Daniel's Forum Replies

PassCode - "Clarity" (2019)

Now, this fifth album from Japanese all-girl four-piece PassCode is a really interesting one because it's thrown the cat amongst the pigeons for me in many respects. PassCode's sound is comprised of many disparate elements that are beautifully integrated with metalcore, pop punk, j-pop, alternative rock, electro & trance all playing major roles in the overall package. The vocals flip-flop between j-pop & metalcore & while the instrumentation does something similar between metalcore & pop punk with the electronica being layered over the top in a fashion that's more than simply an accompaniment. The thing with "Clarity" though is that, despite being claimed to be predominantly a Trance Metal release on RYM, if your read the definition of the genre & then do the same with the Trancecore one it's very hard not to think that the latter is perfectly describing the sound we're hearing here, only Trancecore isn't a metal subgenre & "Clarity" is arguably metal enough to be included at the Academy. Perhaps this fact has caused people to label it as Trance Metal simply because they think it's gotta sit under a metal-related subgenre? I can see the logic in that actually as there is so much more going on here than melodic metalcore. If I had to put the album into a clan though it'd 100% be The Revolution. There's no doubt about that whatsoever. But there's also no way that PassCode should be thrown into the same subgenre as the Amaranthe record I just reviewed because they're nothing alike. I think I'll reserve my final position on the album's qualification for the Academy until the end of the deep dive so that I can get a bit more perspective but I'm tempted to lodge a Hall of Judgement entry for it. I'm just not quite sure what I want to do with it yet. I'd be interested to get Andi's perspective on this one actually as he's probably the member with the most knowledge of these two niche subgenres.

At the end of the day "Clarity" is a quality example of it's type but it simply sits so far outside of my taste profile that I struggled to connect with it's quirky hybrid sound. It's certainly a much stronger piece of artistic expression than the BABYMETAL debut but I can't say that I enjoyed the experience all that much more, at least not enough to give it a higher score. I can certainly understand how PassCode would have packed stadiums of Japanese fans on their feet & singing in unison though as their appeal would seem to be perfectly tailored to their homeland.

2.5/5

I didn't uncover any unheralded classics this month but there were a bunch of strong & entertaining records along with a couple of releases that I couldn't connect with. I was already familiar with the Ulcerate & Overkill records & my feelings have remained relatively stable on those two. The Void of Silence, Admiral Angry, Xanthochroid & Mnemic albums were all very rewarding new discoveries for me while the Virgin Steele album was pretty decent too. I don't think I was ever really going to enjoy a Parkway Drive or a Summoning record if I'm being honest but at least I gave them a crack. 

Here are my ratings in order of preference:

THE HORDE: Ulcerate - "Shrine of Paralysis" (2016)  4/5

THE FALLEN: Void of Silence - "Criteria ov 666" (2002)  4/5

THE REVOLUTION: Admiral Angry - "Buster" (2009)  4/5

THE INFINITE: Xanthochroid - "Of Erthe & Axen: Act 1" (2017)  4/5

THE SPHERE: Mnemic - "Mechanical Spin Phenomena" (2003)  4/5

THE GUARDIANS: Virgin Steele - "The Marriage of Heaven & Hell: Part One" (1994)  3.5/5

THE PIT: Overkill - "Killbox 13" (2003)  3.5/5

THE GATEWAY: Parkway Drive - "Darker Still" (2022)  3/5

THE NORTH: Summoning - "Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame" (2001)  2.5/5

Well done to Vinny who gets my bikkies this month for the Ulcerate nomination.

Amaranthe - "Manifest" (2020)

For the second release in my Trance Metal deep dive I've opted to go with the latest full-length from arguably the most important artist in the genre in Sweden's Amaranthe. This is a very different record to the BABYMETAL one but it offers similarities in its focus on pop hooks. This is certainly a much better band than I heard on their 2009 debut E.P. "Leave Everything Behind" & Amaranthe prove themselves to be a well-oiled machine capable of stunning musicianship & production. This album definitely showcases the textbook Trance Metal sound, at least as far as my understanding of it goes. There's a noticeable trance influence on most tracks through the melodic & uplifting synth-driven electronic accompaniment, occasional use of four-to-the-floor beats & soaring, angelic female vocals. There's also the inclusion of harsh metalcore vocals that is generally thought to be a component of the Trance Metal sound but (as with their debut E.P.) they're comfortably the weakest component of the Amaranthe sound & they'd be well advised to drop them altogether in my opinion given how effective the clean male & female vocals are.

