chance. The rest of the album simply falls a bit flat without ever descending into the genuinely horrible. Some tracks ruin some solid lead-up work with a dull chorus while others simply veer too close to power metal excess for me to really take seriously.

I’m surprised at just how popular “Stronger Than Heaven” is to be honest, especially given just how awful it’s front cover is. I can only imagine that it’s received more attention than it’s worth due to it’s influence on the early German power metal scene. I haven’t read anywhere that that was the case though. It’s just a hunch I’ve got as the band’s sound seems to possess many of the traits that we’d see popping up from Stormwitch’s countrymen in the coming years. It’s far too clean-cut an album for my taste though & if pushed I’d probably take “Walpurgis Night” over it which isn’t much of an endorsement for its quality & appeal. I'm sure that fans of bands like Sortilege, Oz & Running Wild will likely disagree with me though so if that sounds like you then you may find a lot more appeal in "Stronger Than Heaven" than I have.

3/5

Mid-80's progressive thrash metal from Canada.

What is it about the production job that you find tedious Andi?

I'm not suggesting that we create another difficult multi-clan hybrid subgenre in post-black metal Andi. That would only make the problem worse. I'm actually suggesting that we move in the opposite direction by removing the atmospheric sludge metal subgenre from the database. The Metal Academy database is setup in a way that every subgenre has to be attached to a single genre. This creates a couple of logistical headaches with a subgenre like post-sludge which commands a place in two different clans by its very definition. Deathgrind also suffers from this to a lesser extent as both genres are a part of the same clan but you still can't add the deathgrind subgenre to a release unless it has the grindcore genre. It won't work with the death metal one which annoys me.  This is part of the reason why we've never added subgenres like progressive death metal or blackened thrash. Those releases are simply a part of two separate genres which reside in two separate clans. I actually think that's the simplest way to handle things & I wonder whether that's what we should do with post-sludge too so that releases that are sludgy enough to be a part of The Fallen can have the Sludge Metal genre attached & those that are more closely affiliated with post-metal can go with just a single clan. 

This nomination has left me once again pondering over the Atmospheric Sludge Metal (or Post-Sludge Metal as I like to call it) subgenre in the Metal Academy database. "Cosmic Doom Ritual" seems to me to be both so clearly aligned with the atmospheric sludge metal style but also so appropriately grouped under The Fallen at the same time (as well as The Infinite of course). It leaves me wondering whether all of our debate about which clan post-sludge releases should rightfully sit under was wasted time & that we may actually be better off doing away with the subgenre altogether & simply tagging things as Sludge Metal, Post-Metal or a combination of the two. It'd certainly solve the problem of which clan should rightfully have ownership of the subgenre. And why should sludge metal be the only genre to receive a full-time post-subgenre when others like black metal don't? Thoughts on this guys?

Suffocation - "Suffocation" (2006)

How good are favourite bands then? In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I quite often enjoy my favourite bands more than other bands which is interesting, isn't it? They just seem to appeal to me a little more for one reason or another & New York death metal legends Suffocation have been the long-time leader of that pack as their sound & technique is simply so in tune with my own view on what extreme music should be. I’ve made no secret about the fact that Suffocation’s classic period is about as good as metal gets for me personally but what makes them sit in such a prominent position in my affections is the quality of lesser known releases like this one, the second full-length after their solid return to the scene through 2004’s “Souls To Deny” album.

The general consensus around 2006’s self-titled record has always baffled me to be honest. Sure, it doesn’t try anything terribly new & tends to reside primarily in realms that Suffocation had built for themselves more than a decade earlier but it just does what it does so fucking well guys. I truly believe that the only difference between a merely decent Suffocation release & a truly mind-blowing Suffocation release is the quality of the production job because I don’t think they’re capable of writing anything that’s not ridiculously strong. They sit way too far above the competition for that.

And when I say “they” I’m really talking about chief song-writer Terence Hobbs & front man Frank Mullen because they’re the only band members to have stayed the entire course yet Suffocation continue to churn out records that… well… sound exactly like Suffocation. Unlike the AC/DC’s of the world though, I find that I can not only handle another helping of exactly the same shit as Suffocation have dished up several times before but I go back for triple helpings. A lot of the reasoning behind that can be attributed to the fact that bands of this ilk simply don’t come around very often. There’s a class about Suffocation that literally no one can touch, including the highly regarded peers that they’re generally compared with like Dying Fetus, Cryptopsy & Nile. The incredible knack for balancing brutality & complexity within their riff structures could have come from no one else & those twisted yet highly expansive chromatic guitar solos are a clear trademark (check out the lengthy one that makes up the entire mid-section of "Abomination Reborn" for an example of one of Terence’s best). Despite my close affiliations with the brutal death metal scene, I've always preferred a bit of intelligibility in my death grunts too & Mullen is the best example you'll find as he somehow manages to achieve monstrous savagery while still allowing the listener to understand the message behind some pretty imposing lyrical content (see "Entrails of You" for example).

If we take a look at the self-titled album in a little more detail though, the first thing that’s worth mentioning is that (unlike “Souls To Deny”) they’ve got the production right this time. As soon as I heard that I knew that I was in for a devastating journey & indeed that’s what I received. Short, hellish intro track “Oblivion” is perfectly suited to introducing the annihilation that’s to come with opener “Abomination Reborn” being one of the band’s most brutal offerings & highlighting powerhouse drummer Mike Smith’s incredible strength & endurance in no uncertain terms thanks to an ultra-heavyweight drum sound. It’s a great way to kick off the record. Things settle down for a few tracks from there with some solid & muscular outings that don’t disappoint but can’t quite match the dizzying heights of their opener. By the time we hit the midpoint of the tracklisting though, order has been well & truly restored with four of the next five songs being elite examples of the brutal death metal subgenre, particularly “Translucent Patterns of Delirium” (my personal favourite) & “Regret” which are nothing short of perfect in my eyes. The album closes with the now obligatory rework of a song taken from Suffocation’s poorly produced “Breeding The Spawn” record in “Prelude To Repulsion” which easily manages to eclipse the original version. It does sound just slightly out of place here though as it’s both a lot more consciously technical & a touch less chunky & brutal than the other nine proper songs.

