Daniel's Forum Replies
I thought I'd just provide a little bit of an update on how I'm tracking since reducing my metal intake & moving away from reviews, playlist contributions, feature releases, etc. To be honest, I'm really happy with how things are going right now. My hearing & tinnitus seem to have stabilized a bit & I'm enjoying my music as much as I ever have, particularly the variety & the fact that I no longer feel the obligation to blast everything so loud in the interest of review accuracy. My life is a little more balanced too as I'm not putting as much pressure on myself to contribute all the time & it's been good to see that the site is still active enough that I can enjoy it along with our other members.
Check the riff that appears at 15:25 in the Morpheus Descends YouTube clip & compare it with the riff that arrives at 1:55 in Neuropath's "Rectal Pulpation:
"Rectal Pulpation" was the first song I ever wrote for Neuropath back in 1993 & the Morpheus Descends track was released in 1994. We didn't release a studio recording of our track until the start of 1995 though so it must be pure coincidence, despite the riffs being almost exactly the same.
You're a good man Sonny. I know you'll be taking good care of her & she's lucky to have you.
Korn - "Follow the Leader" (1998)
I'd only ever checked out one Korn record before this week & that was their self-titled Debut which I thoroughly enjoyed a few years back. "Follow the Leader" is their third full-length & it's not a bad listen but I do agree with the consensus that it's a step down in quality from Korn's first & most popular initial effort. The album starts off really well with the first three tracks all being very strong, particularly the super-popular "Freak on a Leash" which really is classic alternative metal & is deserving of its teen anthem status. Things start becoming a lot more inconsistent when the collaborations start though will all of the rap-infused numbers being universal failures. Thankfully, there are more than enough chunky nu metal numbers to keep me happy with bass player Fieldy being the clear star of the band. I'm not the biggest fan of this subgenre but I think Korn are my second favourite nu metal band behind early Linkin Park these days.
For fans of Slipknot, Limp Bizkit & Coal Chamber.
3.5/5
Here's my new Top Ten Nu Metal Releases of All Time list:
01. Linkin Park - "Meteora" (2003)
02. Korn - "Korn" (1994)
03. Slipknot - "Iowa" (2001)
04. Linkin Park - "Hybrid Theory" (2000)
05. Deftones - "Adrenaline" (1995)
06. Korn - "Follow the Leader" (1998)
07. Sevendust - "Animosity" (2001)
08. Dir en Grey - "Uroboros" (2008)
09. Slipknot - "Slipknot" (1999)
10. Sepultura - "Roots" (1996)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/313
Scorn - "Deliverance" E.P. (1992)
"Deliverance" saw Mick Harris (Napalm Death/Defecation/Doom/Extreme Noise Terror/PainKiller/Pigface/Unseen Terror) & Nick Bullen (Napalm Death) pulling away from the Godflesh-style industrial metal sound of Scorn's "Vae Solis" debut album from earlier that year &, in doing so, single-handedly creating a new subgenre in "illbient", a sound that combines elements of ambient, hip hop & dub. There's still a lot of industrial included here though which makes these five tracks a fairly abrasive listen. The title track is easily the best of them with the other four coming across more as remixes of it than they do as fresh creative statements. The opening three songs are all enjoyable but things go off the rails towards the end of the release with the last couple of tracks being largely redundant but there's still enough quality here for me to enjoy, even if Scorn would undoubtably do much better in the near future.
For fans of Necro Deathmort, Techno Animal & The Third Eye Foundation.
3.5/5
Morpheus Descends - "Chronicles of the Shadowed Ones" E.P. (1994)
Filthy New York death metal with a genuine graveyard atmosphere & excellent deep death growls. The production job is the major detractor for this E.P. with the guitars being far too low in the mix & the snare sound being less than ideal but the simple slow-to-mid tempo riff & song structures are effective nonetheless, particularly on opening track "The Cruciform Hills" which is the clear highlight here. "Chronicles of the Shadowed Ones" is worth a few listens but I do think it's been a little overrated by those that have claimed it as somewhat of an underground classic which seems to be largely an historical opinion than one that was prevalent back in the mid-1990s.
For fans of Infester, Rottrevore & Baphomet.