So, does this record justify the Trance Metal genre's existence? Quite possibly. It could sit under a genre like Power Metal but I don't mind the idea of keeping it separate either as it's just different enough to warrant it. It certainly has nothing to do with the Alternative Metal I heard on "BABYMETAL" & would be way out of place under The Gateway. It's also WWAAYYY too melodic for The Revolution. "Manifest" sits most comfortably under The Guardians in my opinion as it contains similar attributes & qualities to Symphonic Power Metal. I didn't mind this record either just quietly. It's certainly inconsistent but the highlights (see the wonderful power metal ballad "Crystalline" for example) are easily strong enough to carry the weaker moments. Consider "Manifest" to be a guilty pleasure for me.

3.5/5

Here's the good example of the Trance Metal sound:

BABYMETAL - "BABYMETAL" (2014)

I thought I'd start with a release that I'm miles more familiar with than any other Trance Metal record. In fact, I'd suggest that I've listened to it more than any other metal release over the last two years & that's not by choice. My two daughters are obsessed with BABYMETAL so they play the big hit singles from this record on repeat & never seem to tire of them. It's good to finally be able to get a rating out for it now but I unsurprisingly haven't found a lot of joy in it. There are a couple of decent tracks (see nu metal number "Onedari Daisakusen" & my personal favourite in djent effort "Rondo of Nightmare") but the rest is far too affiliated with J-Pop & commercial EDM for my taste. The musicianship is absolutely stunning though.

So is this a Trance Metal release? You know what, I'm way more across the finer details of trance music than the vast majority of metalheads due to my decade-long dalliance with the dance music scene (& DJing in general) so I think I'm well qualified to make a call on this. There's really only two tracks here that draw upon genuine trance music (see "line!" & "Uki Uki Midnight") with the rest of the album making a whole bunch of different stylistic choices (death metal, thrash metal, alternative metal, nu metal, industrial metal, djent, power metal) but this record ultimately ends up sitting much more comfortably under the Alternative Metal tag than the Trance Metal one. I don't even think the two trancey tracks fit the genre description all that well either so I've submitted a Hall of Judgement entry for this release which really belongs solely in The Gateway in my opinion.

2.5/5

Here's the best example of Trance Metal you'll find on this record:

This nomination has now been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This nomination has now been added to the Hall of Judgement.

I actually disagree. Black metal plays more of a supporting role in the overall package in my opinion & I wouldn't want to see a release like this one sitting at the top of the black metal charts or being included in the playlists for The North. I'm comfortable with the sole Progressive Metal tag as I think that genre adequately covers a lot of the cinematic & symphonic elements on show. I'll get the Hall entry up over the next couple of days & we'll see what everyone else thinks.

This was a really great feature release selection as far as I'm concerned as the scope & execution is excellent while the tracklisting is completely blemish-free. The reference to Ne Obliviscaris is certainly apt as they're probably the band that sits closest to this sound. Xandochroid possess an additional cinematic component which gives them a clear point of difference though, despite the fact that you'll easily detect the influence of other progressive metal masters like Dream Theater, Opeth, etc. The clean vocals sound a lot like James LaBrie from Dream Theater at times while the black metal shrieks are the spitting image of Ihsahn. You won't hear a more beautifully executed production job, especially in regard to the symphonic/orchestral elements which jump out of the speakers & gently stroke your face at times. The blast-beats are kept for key moments but are immaculately performed while the folk sections are engaging & free of cheese. I love the female vocals too. They're gorgeous! The only criticism I have is that the quality level dips a touch between tracks 5-7 but I'd suggest that all fans of extreme progressive metal will find a lot to enjoy here.

For fans of Ne Obliviscaris, Wilderun & Opeth.

4/5

I'm gonna have to apologise for this one as in hindsight "Buster" really doesn't have much to do with metalcore or The Revolution. It's really a djenty sludge metal record & a damn fine one at that too. The tracklisting is seriously consistent & the music is as filthy & depraved as you could ever ask for. Front man Chris Lindblad screams his absolute guts out in a marvelous performance while the techy djent feel to some of the riffs is something that I'm yet to experience in combination with a genre like sludge. Closer "Illusion of Strength" is the highlight for mine & is a wonderful example of the sound that the poorly titled Admiral Angry have to offer but there's not a weak moment on here & I thoroughly enjoyed the experience overall. It's a crushingly heavy album full of psychotic, drug-fueled self-harm & spite.

For fans of Black Wall Sheep, Knut & early Amenra.

4/5

I'm afraid I couldn't get into this one much as it's simply too poppy for my taste. There are three or four really decent 3.5-4 star tracks included ("Land of the Lost" & album highlight "Glitch" are especially solid) & the production & execution is excellent but the majority of the album sits in spaces that I'm not that all that comfortable, particularly the Fred Durst-ish vocal approach that pops up here & there. In fact, there's definitely a bit of nu metal about this album at times. Strangely, the back end of the tracklisting is where most of the best tracks can be found with three of the last four all being more than decent alternative metal numbers. 