At the end of the day, I can’t imagine why any true Suffocation or brutal death metal fan wouldn’t completely flip out for this stuff to tell you the truth. Some tracks have less impact than others but the highlights are so strong that I’ve found it hard not to continue to return to this release repeatedly over the 14 years since I first encountered it. Does it compete with the band’s classic period releases? You know what, it might not be a match for Suffocation’s most accomplished & ultra-premium works (“Pierced From Within” & the “Despise The Sun” E.P.) but I wouldn’t place it too far behind classics like “Effigy of the Forgotten” & the “Human Waste” E.P. if I’m being completely honest. I think some of that comes down to the fact that those releases don’t sound quite so fresh these days due to the unmitigated flogging I’ve given them over the years as well as the slightly more polished & modern sound that the self-titled benefits from but don’t let this one pass you by if you have even a passing interest in this band or in brutal/technical death metal in general.

4.5/5

Mid-80's heavy metal from Canada.

Mid 80's progressive metal from Canada.

This nomination has now been posted in the Hall of Judgement.

This nomination has been posted in the Hall of Judgement.

This nomination has been posted in the Hall of Judgement.

Helloween - "Judas" single (1986)

This hugely popular single was released between the German power metal icon's hugely popular 1985 debut album "Walls of Jericho" & the first of their two classic "Keeper of the Seven Keys" records in 1988. It features one new studio song in the speed metal focused title track which I quite like & is backed by two live cuts from the "Walls of Jericho" album in "Ride The Sky" & "Guardians". I've always enjoyed "Ride The Sky" & regard it as one Helloween's best tracks, perhaps once again due to it being more of a Metallica-inspired speed metal number than a power metal one. The same can't be said for "Guardians" though which is one of the earliest examples of the European power metal sound. It's admittedly a little more palatable here than it is in its studio form but still manages to ruin the whole release for me with its cheesy chorus & tacky guitar harmonies. Oh well.... what did I expect really. I'm my own worst enemy at times. 

3/5

Sacred Blade - "Of The Sun + Moon" (1986)

The sole proper release from Canadian metal band Sacred Blade seems to have become somewhat of an underground classic over the years although this is my first time experiencing it for myself. I’ve always found the idea of this record intriguing as it’s generally regarded as one of the earlier examples of genuinely progressive metal to surface from the global scene along with other mid-80’s releases from bands like Fates Warning, Watchtower, Queensryche & Siren. I’ve read next to nothing about the finer details of the release over the years though so I had no idea of what to expect going into “Of The Sun + Moon”.

Sacred Blade went with a four-piece line-up for their debut full-length with front man Jeff “The Pilot” Ulmer also handling a number of instrumental bits & pieces including percussion & keyboards. Their sound is quite varied & I’m tempted to describe it as combining the progressive metal of Fates Warning with the US power metal sound of Crimson Glory only the prog comes from more of a prog rock direction than a prog metal one in a similar way to early US heavy metallers Legend. The guitar work is a touch more aggressive than any of those bands though, occasionally veering into speed metal & thrash metal territory. Now, when I say “progressive” I don’t mean “technical”. I’m really referring to Sacred Blade’s more expansive take on the heavy metal sound with lots of creative elements being thrown into the mix to provide additional highlights above & beyond the usual US power metal trappings. For example, there are a number of short(ish) interludes that veer away from metal as well as plenty of acoustic guitar flourishes & interesting layering of instrumental parts.

It's pretty clear that Sacred Blade are capable musicians on the evidence here but what’s also evident is that they weren’t exactly cashed up because the performances aren’t amazing. The skill sets are obvious but there are a number of mistakes that have been left in, presumably through a lack of the required studio time to redo them. The production job is actually really good for the time though & Sacred Blade generally sound pretty heavy. Their Achilles Heal is certainly in the vocal department though as Ulmer simply can’t sing to put it bluntly. “Of The Sun + Moon” could potentially have been a pretty awesome record if not for his off-key inadequacies which have been placed surprisingly high in the mix too. I’m shocked that the producer wasn’t aware of this failing & didn't try to hide it a little by pushing him back in the mix a touch. I mean, those attempts at high-register Rob Halford screams in “Salem” completely ruin it for me. Thankfully the tracklisting ends with what I regard as it's two best inclusions with heavy metal number "In The Light of The Moon" possessing the hooks to overcome Ulmer's limited range & lengthy (& perhaps not surprisingly mostly instrumental) progressive metal closer "Moon" being my clear album highlight.

All things considered, “Of The Sun + Moon” offers some really ambitious & creative US power metal style heavy metal that could have been something really special with a little more attention to detail. As it is though, I still find it to be an interesting listen, just not one that I can see myself returning to due to the vocal deficiencies. It would seem that many people are able to look past those in claiming the album to be a genuine 80’s metal classic though which I find hard to fathom.

3.5/5

Here's my review:

I’ve certainly been aware of Los Angeles death metallers Apparition since this release saw the light of day a couple of years ago & have been meaning to give it the attention required to develop a firm opinion on it ever since so it’s great to finally have the opportunity gifted to me via this month’s feature release nomination. You see, Apparition certainly sound like my cup of tea on paper. Dank & swampy sound? Tick! Underground integrity? Check! Decent production & performances? Uh-huh. Capable song-writing? Yep! But sometimes all of those things strangely don’t amount to a positive experience for one reason or another. Everything just needs to gel & thankfully that’s what happens with “Feel” because I’ve really enjoyed the ride.

Let’s get one thing straight. Apparition don’t try to reinvent the wheel in any way, shape or form. You won’t find anything that you haven’t heard before on “Feel” & the more elite death metal acts have arguably done it better too. But if you love the darker, doomier end of the death metal spectrum then you’re probably unlikely to care much about the lack of originality anyway because Apparition know what good death metal should sound like & have managed to reproduce it here.

The descriptions of the album as sitting between your classic death metal sound & the doom/death subgenre are accurate although there’s little doubt that Apparition sit far closer to the death metal side of the equation with Incantation being a pretty reasonable point of comparison. There’s a measured feel to the riffage though that sees the band never taking off into relentless blast-beat territory. Instead we find them staying relatively within themselves & focusing on tight, chunky, memorable riffs. Do they succeed? Well yeah… for the most part. There are certainly a few brief missteps along the way but the majority of this stuff is highly enjoyable. I do have to admit though that I prefer it when Apparition get their doom on, particularly when they add a touch of atmosphere like they do with the inclusion of some subtle keyboards at the end of the wonderful album highlight “Nonlocality”.

Apparition’s sound is as much the drawcard as the actual songs though to be honest as they’ve been very successful at replicating that grimy graveyard atmosphere that all members of The Horde should be able to relate to. The vocals of drummer Andrew Morgan are deep & monstrous while the guitars of Jnut (who is also in Californian crossover thrash outfit Dead Heat) & Deadbody axeman Miles McIntosh are very tight & opt to slowly engulf the listener rather than brutally assault you. These are very positive attributes for a death metal-based release so, despite a couple of the six tracks not being all that amazing, I can’t say that I’m ever left feeling that there’s a noticeable blemish on the consistency of the tracklisting so I don’t think there’ll be too many disappointed fans of doomy death metal walking away from “Feel” with a negative impression. Apparition know what they’re doing & they do it well. There’s no progressive wankery or expansive experimentation going on here. It’s a death metal for death metal’s sake affair & I for one have no problem with that at all.