3.5/5
Battiato - "Sulle corde di Aries" (1973)
The third solo album from Italy's Franco Battiato is a wonderfully creative piece of work that's hit me really hard this week. It combines a slew of classy influences to brilliant effect, ranging from Steve Reich-style minimalism to the early jazz fusion works of Miles Davis. The album is really hard to pigeonhole too as it isn't a prog rock or a progressive electronic record as it's often touted to be. It's something altogether different that's better described as the Italian prog scenes answer to krautrock in my opinion. "Sulle corde di Aries" contains enormous depth & atmosphere but requires a level of patience to fully absorb.
For fans of Tangerine Dream, Heldon & Mike Oldfield.
4.5/5
Cannibal Corpse - "The Wretched Spawn" (2004)
The Buffalo death metal legends' ninth full-length may not be their finest work but it's definitely still worth a few listens if you're into the classic death metal model like I am. In fact, I think I'd probably take it over earlier releases like their self-titled demo tape, their 1990 debut album "Eaten Back To Life" or middle period records like "Gallery of Suicide" & "Gore Obsessed" these days. Front man George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher is the clear highlight here, offering up one of his most powerful studio performances. I do think that the guitar tone is a little messy during the more fast-paced & technical parts but Cannibal be Cannibal so you can't really go wrong with these guys now, can you?
For fans of Deicide, Cannabis Corpse & Monstrosity.
3.5/5
Depressive Silence - "Depressive Silence [II]" (1996)
One of the more highly regarded dungeon synth releases on the market, German duo Depressive Silence offer up a demo tape that spans five reasonably lengthy instrumental pieces. I have to admit that I went into this expecting something a lot darker than what I ended up receiving though because this is hardly an appropriate soundtrack for a dank & dreary dungeon. The majority of the 37-minute run time sounds much more positive than that which doesn't sit as comfortably with me. It doesn't fit as nicely with the cheap keyboard tones utilized here either to be honest.
For fans of Secret Stairways, Solanum & Gothmog.
3/5
My old review of this one still holds up nicely with modern ears as it's another highly rewarding Deftones record, despite being a touch less impressive than anything they'd done since their debut full-length "Adrenaline":
Deftones - "Deftones" (2003)
While “Around The Fur” & “White Pony” may have been Deftones finest moments they were also fairly similar sounding albums from a production point of view so I think they were due for a change when it came to their next release. It seems that the band had similar thoughts as “Deftones” presents some noticeable points of difference. The first thing that hit me was the much dirtier production. The vocals sound like they’ve been recorded with a shitty old microphone & there is an overall lack of brightness. It actually took me a couple of listens to get used to as I initially found it a little intrusive but with familiarity came acceptance & I don’t have any qualms with it now. I’m not sure I like it as much as the cleaner production on the previous couple of records but I’m also not sure that style of production would have suited this record as much.
Apparently vocalist Chino Moreno really screwed his voice on the tour for “White Pony” & needed extensive vocal training to help him recover. Well if that’s the case then I doubt he did himself any favours with his choice of vocal styles here. A large portion of the tracks feature him absolutely screaming his head off which is in direct contrast to the breathy melodies of his recent work. When you add the dirtier production & some of the heaviest down-tuned riffing of the bands career, what you get is the most extreme Deftones material they’d released to the time. And then, in direct contrast, there are also some more laid back & experimental tracks where the band dabbles in trip hop & downtempo & it’s this variety that makes “Deftones” a more challenging & diverse album than people expected too.
Whether you like all of the ideas here is another question. Personally, I don’t find any of the material here to be a failure. Some tracks certainly work better than others & you won’t find the instantly memorable hooks of the previous couple of albums here but it’s a different type of album. It’s less obvious & more ambitious but also less focused. To me, it seems like a conscious attempt to prove they were not just another generic nu-metal band. It takes a few listens to come to terms with but the pay-off is worth the effort. It’s a heavily underrated album in my opinion & I really enjoy it.
For fans of Fleshwater, Bleed & System of a Down.
4/5
The KLF - "Chill Out" (1990)
A really solid & highly influential debut album that I've been enjoying since the late 90's. The duo mix ambient & sound collage with an early example of the chillout sound to brilliant effect to create a single-track journey that spans 44 minutes.
For fans of The Orb, Global Communication & Moby.