For fans of Bad Wolves, Avatar & latter-day In Flames.

3/5

I'm about to go into my first Parkway Drive record ever. These guys are from Byron Bay which is less than an hour away from where I live on the Gold Coast so it's about time really, particularly given how huge these guys are on a global scale. I guess I've just never felt they'd interest me much. Anyway... wish me luck.

You kinda know what you're gonna get with an Overkill record, don't you? And their twelfth album won't disappoint too many fans in that regard as you'll find the same fairly simple, well-executed thrash metal tunes with Blitz's signature snarly vocals delivery here along with the groove metal influence the band had been touting since the mid-90's. The production is great, Bobby's vocals are excellent (particularly given that he'd only recently suffered a heart attack on stage) & the shredding guitar solos are outstanding with a searing tone. There's not a lot more to say about it really. It's yet another workman-like effort that sporting a couple of clear highlights in opener "Devil by the Tail" (with it's awesome Slayer-inspired bridge section) & my personal fave "The One". It also contains a couple of flat tracks in "Damned" & ""Unholy". The rest is just kinda middling i.e. pretty enjoyable but not something that's likely to see me returning to the album in the future. "Horrorscope" will remain as the only Overkill album that I genuinely love but "Killbox 13" isn't all that far behind the band's other highly regarded records like "The Years of Decay", "Taking Over" & "Feel The Fire" in all honesty. I guess I'm just not that big an Overkill fan but I'd suggest that this was Overkill's best work in a decade from what I can remember.

For fans of Exodus, Testament & Anthrax.

3.5/5

I really enjoyed this release Ben. It was new to me as I'd only heard Void of Silence's 2010 fourth album "The Grave of Civilization" previously but I think this is the better record of the two from what I remember of that particular release. I'd describe the sound of "Criteria ov 666" as being blackened/gothic doom metal. The style of the riffage certainly borrows a lot from My Dying Bride while the use of dark atmospheric interludes & cinematic symphonics gives Void of Silence a clear differentiator. The vocals are obviously drawn from black metal with Aborym front man Malfeitor Fabban handling the microphone duties on this occasion. I have to say that the rhythm guitar sound leaves a little to be desired but the tracklisting is completely free of duds so it's a very consistent record. It is a little strange though that they've elected to leave the three strongest cuts until right at the end of the album but it does leave you wanting more which can hardly be negative now, can it? Great selection once again Ben.

For fans of My Dying Bride, Dolorian & Dread Sovereign.

4/5

With a vote tally of YES 6 NO 0, I've decided that this is conclusive enough to make the change. Thank you to everyone that contributed to the result.

I guess it depends on your definition of "a big impact" Andi. Deadwater Drowning are hardly a household name, are they?

I've passed this nomination as the album already qualifies for inclusion in The Sphere without going to a vote. The relevant change has been made in the database.

I tried. I really did. But this shit just ain't my bag I'm afraid because Summoning's fifth record is far more Santa than it is Satan. In fact, I could easily imagine a lot of these tracks being played beneath a popular crooner at a Carols By Candlelight session somewhere while families wave candles in the air & I'm afraid I'm a bit of a grinch at the best of times when it comes to Christmas. There's a strong darkwave influence visible throughout the tracklisting but where a brilliant artist like Dead Can Dance creates gorgeous soundscapes through their wonderful attention to detail & expansive array of organic instrumentation Summoning simply use extraordinarily cheap sounding midi synths to make the same tired ol' sounds time & time again. The metal component is dwarfed by the synths on this occasion but that wouldn't be such a bad thing necessarily if not for the obviously cheesy nature of the rest of the instrumentation. There is one track that I quite enjoy in the brooding "In Hollow Halls Beneath the Fells" but the rest falls pretty flat to my ears unfortunately. I can't see a time where I'll ever find myself being converted by this artist as I find myself having to summon enormous amounts of energy simply to develop an opinion on records like this one as the effort to get through a few active listens is significant even if they're not inherently "bad" as such. I find that there's a fine line between the "epic" & the "embarrassing" & Summoning seem to fall on the latter side of that line more often than not.

For fans of Caladan Brood, Emyn Muil & Elffor.