4/5

Sortilège - Larmes de héros (1986)

My previous experiences with premier French heavy metal outfit Sortilège have never been very enjoyable to tell you the truth. I spent a fair bit of time with their supposedly classic 1983 self-titled E.P. & their 1984 debut album “Métamorphose” back in the mid-2010’s as a part of my research for the Metal Academy podcast but discovered that I struggled to connect with either. I found the overly theatrical French-language vocal delivery of front man Christian Augustin to be quite a challenge at times (particularly when he bordered on power metal schmaltz) while the song-writing could verge on the cheesy at times too. They certainly weren’t the heaviest or most aggressive of metal bands either so the result of the exercise was that I ended up placing Sortilège in the “none of my business” box alongside bands like Anvil, Helloween & Loudness. Admittedly, the more complex song-structures of “Métamorphose” did show more promise than the blatant NWOBHM worship of the E.P. though so the completist in me could never quite shake the feeling that perhaps Sortilège’s highly regarded 1986 sophomore album “Larmes de héros” would be the one that finally saw my eyes being opened to the wonders that the rest of the global metal scene were already so aware of. So here I am… leaving myself open & vulnerable… the fate of my morning at the mercy of five mysterious yet highly capable French chaps.

You know what though? “Larmes de héros” ain’t half bad if I’m being honest. The added technicalities of “Métamorphose” have been left behind in favour of a stronger focus on song-writing which sees Sortilège reaching a new level of maturity in my opinion. There are still a few obvious filler tracks included but, unlike the band’s previous efforts, the wins easily outweigh the losses & I’ve been left with a positive feeling overall. The weaker moments definitely line up with the more up-tempo & generic NWOBHM inspired material while the best tracks are clearly the ones where Sortilège slow things down a bit to give them more room to move with Augustin’s undeniable vocal talents reaping far more reward with a little space around him. Just check out his stunning harmony work in “Quand un aveugle rêve” for example. Or try to stop yourself from banging your head during the doomy Black Sabbath inspired album highlight that is “Marchand d'hommes”. Not to mention the impeccable talents of lead guitarist Stéphane Dumont who can match it with the best shredders around.

So look, Sortilège is never gonna be one of my favourite bands but closing out my knowledge of their big three releases has proven to be a worthwhile experiment. “Larmes de héros” may not possess a glossy high-budget production job but the song-writing is strong enough to overcome the fact that the rhythm guitars sound thin & are too far back in the mix. Don’t be put off by the lacklustre opener “La hargne des tordus” or the very ordinary “Mourir pour une princesse” or “La huitième couleur de l'arc-en-ciel”. Have some faith & give the record time to dig its claws in. You may just find that it offers some quality heavy metal, particularly if you dig NWOBHM-influenced heavy metal artists like Ostrogoth, Stormwitch or fellow Frenchmen Blasphème who all tap into a similar vibe.

3.5/5

Red Temple Spirits - "Dancing to Restore an Eclipsed Moon" (1988)

An outstanding Los Angeles gothic rock/post post double album. A real find.

Here's my review:

I hadn’t actually heard of German doom/sludge metallers Hexer before this month’s feature release. Sonny has a habit of identifying interesting & ambitious underground acts in the depths of our The Fallen clan though so I went into the band’s 2017 debut album “Cosmic Doom Ritual” with a positive outlook & have been thoroughly rewarded for it too as it turns out. You see, Sonny & I share a passion for psychedelia & when combined with metal in subtle ways it can create a truly transcendental experience. These sort of records require a great deal of patience though as they rarely give up their full array of gifts without repeat listens. You really do need to be in the right headspace to allow yourself to be engulfed by the swirling atmosphere as repetition is used as a basic building block of the composition & the hooks aren’t always obvious.

After coming fully to grips with “Cosmic Doom Ritual” over the last couple of days, I’ve come to the realisation that Hexer have fooled many people because the use of the word “doom” in the album title has led most online resources to claim the album as doom metal. In reality though, the tone is much more abrasive & the vocals are a lot harsher & more aggressive than you would usually expect from doom which sees the release aligning itself pretty clearly with sludge metal. The use of slowly building post-rock song structures & stripped-back atmospherics is far in excess of what you will find on a conventional sludge release though with the band taking a more textured approach & steering away from the standard riff-fest. For these reasons, I see “Cosmic Doom Ritual” as a post-sludge metal release with references to stoner metal in the psychedelics. It’s very similar to another one of Sonny’s favourites in MSW’s “Obliviosus” in that way & I’m pleased to have discovered that it’s just as successful in the endeavour too. The Ufomammut references that some of you have mentioned are certainly relevant too. There are some faster blasting sections utilised at times only in more of a hardcore context than a death metal one although the vocal delivery does occasionally edge a little closer to the border of death/grind than most sludge front men dare. If I’m being particularly picky I’d probably suggest that the vocals are the weakest component of the album to tell you the truth but thankfully the instrumentation is so engaging that it’s not all that relevant a point. The bass tone is of particular note as they’ve managed to nail that full yet inherently dirty sludge sound to a tee.

“Cosmic Doom Ritual” consists of three lengthy tracks, all of which are of a high quality & possess their own unique character traits which is an important element of any great record. The second track “Pearl Snake” is the real classic of the three & was the deciding factor in me awarding the album one of my elite scores. The way that track builds & develops through various different timbres & atmospheres is phenomenal & inevitably leaves me feeling exhilarated. The other two inclusions are both strong though with the post-rock sections being particularly well executed so I’ve been really pleasantly surprised by this record. I’d recommend it to all members of The Fallen & The Infinite with a taste for a psychedelic metal sound.

4.5/5

Here's my review:

I’ve been following Australian extreme metallers Nocturnal Graves for some time now, particularly since seeing them play live in support of Mayhem & Watain back in 2014 where they thoroughly impressed me. The Aussie scene is known for producing bands that tip toe along the borders of all three of the major extreme metal genres (i.e. death metal, black metal & thrash metal) with the state of Victoria arguably being the epicentre for that sound. Many of the bands from that region tend to share members & it’s not hard to connect all of them together if you put your mind to it so Nocturnal Graves stem from a long line of seminal artists & possess an imposing pedigree of their own. You can easily hear that in their sound too as they clearly know what it is that made the legendary bands of our youths so great.