4/5
Septic Flesh - "Mystic Places of Dawn" (1994)
Ben & I picked up on this Greek outfit very early on in their recording career through their first two full-lengths. Whilst I've always quite liked their debut album "Mystic Places of Dawn", I do think it failed to meet its full potential & has generally been a little overrated in an historical sense. There's certainly a lot to like about the ideas being presented with a sound that sees Septic Flesh sitting right in the middle between the classic death model & a more atmospheric doom/death one. I definitely prefer the Greek's doomier side on this release though with the couple of faster & more brutal numbers taking a clear step down from most the other metal material. There's a nice gothic edge to some of the more atmospheric tracks & I really enjoy the harmonized guitar melodies whenever they choose to employ them, along with those ultra-deep & gutteral vocals which are somewhat of a trademark for them. The two major obstacles here though are the very ordinary production job (which definitely caps the appeal the album can offer me) & the silly decision to close the record with a very cheap sounding nine-minute dungeon synth piece that has almost single-handedly caused me to drop a half star off my rating. Overall, I find Septic Flesh's debut album to worth a listen but nothing I'd suggest as being particularly essential.
For fans of Nightfall, Horrified & Paradise Lost.
3.5/5
Pet Shop Boys - "Introspective" (1988)
I struggled with the third & most widely celebrated full-length from these London synthpop legends to be honest as it was simply far too fruity for my taste. I actually think this record is more of a dance-pop release than it is synthpop as it was clearly heavily influenced by the underground house & Hi-NRG music the duo were hearing in the UK gay clubs of the time. "Introspective" served as a major gateway release into dance music for a lot of people for that reason. I have to admit that I have a soft spot for the cover version of "Always On My Mind" but found the rest of the album a little hard to stomach.
For fans of Erasure, Electronic & Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
3/5
Nile - "Those Whom the Gods Detest" (2009)
The sixth album from these South Carolina brutal/technical death metal legends is my second-favourite Nile release these days, only falling behind 2005's classic "Annihilation of the Wicked" record. George Kollias' drumming is absolutely off the Richter & I love the ultra-shredding guitar solos of Karl Sanders & Dallas Toler-Wade. In fact, I was a bee's dick away from scoring this release even higher but it does have one weakness. The A side is simply incredible & comfortably warrants one of my more premium ratings but unfortunately the B side sees the quality level dropping off a bit to a level that mere mortals tend to play in so I fell just a smidgeon short of pulling the trigger on classic status. Still... I fucking love my brutal shit with this level of sophistication, particularly when there's such a clear Morbid Angel influence on display.
For fans of Hate Eternal, Suffocation & Lykathea Aflame.
4/5
16 Horsepower - "Secret South" (2000)
The third album from LA's leaders of the gothic country pack sees them returning to the heights of their 1996 debut "Sackcloth 'n' Ashes" after 1997's "Low Estate" had come down a step, despite still being an entertaining listen. In fact, I'd suggest that I even slightly prefer "Secret South" over the debut with it's more stripped back format offering me plenty of appeal by maximizing the strength of front man David Eugene Edwards' story-telling prowess.
For fans of Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Me & That Man & The Builders & the Butchers.
4/5
I've passed these two nominations uncontested Andi.
I've passed these two nominations uncontested Andi.
I've passed the "Death Walk" nomination uncontested & have posted the "Empire" nomination in the Hall of Judgement here:
I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.
I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.
My updated Top Ten Progressive Metal Releases of All Time list:
01. 7 Horns 7 Eyes - "Throes of Absolution" (2012)
02. Leprous - "Live at Rockefeller Music Hall" (2016)
03. The 3rd & the Mortal - "Sorrow" E.P. (1994)
04. The 3rd & the Mortal - "Tears Laid in Earth" (1994)
05. Tool - "Fear Inoculum" (2019)
06. Lucid Planet - "Lucid Planet II" (2020)
07. Death - "Individual Thought Patterns" (1993)
08. Mastodon - "Leviathan" (2004)
09. Dream Theater - "Live at the Marquee" (1993)
10. Pestilence - "Testimony of the Ancients" (1991)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/153
Tool - "Fear Inoculum" (2019)
Oh, my fucking God! What in the actual fuck is going on here then. This isn't just a contender for the most underrated record of all time. It's EASILY the most underrated record of all time in my opinion. "Fear Inoculum" is the best thing that Tool have ever done as far as I can see & is the culmination of everything that preceded it. The production is utterly spectacular. The performances are as amazing as anything I've ever experienced. Every single note is presented with clear intention & serves its purpose beautifully while the song structures are fully realised, despite their indulgent length. There's more dynamics & a greater focus on atmospherics than ever before with the tension created being so thick you can almost touch it. This one is going right in the middle of my Top 100 Metal Releases of All Time list so I can't possibly fathom how it's been so apathetically received by the vast majority of the global marketplace. I can only put it down to the general impatience that the internet/Spotify age has proliferated over the last couple of decades.