2.5/5

"Shrines of Paralysis" is (& was always going to be) another superbly composed & sublimely dense & complex piece of work from one of the true stars of the death metal stage. There's not a track included that doesn't remind you of their class & ambition. Unfortunately though, I can't quite seem to appreciate it as an album in the same way as I do some of their more revered works like "Stare Into Death and Be Still" or "Everything Is Fire" & there are a couple of reasons as to why that is. The first is that differentiating between the individual tracks is not as easily achieved as it was on those records as they have more of a tendency to sound quite similar, even after three or four active listens. The second (& most obvious) is the awful triggered snare drum sample which is totally over the top & sees me being frustrated during each blast beat section. When you have the world's best extreme metal drummer in your ranks & he's pulling off some truly sublime percussion work it would seem to be to be such a shame to taint his performance with such an over-powering snare that makes each blast-beat sound like your CD is skipping. Apart from those flaws though "Shrines of Paralysis" is an imposing & inaccessible piece of art whose complexities require your total attention in order to open up but will ultimately reward your efforts.

For fans of Gorguts, Portal & Baring Teeth.

4/5

I really enjoyed this feature Andi. I'd heard a few Mnemic tracks through the monthly playlists over the years & generally recall enjoying them but this was the first full release I've checked out. Calling it industrial/groove metal doesn't really do the scope of this release justice in my opinion because there are also nu metal & djent components that are easily as significant as either of those tags yet none of the four seem appropriate as a primary tag in my opinion. I guess I'll leave it as it is given that I can't think of a better option.

The vocals are nice & aggressive, the production is chunky & heavy & the execution is bang on. The Fear Factory influence is obvious in the staccato riffs & the clean choruses which also hint at Strapping Young Lad. The Meshuggah influence in the djenty bits is beautifully done & generally matches up with the best parts. The simpler groove metal riffs reference Sepultura & Machine Head while the regular touches on nu metal reek of Korn & early Deftones. There are even some clear hints at White Zombie in the vocal delivery at times.

There are no weak tracks included in a very consistent tracklisting. I absolutely love "Tattoos" which is the clear highlight for mine. This is an underrated record & I very much concur with Andi's suggestion that it needs to be heard.

For fans of Fear Factory, Prong & Dagoba.

4/5

Limelight - "Limelight" (1981)

The debut album from this little-known Nottinghamshire outfit came a full fourteen years after they first formed in 1967. God knows how Limelight have then gone on to be included under the NWOBHM banner given that they were hardly "new". It's even more strange given that there's really only the one metal track on the album in the early speed metal track "Metal Man" which also happens to be the weakest inclusion in the tracklisting in my opinion. What we have here is an interesting blend of dirty pub-style hard rock with a more expansive & melodic progressive rock sound with the lengthier prog tunes being the clear highlights. The vocals have a punky innocence to them that often allows them to work when they don't seem to have any right to while the quality of the lead guitar work was a nice surprise as it's quite accomplished for such an underground rock release. There are a couple of weaker tracks included but these are easily outweighed by the more rewarding material which makes this little album worthy of your time.

For fans of Rush, Shiva & Saracen.

3.5/5

Heavy Metal Army - "Heavy Metal Army 1" (1981)

Another early Japanese metal release. This one a one-off album from an obscure band from Okinawa that were never heard of again. I haven't had much time for the other early Japanese releases I've heard & this one isn't much better but I'd hazard to suggest that it was probably the best metal-related release to come out of the country to the time. Heavy Metal Army's sound sits somewhere between heavy metal & hard rock & the vocals flip-flop between English & Japanese. The guitar solos of Shinki Sugama are excellent & are a real strength but the most noteworthy component of the Heavy Metal Army sound is the strong use of keyboards which draws comparisons with Deep Purple & Rainbow when it's done well but when it's not it tends to date the material pretty badly.

The tracklisting is quite varied, as is the quality level as this is a highly inconsistent record. It's strange though that they've elected to start the album with the three weakest tracks which got me offside from the get-go. For this reason it took me a couple of listens to get myself into a headspace to appreciate the rest of the album but once I did I found some pretty interesting stuff with the stripped-back progressive rock closer "Bird of Destiny" being the clear highlight. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to save "Heavy Metal Army 1" from obscurity & I can't see myself returning to it even though it definitely has its moments.

For fans of Deep Purple, Scorpions & Rainbow.

3/5

With a vote tally of YES 5 NO 0, I've decided to pass this nomination & have made the required adjustments to the database.

This release has been posted in the Hall of Judgement.

I'm not sure I agree with this sentiment to be honest. It seems like everyone's eeing this from a purely consumerist point of view rather than from the artist's perspective. It never occurred to me that I might gain a wide audience when I played in bands & wrote & released my own music. I did it entirely because it was some of the most fun I've ever had & would happily have continued with it in isolation on a desert island for eternity if it had of stayed relatively easy to fit into my lifestyle. I found the song-writing to be the most rewarding part as it was the perfect creative outlet for me so if just one person appreciated my music it was more than enough for me. Over the last couple of months I've reached out to all of the ex-members of my old brutal death metal band Neuropath & every one of them treasures that time. The comradery is as much a part of that enjoyment as anything else & I miss it many respects, even though there were many frustrations at the same time. When the Neuropath CD is released next year it'll be a significant moment in my life, despite the fact that I hold very few hopes of it making much of an impact on the global extreme metal marketplace in 2023. That's not important. It'll mark the fulfillment of a lifelong dream nonetheless & I'll have something in my hands to show for all the work & talk about at dinner parties when I'm old.