Nocturnal Graves is really the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Jarro Raphael who handles the vocals, rhythm guitars, bass & drums on “An Outllaw’s Stand”, the band’s fourth & latest full-length album. Jarro cut his teeth drumming in a couple of other prominent Aussie extreme metal bands in Destroyer 666 & Destruktor before heading off on his own. He’s joined here by a couple of talented lead guitarists in Denouncement Pyre main man Decaylust & current Razor of Occam & former Destroyer 666 & Adorior axeman Shrapnel who I had the pleasure of partying with back in 1996 when he was still one of K.K. Warslut’s sidekicks. The three of them make for an imposing trio & have produced one seriously underrated & high quality record here.

Nocturnal Graves are generally tagged as blackened death/thrash & you can easily see why upon first listen to “An Outlaw’s Stand” however I’d argue that the links to thrash are misguided on this occasion which makes the album an uncomfortable fit as a feature release for The Pit. There are certainly some thrash influences here & there but this is much more of a blackened death metal record in my opinion with the two primary genres sharing the spotlight in roughly equal measure. Perhaps the links to thrash come from the similarities in approach to Sweden’s Witchery & fellow Aussie bands like Destroyer 666 & Vomitor whose blackened sounds are more heavily infiltrated by classic thrash but personally I’d suggest that there’s a lot more Sadistic Intent & particularly early Morbid Angel in Nocturnal Graves sound than there is the thrash metal of Slayer. At times they even hint at the war metal of Bestial Warlust which can’t be a bad thing now, can it?

On paper this sort of stuff should really appeal to someone like myself & I’m very pleased to advise that “An Outlaw’s Stand” delivers on it’s promise with a metal-at-all-costs onslaught of darkness & chaos. There are blast-beats aplenty to accompany some seriously evil blackened vocals & a plethora of Trey Azagthoth-inspired lead guitar work that steals the show from the band leader on this occasion. You’ll do well to find a record that’s more inherently metal than this one as it ticks all of the boxes. Unfortunately it’s perhaps not quite sophisticated enough to be competing with the top tier though, despite having created a mighty maelstrom of an atmosphere. I think Raphael sometimes keeps the beats fairly simplistic in the interest of underground credibility & the results are a little mixed without ever losing momentum. The lead guitar tone seems to have been consciously aimed at replicating that classic Morbid Angel sound with ample use of wah pedals having been employed in the interest of bringing some additional tension & fire to the game. I have to say that it’s worked marvelously well too.

“An Outlaw’s Stand” is an undeniably underground record for those who remember what the scene was like in the late 1980’s & early 1990’s. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, instead electing to borrow their components from the true greats & presenting them in their own way. It works unanimously well too although I have to question the programming of the tracklisting given that the two best tracks on the album are left right to the end. It certainly leaves me wanting more but wouldn’t it have been a better option to place one at the start in order to give the record an added push right from the offset? I would have thought so. Still… it defies all logic that RYM currently has this release sitting at an average of 3.1/5 after almost 200 ratings. Are we listening to the same record??

4/5

Here's my revised Top Ten Deathcore Releases of All Time list in the wake of this week's feature release review:

01. Impending Doom – “Baptized In Filth” (2012)

02. Slice The Cake – “Odyssey To The West” (2016)

03. The Contortionist – “Exoplanet” (2010)

04. Suicide Silence – “The Black Crown” (2011)

05. Born Of Osiris – “The Discovery” (2011)

06. As They Burn – “A New Area For Our Plagues” E.P. (2009)

07. The Acacia Strain – “Wormwood” (2010)

08. As They Burn – “Aeon’s War” (2011)

09. Impending Doom – “The Serpent Servant” (2009)

10. Alice Through The Windshield Glass – “Brutalis Australis” (2012)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/179

Here's my review:

I’ve probably mentioned this in a previous review or two but the treatment of the extremely divisive subgenre of metalcore known as deathcore was one of the original catalysts for me being passionate enough to pursue the Metal Academy cause. I’m not saying that I absolutely love the subgenre by any means but its almost unanimously poor treatment amongst the more elitist end of the metal underground has always been something that's urked me, apparently enough to make me want to make a stand about it too. You see, there’s simply not much wrong with deathcore when compared with other more respected genres of extreme metal. The main gripes with it are around it’s genericism & lack of sophistication yet those same critics will then go off & rave about the next old-school Carcass clone which defies all logic. At the end of the day I just want fairness & equality for everyone in this vast global community & it’s often very hard to come by when the likes of Metal Archives refuse to accept a record like this one as metal & the RYM masses are rating it a ridiculous 2.49/5 from over a thousand votes simply because it is was it claims to be on the tin. None of this makes sense & has made it virtually impossible for deathcore fans to be able to sift through the zillions of also-rans in order to find the cream of the deathcore crop. That’s where Metal Academy came in….

Anyway… let’s not dwell on that much more & get on with the review. I went through a period of deathcore exploration from 2009 through 2012 after returning to metal from a decade spent indulging in electronic music. Part of that was due to the fact that I was used to an aggressive & brutal riff-based style of metal & was finding that a lot of the popular extreme metal releases of the time were more expansive & experimental & utilized many external influences such as post rock & shoegaze. As I was getting my head around all that, I needed something more easily palatable to take out my aggressions & deathcore was one of the sounds that fit the bill. Was it generic? Shit yeah it was but it was generally beautifully performed, professionally produced & savage as fuck so I didn’t give two shits. I didn’t find myself labelling too many deathcore releases as metal classics but not every record has to be to be worthy of my enjoyment. Suicide Silence appeared on my radar fairly late in that experiment but their 2012 third album “The Black Crown” seemed to stick more than most others. The chunky riffs, relentless vitriol & clean production all worked together to ensure that I gave the album a good number of repeat listens that year & has also seen it managing to hang on to a position in my Top Ten Deathcore Releases of All Time list to this day.