For fans of Karnivool, Soen & Mastodon.
4.5/5
It's my opinion that a large portion of the releases tagged as tech death on other websites are mistagged as the understanding of the genre is pretty atrocious these days. For example, the biggest names in tech death are all much better served by the progressive death metal tag (Death, Cynic, Atheist, Pestilence, etc) & the dissonant death metal tag has made the tech death tagging on bands like Gorguts & Ulcerate redundant too. The same can be said of the more brutal acts we're referring to here as labelling Cryptopsy's first couple of releases or the vast majority of Dying Fetus' back catalogue as tech death is stretching the friendship as far as I'm concerned. I'd even extend that to some of the earlier Nile releases like "Black Seeds of Vengeance" & "In Their Darkened Shrines" which only seem to receive the tech death tag due to the speed & brutality of the drumming which is inherent in all brutal death metal so I can't see the need to go there personally. I'd prefer it if the tech death tag was reserved for genuinely technical yet non-progressive bands like Suffocation or Spawn of Possession.
Orbital - "Orbital 2" (1993)
The second full-length from these highly celebrated Kent brothers would become the first album release to truly break the underground techno phenomenon on both a critical & commercial scale with Paul & Phil Hartnoll creating a record that was full of class & depth. It's not wall-to-wall wins as far as I'm concerned but the highlights are devastating & played a strong role in my electronic music journey. There are a number of tracks included that received air play from me as a DJ throughout the 2000's with the brilliant "Planet of the Shapes" making for an outstanding early set builder & peak time acid techno number "Remind" really tweaking people's cerebellums later in the evening. I played those two on multiple occasions while I believe I also dropped "Walk Now... " once too. This all still sounds as fresh as it did the first time I heard it & it's impossible to deny the power of classic ambient trance number "Halcyon + On + On" to lift one's spirits & take you into the stratosphere. I could probably have done without the dull intro & outro pieces, as well as the slightly cheesy attempt to emulate Detroit techno classic "Strings of Life" that is "Monday", but "Orbital 2" should be essential listening for all EDM disciples.
For fans of The Orb, Underworld & Chemical Brothers.
4/5
I'd take "Frost" over the "Nema" & "Yggdrasill" demos but I agree that it's the least impressive of Enslaved's first three proper releases.
Enslaved - "Frost" (1994)
I was already a big fan of these Norwegian black legends by the time their sophomore album appeared, having thoroughly enjoyed their "Hordanes Land" E.P. & "Vikingligr veldi" debut full-length & also quite liking their second demo tape "Yggdrasill" from 1992. So "Frost" was very well received from both Ben & I at the time & it's pretty easy to see why when listening back now because there's some classy shit going on here. The highlights represent some of the best material these guys would ever produce with the rip-roaring "Loke" & "Wotan" being my favourite Enslaved tracks to the time. Unfortunately though, the quality of the nine tracks included on "Frost" fluctuates a bit in much the same way that it does stylistically. The two Viking metal tracks "Yggdrasil" & "Isöders dronning" are disappointing & don't do much for me at all which contributes to the album not really fulfilling the potential it showed on great songs like "Jotunblod". It's probably no surprise that I enjoy the most blackened & relentless material the most with drummer Trym Torson's powerful blast beats & front man Grutle Kjellson's vocal performance being clear highlights. Overall though, I think I'd take "Vikingligr veldi" & "Hordanes Land" over "Frost" but there's not a lot in it as "Frost" is still an excellent example of the early Norwegian black metal scene.
For fans of Borknagar, Emperor & Windir.
4/5
Andrés Segovia - "The Segovia Collection, Vol. 3: My Favorite Works" (1988)
A compilation CD I purchased back in the 1990's when I was absolutely obsessed with guitar technique & wanted to hear the best the world had to offer. Segovia certainly delivers in terms of Spanish classical guitar too with all ten tracks on offer showcasing his incredible abilities in solo performances that sound to the average listener as if there are multiple instrumentalists contributing, given his unparallelled skill in managing disparate basslines & melodies simultaneously. I enjoy this as relaxing background music more than anything these days.