Welcome to the Academy DinaricWarrior. We're very pleased to have you & I'd encourage you to contribute & participate as much or as little as you'd wish. We're a totally inclusive community here so if you'd like to be a part of our monthly Spotify playlist track nominations or feature release submission initiatives then let me know. If not then that's completely fine too. Feel free to send my a private message if there's anything I can help you with.

Here's my review:

I have to admit that New York heavy/power metal legends Virgin Steele’s first couple of albums (1982’s self-titled & 1983’s “Guardians of the Flame”) did very little for me. It wasn’t until I investigated their highly regarded 1995 seventh full-length “The Marriage of Heaven & Hell Part Two” that I uncovered the true qualities that Virgin Steele have to offer but there was still a fair amount of cheese in their sound to offset the chunky power metal riffage & anthemic choruses with the symphonic elements of their sound taking me a little outside my musical comfort zone. The experience was positive overall though so I thought I’d give 1994’s “The Marriage of Heaven & Hell Part One” a crack to see how it compares.

I feel very similarly about this record in my ways as it sports most of the same character traits. The powerful metal riffage is further highlighted by a stellar production job for this style of metal with the music seemingly jumping out of the speakers & forcing your head to bang up & down. This is a very metal album in that regard it has to be said. Edward Pursino’s lead guitar work is brilliantly composed & executed & just listen to how memorable some of these choruses are! They’re tailor-made for raising your metal claws to the sky & singing along with your drunken mates thanks to some highly memorable hooks. David DeFeis’ voice is simply wonderful as he sports an enormous amount of power & emotion, not to mention the fact that he challenges Manowar’s Eric Adams in the epic stakes.

But in saying all that, the album also contains some of the same hindrances as it’s younger sibling. Despite four or five tracks hinting at classic status, none manage to pull it off in their entirety in my opinion with most containing a cheesy bridge or guitar solo section to pull things back to just a very solid level rather than allowing the song-writing to scale the heights of a genuinely transcendent one. The tracklisting is also noticeably top heavy with all of the best material residing on the A side. When Virgin Steele decide to explore their more melodic side with some more commercially accessible ballads & symphonic interludes we find them overstepping the cheese line in no uncertain terms & those tracks are inevitably the weaker moments on the record. They remind me very much of Savatage’s more self-indulgent efforts in that regard.

Overall I see “The Marriage of Heaven & Hell Part One” as another missed opportunity for Virgin Steele. All of the components are in place to make this a pinnacle of heavy metal but they somehow manage to squander that potential through their own indulgences. With a run time that exceeds 70 minutes, I have to suggest that a bit of culling could have added another half star to my rating but as it stands I’d still say that this is my new favourite Virgin Steele release as it possesses more highlight tracks & a touch less cheese than its more widely praised successor.

For fans of Jag Panzer, Omen & Manowar.

3.5/5

Obús - "Prepárate" (1981)

The debut album from this Madrid-based outfit is one of the earlier metal releases to come out of Spain. Zarpa's 1978 debut album "Los cuatro jinetes del Apocalipsis" is the earliest that I'm aware of but I'd argue that "Prepárate" may have come in second (at least of the reasonably noteworthy releases out there) as I don't regard Barón Rojo's "Larga vida al rock and roll" album from earlier in 1981 to be anything more than hard rock whereas "Prepárate" has a foot in both the hard rock & heavy metal camps. Unfortunately it suffers from the same affliction as Barón Rojo's first couple of records though as I struggle with clean Spanish language vocals in my metal for some reason, especially when there's not a lot of talent behind them as we see here. The instrumentation is reasonably well done throughout & there are a few tracks that I quite enjoy (i.e. when the choruses don't kill off their chances) but none of them will see me rushing back for return visits. It's interesting that we may even have an early speed metal track on our hands here in "Pesadilla nuclear" although it's not a very good one it has to be said. At the end of the day "Prepárate" is another decent Spanish rock/metal record with solid (if uninspired) instrumental performances & fairly amateurish vocals. I'd take it over the first two Barón Rojo albums though if pushed.

For fans of Barón Rojo, Ángeles del Infierno & Saxon.