So why does “The Black Crown” get so badly slammed by the metal community even when compared with Suicide Silence’s earlier releases then? This is the only Suicide Silence release I’m familiar with so I can only guess but I assume it’s because this album saw the band exploring the influences they picked up in their youth a little more than they may have in the past, some of which could be regarded as a precursor for the unanimously panned self-titled 2017 album which by all reports saw them fully embracing a nu/alternative metal direction for a short while. While “The Black Crown” certainly achieves a nice balance of death metal & hardcore punk (which is a little heavier on the former if examined closely), it’s pretty clear that Suicide Silence were raised during the 1990’s & they aren’t afraid to show it on this occasion so you’ll no doubt pick up the odd groove-oriented Pantera riff or a few Korn-style nu metal chuggers throughout the tracklisting, not to mention short smatterings of progressive melodicism. It seems to be a trend to slam groove metal & nu metal in the underground metal scene these days (Thanks Metal Archives/Reddit!) but most of us were partial to records like “Vulgar Display of Power”, “Chaos AD” or “Korn” back in the day if we’re being honest with ourselves so it seems to me to be a little hypocritical to criticize others for wearing their roots on their sleeves, especially when the band are all such talented musicians who really know what they’re doing so pull it all off with aplomb. Drummer Alex Lopez was clearly trained at the Vinny Paul school of rhythm when it comes to accentuating the physical reaction from a riff without overplaying his hand & his blast-beats are absolutely on point. I really enjoy the lead guitar work which is quite accomplished too.

“The Black Crown” would sadly be the last Suicide Silence album for front man Mitch Lucker as he’d tragically lose his life in a motorcycle accident later the same year but he will certainly be the other stumbling block for your average death metal fanatic. I mean if you don’t like deathcore vocals then you’re not gonna like “The Black Crown” because he’s everything your average deathcore front man aspires to be. He screams out his lyrics with complete disregard for any sort of etiquette or class & is more brash & overbearing than he is authoritative. I have to admit that I can stomach him pretty easily though & I think that comes down to the fact that I’ve become more & more attracted to super-angry hardcore in my old age.

All things considered, a four star rating would still seem to many to be pretty high for a release like this one so what’s my justification? Well, I guess I just love genuinely aggressive metal that’s performed by capable musicians & produced with precision & professionalism. It’s really that simple. The riffs may not be terribly original & the plethora of breakdowns may be predictable but sometimes I don't need much in the way of originality & just wanna thrash out so “The Black Crown” fits the bill nicely. I can’t see why fans of bands like Whitechapel or Impending Doom wouldn’t find plenty to enjoy here too.

4/5

King Diamond - "Fatal Portrait" (1986)

I've always enjoyed the more classic King Diamond & Mercyful Fate releases but recently realized that I'd never actually heard King Diamond's highly regarded debut album & decided to fill that gap post haste. Unlike most people, I've always slightly favored the King's solo material over Mercyful Fate & "Fatal Portrait" again showcases the reasons why with guitarists Andy LaRocque & Michael Denner contributing dazzling performances that steal the show from their theatrical front man. The lead guitar tone is nothing short of wonderful & the solos are pushed way forward in the mix for obvious reasons which is a major drawcard for this old shredder. The rhythm section of Timi Hansen & Mikkey Dee are pretty sensational too as they effortlessly pull off some pretty classy instrumental nuances so efficiently that a lot of the more technically impressive touches probably go unnoticed by most listeners. I can generally take or leave the King's operatic vocal style to be honest though. He can be pretty amazing on the super-elite classics but doesn't really do much to draw me in on the rest of the material & I kinda feel that I've heard it all before from him at this point in my life.

Despite a few flashy flourishes here & there, I'd suggest that "Fatal Portrait" is probably a little less progressive than some of the King's other albums & thankfully isn't as neoclassically influenced either. The highlight tracks like "The Candle", "The Portrait", "Charon" & "Haunted" are all very strong heavy metal anthems in their own right but I'm not sure I can say that any of them are genuine classics for me personally & I think the King is the limiting factor there as I really do need to be able to connect with the vocal hooks in your more traditional heavy metal space. There are plenty of outstanding riffs but I think they've been done a minor disservice by not being afforded a more prominent position in the mix to be honest. I would have liked to see them being more of a highlight alongside the solos.

At the end of the day "Fatal Portrait" is a pretty good King Diamond record that ticks all of the boxes that diehard fans could want. I'm not particularly interested in the lyrical themes & I think that's to my own detriment when it comes to the King as it seems to be a large part of his appeal. There's only the one weak track in the disappointing "Dressed In White" but it was just enough to see me dropping my score a touch. That being said, I'd suggest that this record might still just slip into my top five King Diamond-related releases & I'd actually take it over more highly regarded albums like "Don't Break The Oath", "Them" & "The Eye" so it's definitely worth a few listens, particularly for fans of occult-themed heavy metal bands like Mercyful Fate, Ghost & Death SS.

3.5/5

Here's my review:

I've had a lengthy relationship with German black metallers Lunar Aurora after first discovering their first two studio albums through the tape trading scene in the mid-1990's, both of which I quite liked without ever being tempted to claim them as essential. I wouldn't return to Lunar Aurora for more than a decade after that, finally catching up with them again with 2007's "Andacht" around 2009 & being suitably impressed with the improvements Lunar Aurora had made to their sound over the years. "Andacht" sees Lunar Aurora reaching somewhat of a peak in their quest to create a more atmospheric soundscape than I remember from their early works with the use of keyboards being prominent but not overused. The use of drum programming is noticeable but fairly well executed & certainly not intrusive. The more aggressive moments are the most enjoyable for me personally which is hardly surprising. There are a few sections where the band move in a direction that kinda resembles folk metal without actually using those cheesy folk melodies & they represent the weak points of the album. Some of the more keyboard-heavy sections can sound a touch overblown too & (as is often the case with me) the most popular song on the record "Findling" is also the one that I find the least appeal in. Regardless of that, the majority of the six tracks are very strong examples of the atmospheric black metal subgenre in what is a very consistent album that will no doubt offer strong appeal for fans of Paysage d'Hiver, Nagelfar or The Ruins of Beverast.

4/5

Metal Church - "The Dark" (1986)

I hadn't revisited Metal Church's sophomore album in many years & have found that my passion for it has "Wayne"ed a little bit since back in the day (see what I did there?). Much like their self-titled debut, you can expect a mix of classic heavy metal, speed metal & thrash metal tracks with a chunkier & more aggressive tone than the NWOBHM was generally known for which pretty much makes "The Dark" the very definition of what the US power metal scene was all about. The best comparison I can come up with is a combination of the heavy metal of early Savatage & the more classic metal inspired thrash bands like Flotsam & Jetsam & Overkill. Also like the debut, "The Dark" is a little inconsistent in it's execution with a couple of obvious fillers included in simple heavy number "Start The Fire" & unintelligent speed metal tune "Psycho". Admittedly, I don't think these dips are as bad as what we saw in the middle of the tracklisting on "Metal Church" but "The Dark" is lacking the clear highlights that it's older sibling built its reputation on which sees me positioning it slightly behind "Metal Church" overall but not by much. Both are a bit overrated in all honesty & I don't regard either as being essential. David Wayne's vocals are a big improvement on his previous effort here though. I really enjoy his blend of soaring Rob Halford classic metal & Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth snarl. The guitar solos of Kurdt Vanderhoof & Craig Wells are the highlight of the record for me though as they absolutely slay. Overall, I'd suggest that "The Dark" is worth a listen if you enjoy the chunkier end of heavy metal but don't expect it to rock your world as much as some would have you believe.