For fans of Julian Bream, Narciso Yepes & David Russell.
3.5/5
Slipknot - "Iowa" (2001)
I didn't mind the 1999 self-titled debut album from Iowa's Slipknot when I checked them out for the first time only within the last few years although it was certainly let down a bit by a poor production job. The 2001 follow-up fares better in that department & is also a slightly heavier & more extreme record overall which helps it to slightly eclipse its predecessor. It's easy to pick up on Slipknot's influences here with Korn, Nine Inch Nails, Pantera, Slayer & Morbid Angel all receiving some attention & assisting in the creation of a slew of high-quality groove-laden material. Unfortunately, there's also a couple of clear creative failures included too & these generally align with the band's more commercially focused clean-vocal choruses (see "My Plague" & "Left Behind"). I really dig the slower, sludgier moments, as well as the more death metal inspired ones while Corey Taylor's aggressive delivery is well up to the task. There's little doubt that "Iowa" is one of the better nu metal releases I've heard but I couldn't quite bring myself to award it the four stars I was hoping it would achieve in order to place it alongside records like Linkin Park's "Meteora" & Korn's self-titled.
For fans of Korn, System of a Down & Mudvayne.
3.5/5
If it was a legit primary genre then we'd select the single clan that's the best fit for it (i.e. The Infinite in this case) as we've been down the path of dual clan genres before & it's far too messy.
The sound that people are calling "thall" is so clearly just a slight variation on djent that I see no real reason to consider it as it won't add much (if any) benefit for our members. My personal preference is to avoid dissecting our music into more & more silly pigeonholes wherever possible. The more we do it, the less variety there is in each subgenre for people to discover.
John Lee Hooker - "The Healer" (1989)
A heavily underrated electric blues album that's centered around collaborations with a number of other high-profile artists such as Carlos Santana, Bonnie Rait, Los Lobos & George Thoroughgood. Perhaps it makes for a more commercially accessible listen than most diehard blues fans would like but I really enjoy it nonetheless, particularly the really stripped back stuff like wonderful album highlight "My Dream".
For fans of Lightnin' Hopkins, Howlin' Wolf & Muddy Waters.
4/5
David Lynch & Alan R. Splet - "Eraserhead" soundtrack (1982)
The score/soundtrack to one of my all-time favourite movies. David Lynch's debut effort was one of the most bizarre & deeply disturbing pieces of film you're ever likely to encounter & the soundtrack release captures that atmosphere brilliantly. There are two lengthy tracks included but they're essentially one longer piece that's been broken in half to fit a vinyl release. You'll find plenty of spoken snippets from the film scattered across the runtime but they're placed over some of the darkest ambient backdrops ever to have existed to the time. It takes me right back to those drug-fueled viewings my best mate & I enjoyed back in the early-to-mid 1990's. You can expect this album to offer more of an experience than most music can accommodate because it instils a genuinely sinister feeling in the listener that you'll rarely find in modern music.
For fans of Terry Gilliam, Alejandro González Iñárritu & Anne Guthrie.
4/5
Mortuary Drape - "All the Witches Dance" (1994)
The debut album from this Italian extreme metal outfit who hail from the First Wave of Black Metal movement of the late 1980's. As with so many of those early black metal releases, Mortuary Drape are very difficult to pigeon-hole into any one genre as they tend to combine elements of black metal, death metal, thrash metal, speed metal & even a bit of doom metal, all with moderate tempos & an occult atmosphere. Drummer Wildness Perversion opts for more of a death metal growl than a black metal shriek but it doesn't feel right to tag this as a death metal release for some reason. These ten tracks are all simple stuff but are mostly pretty effective, although the ambitious guitar solos end up coming across as trying a little too hard. While I have no doubt that "All the Witches Dance" is heavily overrated, it does take me back to my tape trading days more clearly than 99% of the other material of the time so it's not without merit. I just can't see it as being essential listening for members of The North though.
For fans of Necromantia, Mystifier & Master's Hammer.