3/5

The Ruins of Beverast - "Rain Upon The Impure" (2006)

The highly regarded sophomore album from this mysterious German solo act is a solid effort that showcases a great understanding of tension & atmosphere. The monstrous vocals are truly menacing while the two dark ambient interludes are immaculately executed & are probably my favourite inclusions on the album. The funeral doom metal influence is beautifully incorporated into a platform built on atmospheric black metal, so much so that I'd suggest that the doomier & more atmospheric moments eclipse most of the blasting sections pretty comfortably. A part of that is due to the fact that Alexander's drumming isn't terribly flash & when you combine his limited technical skills with a poor snare drum sound that stands out in the mix like a sore thumb then you get a significant obstacle to the album's chances of me holding "Rain Upon The Impure" up on a pedestal. Thankfully the song-writing is accomplished enough to overcome that flaw with the five proper songs all being of a consistent quality. The length of the album is certainly overly indulgent but you don't often hear black metal artists of the class of The Ruins of Beverast so it's hard to complain too much.

For fans of Elysian Blaze, Lurker of Chalice & Verdunkeln.

4/5

Here's my January playlist submission Andi:

Old - "Freak Now" (from "The Musical Dimensions of Sleastak", 1993)

There won't be any submissions from me this month Andi.

Here are my January playlist submissions Vinny:

Critical Defiance - "Elephant" (from "No Life Forms", 2022)

Pantera - "Suicide Note, Pt. 2" (from "The Great Southern Trendkill", 1996)

Here are my submissions for the January playlist Ben:

Liturgy - "PASAQALIA" (from "H.A.Q.Q.", 2019)

Drudkh - "The First Snow" (from "Autumn Aurora", 2004)

Windir - "The Spiritlord" (from "1184", 2001)

Here are my submissions for the January playlist:

Edge of Sanity - "The Sinner & The Sadness" (from "Purgatory Afterglow", 1994)

Dying Fetus - "Killing On Adrenaline" (from "Killing On Adrenaline", 1998)

My Dying Bride - "God Is Alone" (from "Trinity", 1995)

Carcass - "Ruptured In Purulence" (from "Symphonies of Sickness", 1989)

Here's my submission for the January playlist Xephyr:

Cool Feet - "The Man From Marakesh" (from "Burning Desire", 1976)

Here's my submission for the January playlist Saxy:

Primus - "Jerry Was A Race Car Driver" (from "Sailing The Seas Of Cheese", 1991)

Here are my January playlist submissions Sonny:

Cavurn - "II" (from "Reheasal" E.P., 2017)

My Dying Bride - "Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium" (from "Trinity", 1995)

The Ocean - "Benthic: The Origin Of Our Wishes" (from "Pelagial", 2013)

In case you're not aware, members have until the 15th day of the month to submit tracks for the coming month's playlists Andi.

Here's the schedule for the January feature release nominations:

THE FALLEN: Daniel, Sonny, Ben

THE GATEWAY: Saxy, Andi

THE GUARDIANS: Xephyr, Daniel

THE HORDE: Ben, Daniel, Vinny

THE INFINITE: Saxy, Andi, Xephyr

THE NORTH: Ben, Vinny, Xephyr, Daniel

THE PIT: Daniel, Ben, Vinny

THE REVOLUTION: Andi, Daniel

THE SPHERE: Daniel, Andi

December 2022

01. Chaotian – “Gangrene Dream” (from “Effigies of Obsolescence”, 2022)

02. Desultory - "Life Shatters" (from "Bitterness", 1994)

03. Heaving Earth – “Flesh-Ridden Providence” (from “Darkness of God”, 2022)

04. Amorphis – “Moon and Sun Part II: North's Son” (from “Black Winter Day” E.P., 1994)

05. wecamewithbrokenteeth – “Crack Heads Run Into Wallz” (from “We’re Packing Are You?”, 2006)

06. Blind Equation – “:reconnect:” (from “Life Is Pain”, 2021)

07. Merciless – “The Land I Used To Walk” (from “Unbound”, 1994)

08. Coffin Mulch – “Septic Funeral” (from “Septic Funeral” E.P., 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

09. Ripped To Shreds – “Peregrination to the Unborn Eternal Mother” (from “劇變 (Jubian)”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Cloud Rat – “12-22-09” (from “Threshold”, 2022)

11. Faceless Burial – “Dehiscent” (from “At the Foothills of Deliration”, 2022)

12. Necrot – “The Blade” (from “Blood Offerings”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

13. Gigan – “Still Image Symphony” (from “The Order of the False Eye”, 2008)

14. Pharmacist – “Cadaveric Osseous Stalactite” (from “Forensic Pathology Jurisprudence”, 2020)

15. Phobophilic – “Nauseating Despair” (from “Enveloping Absurdity”, 2022)

16. Ulcerate – “There Is No Horizon” (from “Staring Into Death & Be Still”, 2020) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Morbid Angel – “Thy Kingdom Come” (from “Blessed Are The Sick”, 1992) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. Triumvir Foul – “Presage” (from “Onslaught to Seraphim”, 2022)