3.5/5

Liturgy - "Aesthethica" (2011)

I hated New York avant-garde black metaller Liturgy's sophomore album back at the time of release. I simply wasn't ready for my black metal to reach this far or to draw upon more positive sounds at times. Given time & experience though, I've found that there's a deep artistic credibility to Liturgy's music that I can really relate to & the experiments with many disparate outside influences are generally well received. Admittedly the two best tracks have nothing to do with black metal whatsoever in the crushing sludge metal anthem "Veins of God" & the djenty progressive metal of "Generation" but it's really only the dull post-minimal electronics of "Helix Skull" that falls flat across the twelve tracks included. "Aesthethica" is really a pretty great album & one that I regard more highly than Liturgy's highly praised 2019 fourth full-length "H.A.Q.Q." these days but it does require a level of open-mindedness towards your black metal so if you can't stand the positivity of Deafheaven, the post-rock experimentation of Altar of Plagues or the chaotic mathcore infusion of Serpent Column because they take you too far from the original intent of the black metal model then you likely won't be open to this release which is unfairly lumped with the "hipster black metal" tag in my opinion.

4/5

I highly recommend the Acid Bath record to anyone that enjoys hasn't already heard it. Think metalcore-infused sludge metal with touches of stoner metal & death metal.

Here's my July nomination Andi:

Fear Factory - "Suffer Age" (from "Soul of a New Machine", 1992)

There will be no July nominations from me Andi.

Here are my nominations for July Vinny:

Mortal Sin - "Terminal Reward" (from "Face of Despair", 1989)

Kreator - "Impossible to Cure" (from "Out of the Dark... Into the Light" E.P., 1988)

Annihilator - "Alison Hell" (from "Alice in Hell", 1989)

Metal Churche - "Ton of Bricks" (from "The Dark", 1986)

Here are my July nominations Ben:

Teitanblood - "The Baneful Choir" (from "The Baneful Choir", 2019)

Deafheaven - "Baby Blue" (from "10 Years Gone", 2020) (Note: It's recorded live in a studio rather than live at a gig so you'd never know it)

Liturgy - "Sun of Light" (from "Aesthethica", 2011)

Here are my nominations for the July playlist:

Amorphis - "The Four Wise Ones" (from "Under The Red Cloud", 2015)

Fear Factory - "Flesh Hold" (from "Soul of a New Machine", 1992)

Cannibal Corpse - "Infinite Misery" (from "Kill", 2006)

Carcass - "Fermenting Innards" (from "Reek of Putrefaction", 1988)

Teitanblood - "Black Vertebrae" (from "The Baneful Choir", 2019)

Rippikoulu - "Ukuinen piina" (from "Musta seremonia" demo, 1993)

Devourment - "Babykiller" (from "Butcher The Weak", 2006)

Here's my July nomination Xephyr:

Q5 - "Steel The Light" (from "Steel The Light", 1984)

No nominations from me for July.

Here are my July nominations Sonny:

Rippikoulu - "Pimeys ylla jumalan maan" (from "Musta seremonia" demo, 1993)

Liturgy - "Veins of God" (from "Aesthethica", 2011) (I know they're an avant-garde black metal outfit but this track is pure sludge metal)

Here's the feature release roster for July:

THE FALLEN: Ben, Vinny, Daniel, Sonny

THE GATEWAY: Saxy, Andi

THE GUARDIANS: Xephyr, Morpheus Kitami

THE HORDE: Ben, Daniel, Vinny

THE INFINITE: Saxy, Andi, Xephyr

THE NORTH: Vinny, Sonny, Daniel, Xephyr, Ben

THE PIT: Sonny, Vinny, Daniel, Ben

THE REVOLUTION: Andi, Daniel

THE SPHERE: Daniel, Andi

June 2023

01. Incinerator – “Slaughter” (from “Human Garbage” E.P., 2014) [Submitted by Vinny]

02. Dark Tranquillity – “Punish My Heaven” (from “The Gallery”, 1995)

03. VoidCeremony – “Writhing in the Façade of Time” (from “Threads of Unknowing”, 2023)

04. In Flames – “Bullet Ride” (from “Clayman”, 2000) [Submitted by Daniel]

05. Fires In The Distance – “Harbingers” (from “Air Not Meant For Us”, 2023)

06. Blood Duster – “Pornstorestiffi” (from “Cunt”, 2000)

07. Baring Teeth – “Atrophy” (from “Atrophy”, 2011)

08. Lunar Chamber – “Spirit Body & the Seeing Self” (from “Shambhallic Vibrations” E.P., 2023)

09. Slaughter Lord – “Taste of Blood” (from “Taste of Blood” demo, 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Temple Nightside – “Fortress of Burden & Distress” (from “The Hecatomb”, 2016) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Frightmare – “Midnight Murder Mania” (from “Midnight Murder Mania”, 2003)

12. Massacre – “Cryptic Realms” (from “From Beyond”, 1991) [Submitted by Vinny]

13. Cancer – “Hung, Drawn & Quartered” (from “Death Shall Rise”, 1991) [Submitted by Vinny]

14. Cannibal Corpse – “Mangled” (from “Eaten Back To Life”, 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Wretched Fate – “Mind Desecrator” (from “Carnal Heresy”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]

16. Benümb – “Once & Never Again” (from “Withering Strands of Hope”, 2000)

17. Phyllomedusa – “Baw Baw Grunt” (from “Fijian Effluvium”, 2017)

18. Kommand – “Chimera Soldiers” (from “Death Age”, 2023)

19. CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP – “Dirty Harry” (from “We Live As Ghosts”, 2023)

20. Nightmarer – “Throe of Illicit Withdrawal” (from “Deformity Adrift”, 2023)

21. Suffocation – “Sullen Eyes” (from “Pinnacle of Bedlam”, 2013) [Submitted by Vinny]

22. Gorerotted – “Only Tools & Corpses” (from “Only Tools & Corpses”, 2003)

23. Deaden – “Sculpted In Flesh” (from “Hymns Of The Sick”, 1998)

24. Deprecated – “Deriding His Creation” (from “Deriding His Creation” E.P., 1998)

25. Sulfuric Cautery – “Compulsive Retaliation” (from “Suffocating Feats of Dehumanization”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]

26. Gutteral Slug – “Isolated Insanity” (from “Megalodon”, 2013)

27. Cattle Decapitation – “We Eat Our Young” (from “Terrasite”, 2023)

28. Fleshgod Apocalypse – “Sophistic Demise” (from “Oracles”, 2009) [Submitted by Daniel]

29. Extermination Dismemberment – “Survival” (from “Serial Urbicide”, 2013)

Dissonant black metal from China.