3.5/5
Deftones - "Adrenaline" (1994)
Upon returning to Deftones' very popular debut album, I've realised that I've been significantly underrating it for the entire fifteen years since I first discovered the Sacramento alternative metal legends through excellent "Diamond Eyes" record back in 2010. I think there are a few reasons for that. 1. There's a lot more nu metal here than on their other records, 2. Chino Moreno's vocal melodies aren't fully developed as yet & he tends to do a lot more nu metal style screaming (admittedly very well), 3. the guitar tone is very dry which gives the album an under-produced feel & 4. there aren't any obvious classics included here. Looking at it with fresh ears though, there's still a lot to like about "Adrenaline". It showcases Deftones at their rawest & most visceral with the heavy riffs offering a savage edge that oozes of the tortured youth that their audience were craving so much on the back end of the grunge movement. It's taken me by surprise really & I actually wasn't too far off scoring this release even higher. "Adrenaline" may be the weakest Deftones' full-length I've encountered to date (Note: the only one I'm still yet to experience is 2016's "Gore" which seems to be frowned upon) but it's certainly not the disappointment I originally thought it was so perhaps I'm softening in my old age.
For fans of Ikd-sj, Nothingface & Ocean Grove.
3.5/5
Here's my updated Top Ten Ambient Releases of All Time list after revisiting Klaus Schulze's classic 1975 fifth album "Timewind" this week:
01. Biosphere – “Substrata” (1997)
02. Robert Rich – “Somnium” (2001)
03. Steve Roach – “Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces” (2003)
04. Brian Eno – “Ambient 1: Music for Airports” (1978)
05. Stars of the Lid – “The Tired Sounds of” (2001)
06. Stars of the Lid – “And Their Refinement of the Decline” (2007)
07. Steve Roach – “Structures from Silence” (1984)
08. Klaus Schulze - "Timewind" (1975)
09. A Winged Victory For The Sullen – “A Winged Victory for the Sullen” (2011)
10. Klaus Schulze - "Cyborg" (1973)
Dream Theater - "Awake" (1994)
Dream Theater's third full-length "Awake" was a MASSIVE record for me back in the late 1990's, perhaps even contributing to them becoming my favourite metal band for a short period after I'd started my hiatus from the extreme metal scene. Listening back now with more critical ears though, it's not really the undeniable classic I led myself to believe it was at the time. In fact, I'd suggest that it's actually a step down from Dream Theater's previous material which was all solid gold & I'm gonna go out on a limb & say that the reason I've overrated it over the years is the fact that it's potentially the best guitar album of all time. Yeah, you heard me. John Petrucci is my favourite guitarist ever & this is his possibly his finest work as it consistently sees me picking my jaw up off the ground but that doesn't mean that "Awake" is without its faults. The band's record label had been pushing them to make a more commercially accessible & more metallic record & you can see both of those elements here. Petrucci uses a seven-string guitar for the first time so there are some great heavy metal riffs here with Mike Portnoy's ridiculously complex drumming providing the perfect accompaniment. But then there are a couple of clear filler tracks that sound like obvious attempts at radio play too (see "The Silent Man" & "Lifting Shadows Off A Dream"). I think I've been guilty of letting the highlights cloud my judgement of the overall product over the years as songs like "Erotomania", "The Mirror", "Lie" & album highlight "Voices" are without doubt some of Dream Theater's best work but I just don't think there's enough in that space to justify one of my elite scores these days so "Awake" sits more comfortably alongside a record like "Train of Thought" than it does an "Images & Words", "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory" or "When Dream & Day Unite" in my opinion.
For fans of Symphony X, Rush & Liquid Tension Experiment.
4/5
Deftones - "Saturday Night Wrist" (2006)
After really enjoying 2010's excellent "Diamond Eyes" record last week, I thought I'd investigate Deftones' previous album from four years earlier which I don't recall ever hearing before. It was the band's first album without long-time producer Terry Date & would also represent their last with bassist Chi Cheng who was unfortunately involved in a serious car accident that would eventually prove to be fatal a couple of years later. "Saturday Night Wrist" was well worth the commitment too as their fifth full-length is yet another high-quality alternative metal release that sees the Sacramento five-piece taking a more ambitious route than "Diamond Eyes" which was generally a pretty standard effort. There's more variety here with a number of creative risks being taken & it amounts to a less accessible & immediate record which isn't a bad thing as I think I slightly prefer it over "Diamond Eyes" for exactly those reasons. I'd probably take it over Deftones' earlier efforts like "Adrenaline" & "Around the Fur" too actually as it's another highly consistent record that I'd suggest should be essential listening for our The Gateway clan members.