19. Vacuous – “Voluntary Immurement” (from “Katabasis” E.P., 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]

20. Mortuous – “Carve” (from “Upon Desolation”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

21. Haggus – “Plastic Mince” (from “Straight From The Slaughterhaus”, 2020)

22. Sepsism – “Surgical Atrocity” (from “Purulent Decomposition”, 1998)

23. Deicide – “Revocate The Agitator” (from “Legion”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

24. Misery Index – “Manufacturing Greed” (from “Overthrow” E.P., 2001)

25. Skinless – “Tampon Lollipops” (from “Progression Towards Evil”, 1998)

26. Phyllomedusa – “Postmortal Cophixalus (Choking on Super Worms)” (from “Molesting The Frog Eater”, 2010)

27. Vulvectomy – “Gangrenous Testicular Deformity” (from “Post-Abortion Slut-Fuck”, 2010)

28. Cryptopsy – “Carrionshine” (from “Once Was Not”, 2005) [Submitted by Daniel]

29. Abaddon Incarnate – “I Will Nail You In” (from “Nadir”, 2001)

30. Antigama – “Debt Pool” (from “Whiteout”, 2022)

Chevy - "The Taker" (1980)

This one-off album is another one whose NWOBHM credentials are extremely flimsy. There's actually not a single track of the nine included that I regard as being metal. What we get here is a classic hard rock sound with strong southern rock influences & a touch of AOR here & there. The vocalist is the spitting image of Montrose/Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar & he does a very good job at driving the material which is admittedly pretty inconsistent in its quality. It's really pretty hard to believe the this isn't an American band as the southern rock influence in the guitar harmonies & vocal twang as so easily associated with the USA that it's almost impossible for Chevy to have hailed from anywhere else, even more so when you consider the band name. How they've become associated with the NWOBHM is baffling & is a clear sign of just how loose the boundaries were at the time. Anyway... at the end of the day "The Taker" is a fairly professionally put together hard rock record but the song-writing quality isn't strong enough to keep my interest with any level of consistency.

For fans of Sammy Hagar, UFO & The Black Crowes.

3/5

Ethel The Frog - "Ethel The Frog" (1980)

This obscure NWOBHM release is another one that I first discovered while conducting research for the Metal Academy podcast around many years ago now but I chose not to include it on the show as I didn't consider it to be genuine metal. This revisit has seen me giving the album a more focused review but my position has remained the same. Of the ten tracks on offer there are only three that I'd suggest should qualify for the NWOBHM tag. The other seven tracks see the unusually titled band (a Monty Python reference by all reports) traversing hard rock, pub rock, blues rock & rock 'n' roll. The production & performances are pretty primitive but it's the song-writing that has impacted my score here as I just can't get into the more lightweight bluesy pub rock stuff much. The vocals aren't terribly accomplished either. The cover version of the Beatles classic "Eleanor Rigby" is a great way to kick the album off though & is probably the best track included while the energetic Motorhead inspired "Fight Back" is also very solid. At the end of the day though I only find around 40% of the tracklisting to be enjoyable so I can't see myself returning to this album for a third helping.

For fans of Vardis, Dark Star & Status Quo.

3/5

Sunn O))) - "Monoliths & Dimensions" (2009)

It's been a while since I revisited this highly regarded seventh album from this Los Angeles drone metal establishment & I'm very excited to have found that it's grown significantly in my esteem in that time. Sunn O)))'s 2005 sixth album "Black One" is still my favourite drone metal release of all time but this one is a classic in it's own right with each of the four lengthy pieces being excellent examples of their type. It's the two lengthier ones that bookend the album really do the damage though with opener "Aghartha" sounding very much like a ritualistic summoning of a demon while jaxx-influenced closer is spectacular in it's artistic scope & depth. The vocal contribution of Mayhem/Aborym/Tormentor front man Attila Csihar is as unnerving as you'll ever find & the guest contributions from a host of talented experimental musicians never threaten to overpower the sheer weight of the monstrous down-tuned guitar chords. I genuinely love this record these days.

For fans of Earth, Boris & Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine.

4.5/5

Here's my adjusted Top Ten Drone Metal Releases of All Time list which sees Melvins' "Lysol" dropping out to cater for the reinclusion of this release:

01. Sunn O))) – “Black One” (2005)

02. Boris – “Boris At Last -Feedbacker-“ (2003)

03. Jesu – “Jesu” (2004)

04. Monarch! – “Omen” (2012)

05. Neptunian Maximalism – “Eons” (2020)

06. Boris with Merzbow – “Rock Dream” (2007)

07. Earth - "Earth 2: Special Low Frequency Version" (1993)

08. Sunn O))) - "Monoliths & Dimensions" (2009)

09. Corrupted – “Llenandose de gusanos” (1999)

10. Earth – “Extra-Capsular Extraction” E.P. (1991)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/137

I've made the requested changes in the database as this release already qualifies.