A very solid djenty progressive metal instrumental from this New York avant-garde black metal act.

A solid heavy metal workout from this highly regarded San Francisco US power metal outfit.

A progressive metal instrumental from this mid-80's French heavy/speed metal outfit.

Fates Warning - "Awaken The Guardian" (1986)

Connecticut progressive metal legends Fates Warning & I have a very long association going back over three decades now. I’ve always held them in high esteem since becoming infatuated with their classic “Point of View” single in 1991 & subsequently purchasing the “Parallels” album on CD but strangely my enjoyment of that album didn’t see me exploring the rest of their back-catalogue much until Ben & I conducted our research on their earlier releases for the Metal Academy podcast in the mid-2010s. Fates Warning’s crude 1984 debut album “Night on Bröcken” certainly had its charms with its American take on the NWOBHM sound often resembling Iron Maiden a little too closely to see the band differentiating themselves from the pack. Their 1985 sophomore album “The Spectre Within” was another story altogether though as it saw Fates Warning fully indulging in their more progressive Rush influences &, in doing so, virtually creating what we know now as the progressive metal sound. Don’t get me wrong, there were certainly a few earlier underground records that had a crack at it but none managed to incorporate progressive elements into their sound so smoothly & cohesively & I found “The Spectre Within” to be a really strong record with even the unusual high-pitched histrionics of front man John Arch failing to tarnish the challenging & universally professional instrumentation.

This is my first focused investigation of Fates Warning’s highly praised 1986 follow-up “Awaken The Guardian” though & my expectations were very high off the back of “The Spectre Within” which I awarded a well-deserved four star rating during the podcast. I’d been looking forward to seeing where the band would take their sound next as “Parallels” (their sixth album) was a little more restrained from a purely technical point of view. “Awaken The Guardian”, however, sees Fates Warning surging forwards with the complex progressive approach they'd begun exporing on “The Spectre Within” in what would have to have been one of the most ambitious undertakings for metal to the time. I mean this record could very well break a few people’s brains from a purely rhythmic point of view as it’s relentless in its pursuit of unusual & ever-changing time signatures. Then when you throw in Arch’s vocals which go even further than before with their melodic experimentation you get a very unusual record that sounds like nothing before it & very few after it too.

But this brings me to my criticisms of “Awaken The Guardian”. Despite being a unanimously successful & highly revered release in my household, “The Spectre Within” did struggle a little with its balance between expansive artistic license & genuinely memorable song-writing with only album highlight “The Apparition” seeing Fates Warning creating the much sought-after "classic song” as opposed to a very impressive & interesting technical display. The rest of the material simply didn’t possess the hooks that are required to have the listener singing along for days afterwards, a task that’s already hard enough given Arch’s inimitable operatic style which requires a level of acceptance in regard to taking the good with the bad. “Awaken The Guardian” struggles a little more in this regard, perhaps due to the even more overtly progressive instrumental approach which sees Arch having to force his melodies to work over rhythms that are already hard enough to digest. Despite what fans will have you believe, Arch DOES sing out of key quite regularly here & it can be grating if you’re not able to achieve some level of respect for the aural adventure he takes you on. Personally, I’m able to achieve that balance but, despite the fact that there's nothing close to a bad track on offer, there just aren’t enough truly memorable hooks included to warrant all of the praise & I find myself relying on the heavier instrumental parts of the album that see the band dipping into US power metal territory (see “Valley of the Dolls” or “Prelude To Ruin”) to take me to greater heights. Unfortunately Fates Warning can’t quite sustain it for long enough for my liking though. The more restrained album highlight “Guardian” is certainly a strong track but is it a genuine classic like “The Apparition” was? I don’t think so personally & things aren't helped by a fairly thin production job either.

Look, if you’re a prog tragic then “Awaken The Guardian” is probably a bit of a no-brainer but I can’t say that I regard it as highly as “The Spectre Within” or the better works from prog metal contemporaries like Queensryche & Dream Theater who are simply better at getting that technicality vs song-writing balance right. Admittedly both benefit from much more traditionally talented front men but I would happily have accepted a bit less rhythmic extravagance & a little more of a focus on making the sort of captivating heavy metal anthems that Crimson Glory are so successful at.

3.5/5

Devourment - "Butcher The Weak" (2006)

I first became aware of Dallas-based slam death metal establishment Devourment back in 1997/98 through their “Impaled” demo which I picked up through the tape trading scene. I remember really digging it too although I’d start my decade-long sabbatical from the metal scene shortly afterwards & wouldn’t return to metal until 2009 when I’d immediately looked to catch up on what I’d missed from my beloved brutal death metal scene. The band’s 1999 debut album “Molesting The Decapitated” would be my first point of call as many a pundit seemed to be claiming it as a seminal record for the scene at the time. On paper that album was always going to appeal to my particular taste profile however it certainly wasn’t without its flaws which left me wondering whether Devourment would improve on those with subsequent releases, particularly given the long period between their debut & the release of their sophomore album “Butcher The Weak”. The gap was mainly due to the incarceration of guitarist Ruben Rosas (ironically on the day that “Molesting The Decapitated” was released) which triggered a series of splits & reformations that would derail Devourment's immediate plans for world domination but “Butcher The Weak” would finally see the light of day as an independent release in 2005. Devourment would be picked up by Minnesota label Brutal Bands shortly afterwards though & the label would facilitate the re-recording of the whole record so there are technically two versions of this release, the second & arguably more accepted version being the one I’m reviewing today.

Those that were familiar with “Molesting The Decapitated” prior to checking out “Butcher The Weak” likely weren’t surprised by what they heard as its successor doesn’t try to change the formula much but it does manage to improve on it a touch. There were a number of obstacles I faced in my appreciation of Devourment’s first up effort & the completely unintelligible, ultra-gutteral drainpipe vocal performance was certainly one of them. Bassist Mike Majewski has taken over the microphone duties from Rosas this time with the former front man opting to take on all of the guitars instead but the result is still the same with Majewski making very little attempt to enunciate his words. This will definitely be a dealbreaker for those metalheads not already accustomed to slam/brutal death metal as you’ll rarely hear a more overt example of that technique than you do here, at least not from a vocalist that’s not using a vocoder like is commonly the case with the goregrind scene. The other major issue I had with the debut was the sloppy drumming & tightly-wound, pinging snare drum sound. Thankfully new drummer Eric Park has been gifted with a much more natural & powerful snare sound this time which makes the whole record a lot more easily digestible. Unfortunately though, Park doesn’t seem to be much better than former skinsman Brad Fincher at performing blast beats & gravity blasts so you’ll still find a lot of examples where Park struggles to keep up with the rest of the band once the tempo starts to reach light-speed.