For fans of Hum, Faith No More & Chevelle.
4/5
Dead Can Dance - "Dead Can Dance" (1984)
The debut album from this wonderful Aussie artist is an underrated classic in my opinion. The self-titled album sees them alternating between gothic rock & darkwave with hints of their future ethereal wave sound popping up on occasion too. The highlights are devastating & generally occur when legendary female vocalist Lisa Gerrard makes an appearance but I also love the soothing, atmospheric sounds of Brendan Perry. The darkwave material appeals to me a little more from a stylistic point of view but there's something about DCD's gothic rock sound that draws me in too. It's as dark as they come but the post-punk basslines drive the song-writing into a cool place that sees me swaying along in a dreamy, brooding headspace. I can't recommend this one enough as it will always have a strong place in my heart & will forever remind me of late nights in Sydney goth clubs back in the mid-1990's.
For fans of Lisa Gerrard, Clan of Xymox & Cocteau Twins.
4.5/5
Dawn - "Nær sólen gar niþer for evogher" (1994)
Unlike many fans, I slightly prefer the debut album from these Swedes over their more widely celebrated 1998 third full-length "Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy)". It's an extremely consistent record that's highlighted by some powerfully executed drumming from Karsten Larsson (Falconer/King of Asgard). Henke Forss' (Niden Div. 187) blackened shrieks are rip-roaring too which sees him nicely complimenting the sophisticated & melodic guitar riffs which showcase an early Emperor influence at times. There are no weak numbers included which makes it hard to ignore Dawn's claims in the melodic black metal space. I think most The North members will get something out of this one.
For fans of Sacramentum, Vinterland & Dissection.
4/5
Here's my updated Top Ten Melodic Black Metal Releases of All Time list:
01. Dissection – “Storm Of The Light’s Bane” (1995)
02. Rotting Christ – “Non Seriam” (1994)
03. Mare Cognitum – “Solar Paroxysm” (2021)
04. Les Chat de Nihil – “Le tyran et l’esthete” (2021)
05. Dawn - "Nær sólen gar niþer for evogher" (1994)
06. Dawn – “Slaughtersun (Crown Of The Triarchy)” (1998)
07. Iskald – “The Sun I Carried Alone” (2011)
08. Naglfar – “Teras” (2012)
09. Abigail Williams - "In The Absence Of Light" (2010)
10. Dissection - "The Somberlain" (1993)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/164
"Heartwork" has overtaken "Symphonies of Sickness" for my second favourite Carcass album in recent years to be honest. I saw them on the tour for it & they absolutely slayed which took some of the pain of missing the support slot away temporarily.
4/5
Here's my old review of this one:
1980’s “Give ‘Em Hell” was the first & most celebrated album from this seminal four-piece English heavy metal band from Mansfield but they actually formed way back in 1973 so it’s not surprising that Witchfynde had a pretty well-defined sound by this point, even though they offered plenty of variety in style from track to track. The album cover features some of the earliest Satanic imagery in metal music with the inclusion of the now obligatory goats head & pentagram while the lyrics also hint at the band’s fascinations with the more sinister side of life, although it has to be said that (unlike NWOBHM contemporaries like Angel Witch & Venom) Witchfynde’s sound isn’t always a good fit for the thematic concepts the band are depicting.
Witchfynde are often sighted as an early influence on black metal although I think that’s stretching things a bit from a musical point of view. In fact, their sound doesn’t fit too comfortably under the NWOBHM banner either to be honest. Most of their musical influences are drawn from the 1970’s & they generally opt for a more restrained & controlled mid-paced delivery. They also possessed a darker atmosphere than the material really justified which has a fair bit to do with a thick, warm & moody production job that includes a fair amount of space. I find it to be a little muffled to be honest, but it doesn’t see the instrumentation losing definition. This may be an unusual sound but it really stands out from the rest of the NWOBHM movement & is more memorable as a result.