I've made the requested changes in the database as this release already qualifies.

I've made the requested changes in the database as this release already qualifies.

With a vote tally of YES 5 NO 0, I've decided to uphold this nomination & the changes have been made in the database.

Windir - "1184" (2001)

Yes, you're right to think what you're thinking when seeing me post yet another lacklustre appraisal of a highly regarded melodic XXX metal release. I readily admit that I struggle with the more melodic branches of extreme metal at times & probably have no real right to play in this space but I think you all know that I'm a completist by now so I simply MUST have an opinion on literally everything. I'm difficult in that way but Ben's not much different & perhaps that's the reason that Metal Academy exists in the first place so them's the breaks I'm afraid. Anyway... I'm not a fan of Windir & never have been. Their "classic" breakthrough album "Arntor" did nothing for me & neither did this follow-up record which received pretty similar plaudits from critics & fans alike. From memory this one is a little less Pagan & symphonic but it attempts a few new things such as the inclusion of four minutes of trancey electronic music to close the album out. When Windir play to their darker side you can see that they showed some promise & there are a couple of tracks that I quite like (namely "Destroy" & "The Spiritlord") but they simply fall into melodic excess far too often to keep me engaged with the keyboards being the culprits more often than not. The musicianship & execution is spot on although the drumming isn't the most accomplished you'll find while the production job is perfectly suited to this style of music. Once again I just can't see myself getting past my issues with the melodic black metal subgenre with only rare instances of me getting onboard.

For fans of Mistur, Cor Scorpii & Vindland.

2.5/5

Pantera - "The Great Southern Trendkill" (1996)

I wasn't exactly blown away by Pantera's eighth album after purchasing it on cassette at the time of release. I mean I didn't mind it but it certainly seemed to be a bit wishy washy alongside the band's previous three records. Listening back to it now though has seen me adjusting those sentiments as it's really another very solid effort when you give it the decency of a few consecutive active listens. It's probably not as metal as "Far Beyond Driven" was but I'd suggest that it offers more variety & is a touch more consistent too to tell you the truth. Darrell's southern rock influence has never been so obvious as it is in his lead work here. That doesn't sound like a good thing to someone with my particular taste profile but the reality is that he's a wonderful musician & pulls it off with absolute ease. Phil's vocal performance is muscular & aggressive but I actually think he's at his best when he goes for a grungier approach & those tracks inevitably end up being my favourite inclusions (see "10's" & "Suicide Note Pt. I"). The tracklisting does fade a touch at the end (particularly the flat closer "(Reprise) Sandblasted Skin") but the super-tight performances of the rhythm section & the signature rhythmic riffage makes this Pantera's third best record behind their two early 90's classics. 

For fans of Hellyeah, Malevolence & Damageplan.

4/5

Here's my updated Top ten Groove Metal Releases of All Time list:

01. Coroner – “Grin” (1993)

02. Grip Inc. – “Nemesis” (1997)

03. Exhorder – “The Law” (1992)

04. Pantera – “Vulgar Display Of Power” (1992)

05. Pantera – “Cowboys From Hell” (1990)

06. Sepultura – “Chaos A.D.” (1993)

07. Pantera – “The Great Southern Trendkill” (1996)

08. Pantera – “Far Beyond Driven” (1994)

09. Anthrax – “Sound Of White Noise” (1993)

10. Trepalium – “XIII” (2009)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/175

Drudkh - "Autumn Aurora" (2004)

It's been a while since I visited the Ukrainian atmospheric/Pagan black metallers highly regarded sophomore record & I've been pleased to discover that it still hits the spot. It's definitely not the darkest or coldest atmospheric black metal release you'll find but neither does it try to be. The consistent inclusion of sweeping synths, catchy lead guitar work & melodic folk instrumentation keep things in a less imposing space for the most part but that doesn't detract from the effectiveness of this professional & engaging release. The Burzum influence is hard to miss with the album finishing at it's highest point with the classic "The First Snow" adding additional melodics to Varg's ambient, ethereal & trance-like darkness. The inclusion of folk elements in metal is not something that I usually buy into much but it's done with such finesse here that I rarely see myself tempted to complain. I think this is a slightly better record than Drudkh's highly praised 2006 "Blood In Our Wells" record to be honest & it should see all fans of the subgenre coming away with positive feelings.

For fans of Ygg, Winterfylleth & Wodensthrone.

4/5