Thankfully though, Devourment are at their best when they’re sticking to their signature slow-to-mid tempo slam riffs & you’ll do well to find a more obvious example of the slam death metal sound than this particular record as it doesn’t hold back at all in presenting its differentiating element. I’ve always been a sucker for the heavily palm-muted, Suffocation-style breakdown & Devourment have made a career out of replicating it through as many different variations on the theme as they can come up with. It might not be the most original or creative mode of attack but I inevitably find my body reacting in positive ways so who the fuck am I to question it, particularly when used in conjunction with some well placed double kick work. Could “Butcher The Weak” have done with some spasmatic guitar solos to help the tracks reach greater heights? Shit yeah it could have but I’ve said that about all of the Devourment records I’ve reviewed to date so I’m relatively at peace with it at this point.

So just where does “Butcher The Weak” sit as far as Devourment’s discography & the overall slam death metal scene goes? Well, I’d argue that it’s a minor improvement on “Molesting The Decapitated” & one of the better examples of the slam death sound you’ll find. It would take the band thirteen years to top it with 2019’s “Obscene Majesty” album being Devourment’s finest full-length in my opinion. If you hate slam death metal then this record ain’t gonna change that in the slightest. In fact, it’ll likely further repel you if I’m being honest but fans of bands like Abominable Putridity, Kraanium & Internal Bleeding will no doubt find a fair bit to enjoy in “Butcher The Weak”.

3.5/5

Here's my updated Top Ten Slam Death Metal Releases of All Time list:

01. Pathology – “The Time Of Great Purification” (2012)

02. Abominable Putridity – “The Anomalies Of Artificial Origin” (2012)

03. Devourment – “Obscene Majesty” (2019)

04. Devour The Unborn – “Consuming The Morgue Remains” (2012)

05. Disfiguring The Goddess – “Sleeper” (2012)

06. Pighead – “Rotten Body Reanimation” (2012)

07. Coprophiliac – “Whining Bitch Treatment” (2012)

08. Devourment - "Butcher The Weak" (2006)

09. Devourment - "Molesting The Decapitated" (1999)

10. Delusional Parasitosis/Ecchymosis/Dissevered/Bleeding – “Scaphism 4-Way Split” (2017)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/145

This nomination has been posted in the Hall of Judgement.

This nomination has been posted in the Hall of Judgement.

This nomination has been posted in the Hall of Judgement.

This nomination has been posted in the Hall of Judgement.

I've passed this nomination as these releases no longer qualify for inclusion in The Revolution.

My updated Top Ten Speed Metal Releases of All Time list:

01. Exciter – “Long Live The Loud” (1985)

02. Acid – “Maniac” (1983)

03. Agent Steel – “Skeptics Apocalypse” (1985)

04. Midnight - "Let There Be Witchery" (2022)

05. Voivod - "War & Pain" (1984)

06. Venom – “At War With Satan” (1984)

07. Savage Grace – “Master Of Disguise” (1985)

08. Iron Angel – “Hellish Crossfire” (1985)

09. ADX - "Execution" (1985)

10. Acid – “Acid” (1983)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/176

ADX - "Execution" (1985)

The 1985 debut album from French metal establishment ADX represented somewhat of a gap in my metal knowledge as it's quite highly regarded, particularly in their home country. ADX are still running strong after twelve albums & 41 years in the business but I'd previously only heard their 1990 fourth album "Weird Visions" & it didn't exactly set my world on fire to be fair. "Execution" is a much stronger effort though with the band showing off some highly accomplished chops & benefiting from a raw yet razor-sharp production job that perfectly accentuates ADX's strengths.

ADX's sound sits somewhere in between the high velocity speed metal of Savage Grace & the NWOBHM-influenced French heavy metal of H-Bomb & early Sortilege, perhaps being a little closer to the heavy metal side of the equation when examined closely. There's a great energy about everything the band do here with the shredding guitar solos being the clear highlight for me personally. The weakest link is an inconsistent performance by front man Phil whose voice isn't the strongest you'll find & probably isn't helped by his opting to perform in his native tongue either. The instrumental component manages to cover for him for the most part though with only the unintelligent closer "Caligula" falling short of par for me personally. It's also the most popular song on the tracklisting though so go figure. My favourite number is heavy metal anthem "Prière de Satan" which features some lovely melodic guitar work & is easily Phil's most effective contribution with some highly memorable vocal hooks. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that it's a French metal classic.

So "Execution" is a pretty decent listen overall, even if it's fallen well short of the classic status that some would have you believe it to be worthy of. It's probably the most high energy release I've heard from the early French scene though which differentiates it from other respectable records from bands like Blaspheme, High Power, Trust or Warning. In fact, I'd imagine that most speed metal freaks will probably get a lot more out of "Execution" than I do as speed metal doesn't tend to be a genre that I find myself connecting with as readily as your traditional brand of heavy metal. 

3.5/5

Rippikoulu - "Musta seremonia" demo (1993)

I hadn't revisited this cult classic of a mid-90's demo tape in many years but Ben recently asked me for my opinion on it & I noticed that I hadn't rated it on Metal Academy yet so I felt it was about time I gave it another sitting. The six tracks included run for just over half an hour which is a good length for this kind of release &, while the production may be really raw, it  loses none of it's effectiveness. In fact, I feel that the crushing down-tuned riffage & depressive atmospherics are only enhanced by it which is the sign of a true underground gem. I really love the deep death growls too as they're wonderfully monstrous but don't sound generic in the slightest.

Musically, Rippikoulu's sound is a tale of two cities. On the one hand you have the dark, suffocating doom/death of bands like Spectral Voice, Winter & diSEMBOWELMENT, only it's been combined with the grimy, mid-paced, tremolo-picked conventional death metal of early Bolt Thrower & the outcome is nothing short of splendid. Perhaps the lack of production can make a lot of the material sound a touch samey but it's only a short release & the couple of more atmospheric highlights that close out the demo certainly stand out, particularly the spectacular "Pimeys yllä Jumalan maan" which about as good as doom/death gets. If I'm being picky I'd say that the faster parts are a little less effective than the doomier sections but this is a quality effort from a band that clearly showed a lot of unfulfilled potential.

4/5