Witchfynde’s sound is best described as a blend of 70’s hard rock, heavy metal & progressive rock with touches of psychedelics here & there. Kinda like 70’s Black Sabbath meets the progressive hard rock of Rush. They’re at their best when they’re heading in more expansive & progressive directions with shifting time signatures & epic arrangements in my opinion. At times I can clearly hear the influence on bands like Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost & Samael in the atmosphere & controlled aggression & if that’s not a feather in Witchfynde’s cap I don’t know what is. “Give ‘Em Hell” is definitely worth a listen for fans of the darker end of the NWOBHM.
3.5/5
Deftones - "Diamond Eyes" (2010)
The sixth full-length from these Sacramento alternative metal legends was my introduction to Deftones back at the time of release & I quite liked what I heard which triggered me to go back & explore the remainder of their back catalogue. Listening back now though, I can see that I underrated "Diamond Eyes" as it's another extremely consistent effort from one of the classier exponents of their craft on the global scene. While it may not be as classic as records like "White Pony", "Ohms" or "Koi no Yokan", it's the invariable & unwavering quality that allows "Diamond Eyes" to be able to overcome its lack of any real experimentation on previous Deftones affairs but there is also a clear lack of classic songs with only the utterly sensational closer "This Place Is Death" qualifying for my all-time favourites list & it's that omission that ensures that "Diamond Eyes" remains in the also-rans list for arguably the most consistently impressive alternative metal artist of all time.
For fans of Korn, Superheaven & Slipknot.
4/5
Elliott Smith - "Either/Or" (1997)
I don't mind this American indie folk singer/songwriter although I do have to admit that I can't see why he's quite as revered as he is. I don't think he has enough depth to his music for that but I can still appreciate the appeal of these short-&-sweet folk songs.
For fans of Bright Eyes, Daniel Johnston & Sufjan Stevens.
3.5/5
The Soft Machine - "The Soft Machine" (1968)
The debut album from this pinnacle of the Canterbury scene. It's a heavily psychedelic record that certainly has its moments but fails to deliver consistently enough to warrant the high praise it generally seems to garner in my opinion. I do admire the artistic risks the band takes here though with psychedelic rock, progressive rock & jazz fusion all being combined very well into Soft Machine's sound.
For fans of Gong, Caravan & Kevin Ayers.
3.5/5
Paramæcium - "Exhumed of the Earth" (1993)
The debut full-length from a relatively underrated Melbourne doom/death trio who built up quite a reputation in the local scene at the time. Ben & I picked up on Paramæcium very early on & "Exhumed of the Earth" received a lot of play time around our family home during the mid-1990's. Listening back with more mature ears now, it's very easy to see that My Dying Bride were the primary influence here as there are quite a few moments that I'd border upon plagiarism, especially when they bring out the violin. This is high quality stuff though nonetheless with the riffs all showing a clear understanding of the elements that make for great death doom metal. The dual vocal attack is a little flat though due to the cookie monster delivery being fairly generic & reminding me of fellow Aussie doom/death icons Cruciform's debut album "Atavism" from the same year. There are a couple of tracks included where the pace is picked up a bit but these offerings are clearly less effective than the deeper & more atmospheric inclusions as Jayson Sherlock (Horde/Light Force/Mortification) employs simple punky one-two beats that sound pretty dumb in this context. Still... I can't help but to buy into the product that Paramæcium are selling here as the rest of the album is simply so well executed. The Christian themes shouldn't be much of an obstacle as they're not all that easy to pick up if you're not made aware of it through the media first.
For fans of My Dying Bride, Cruciform & Schaliach.
4/5
Here's my newly created Top Ten Australian Extreme Metal Releases of 1990 list:
01. Spectral Birth - "Raze" demo [Melbourne thrash metal]
02. Bezerker - "Lost" [Adelaide thrash metal]
03. Martire - "Demo 1990" demo [Adelaide blackened doom/death]
04. Sanctum - "To Dust" demo [Melbourne brutal thrash metal]
05. Iron Sheiks - "Do You Fancy Me?" [Adelaide crossover thrash]
06. Inflictor - "Jesus Wept" demo [Adelaide thrash metal]
07. Acheron - "Eternal Suffering" demo [Melbourne death metal]
08. Redeemer - "The Light is Struck..." [Sydney power/thrash metal]
09. Necrotomy - "Cranial Dismemberment" demo [Melbourne death metal]
10. Armoured Angel - "Communion" demo [Canberra thrash metal]