Daniel's Forum Replies

Here's mine:

Reverend Bizarre - "Caesar Forever" (from "III: So Long Suckers", 2007)

Elder - "Spires Burn" (from "Spires Burn/Release" E.P., 2012)

Paradise Lost - "Elusive Cure" (from "Draconian Times", 1995)

Total runtime: 29:34

Check your private messages Sonny.

Anne KGB - "Fuck da Police" (1994)

A bangin' rave techno DJ set bootleg cassette from an underground French DJ. It's raw as fuck & the mixing is fairly primitive at times but I can't help but enjoy it for its old-school vibe & sheer intensity.

Artillery - "Into The Universe" (from "Fear Of Tomorrow", 1985)

Kreator - "Betrayer" (from "Extreme Aggression", 1989)

Allegiance - "Torn Between Two Worlds" (from "D.e.s.t.i.t.u.t.i.o.n., 1994)

Death Angel - "Dethroned" (from "Killing Season", 2008)

Dew-Scented - "Arise From Decay" (from "Invocation", 2010)

Total Annihilation - "...On Chains Of Doom" (from "...On Chains Of Doom", 2020)

Total runtime: 28:28

Ambitious & experimental one-man atmospheric black metal from Kentucky, USA. For fans of Saor, Wolves In The Throne Room & Skagos.

I think it's fair to say that "Kentucky" was never going to be something that I'd claim to be right up my alley but that's not to say that it's a bad record by any measure. I actually quite liked it in the end but there are a few things that hold me back from getting too excited about this coal-mining themed one-man black metal experiment. It's not a very dark black metal record with some of the more melodic sections possessing an atmosphere that glistens with a positivity that wouldn't feel out of place on a blackgaze release while the mining themes don't really seem to fit all that well within the context of such a cold, primitive & raw style of extreme music if you ask me. The other major obstacle I discovered is that the first few tracks do very little for me so the album doesn't really get going until track four in my opinion. That poor start meant that my first listen was a bit of a write-off as I was already pretty disappointed by track four & subsequently didn't allow the remainder of the record a decent chance of recovery. A couple of revisits have since seen me overcoming that issue & I've found that I actually get a fair bit of enjoyment out of tracks 4 through 9, particularly "Black Soot & Red Blood", "Killing the Giants As They Sleep" & "Black Waters" which are all very solid pieces of work in their own right.

In saying that though, I'm definitely not onboard with the few sections that see an instrument that sounds very much like a pan-flute or a recorder being poorly amalgamated within an extreme metal framework. That shit just doesn't sit all that well with this old metalhead but thankfully those parts are generally short-lived & are often followed by some of the better sections of the album. There's a strong post-rock influence scattered across the tracklisting too & those sections clearly sit amongst the most impressive parts of the record for me as I'm quite partial to an introspective interlude or two in my extreme metal. The vocal shrieks aren't amazing & some of the instrumentation isn't as polished as some but there's a good energy to a lot of the more brutal sections & the solemn bluegrass pieces are well executed & generally offer a depth, authenticity & integrity that allows them to feel more substantial than anything you'd find on your run-of-the-mill folk metal release. In fact, the consistent inclusion of folk music on this album initially left me confused as to why "Kentucky" is rarely labelled as Pagan Black Metal but I've since realized that it's the subject matter that's the roadblock there. 

I think it's fair to say that I found "Kentucky" to be an intriguing if not all that enticing prospect on paper but hindsight has seen me admitting that it's over-achieved on its promise in practice. I'm not sure it's the type of thing that I'll be returning to all that regularly which mostly comes down to taste but it certainly has some artistic merit & deserves points for effort & ambition as much as anything else.

For fans of Saor, Wolves In The Throne Room & Skagos.

3.5/5

I agree. A much better option would be to join the Academy & flame those records on the forums. ;)

Drudkh - "Українська Повстанська Армія (Ukrainian Insurgent Army)" (from "Кров у наших криницях (Blood in Our Wells)" (2006)

Alcest - "Onyx" (from "Kodama", 2016)

Månegarm - "Preludium" (from "Vredens tid", 2005)

Moonsorrow - "Matkan lopussa" (from "Kivenkantaja", 2003)

Sarcófago - "INRI" (from "I.N.R.I.", 1987)

Total run time: 19:29

Do you have any submissions this month Sonny?

You know it's possible to simply have a broad taste where you can listen to all of the above depending on what you feel like at the time, right Andi? I've certainly gone through phases over my life but I've never discarded anything I've genuinely loved & there's no shame in the fact that I still love Duran Duran.

High octane industrial metal for fans of 1000 Homo DJs, "Broken"-era Nine Inch Nails & Ministry's "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste" album.

Wow! Some serious flack being dished out here gents! Thankfully I have a very different perspective to everyone else. I'd not previously spent any length of time with this record which drew my attention due to my having enjoyed the Lard tracks I've included in the monthly The Sphere playlists. I was wondering whether those songs would end up being the clear highlights from the band & that's likely the case however "The Last Temptation Of Reid" offered me a lot more than it has the rest of you. There's no doubt that it's a grower & I think the main reason for that is the thin production job which doesn't present the guitars in an up-front fashion & gives them a tone that's far more reminiscent of early 80's hardcore punk than it is of metal. But that's about the extent of the links to hardcore to tell you the truth with only the noticeably flat "Pineapple Face" showing any tendency to focus on the subgenre that made Jello Biafra so famous. The remainder of the album sits somewhere between industrial rock & industrial metal with a significant post-punk/goth rock influence showing through at times in exactly the same way as it did in Ministry's work of the time. In fact, the whole record sounds very much like Jello singing over the top of Ministry's "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste" album to be perfectly honest (a record that I adore).

Jello's vocal delivery goes for pure unadulterated insanity & if you can't buy into that then you'll struggle with "The Last Temptation of Reid", particularly the end of the album which I honestly quite enjoy despite the fact that it's extended much further than it had any right to be. There's a drug-fueled cerebral aspect to this record that's very much a love-it-or-hate-it type of thing & I have to admit that I kinda dig it. I agree that "Can God Fill Teeth?" is a musical atrocity of the highest order however it's the only one I can identify here with opener "Forkboy" being a high-octane industrial metal classic by anyone's measure. Give this release a heavy industrial metal production job & most of it is competing with the big boys of the genre in my opinion. As it is though, it definitely comes across a poor man's Ministry with a psychotic dude ranting over the top. I'm just glad I gave it the time to open up a bit as it definitely has some value for an industrial rock/metal audience.

For fans of 1000 Homo DJs, "Broken"-era Nine Inch Nails & Ministry's "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste" album.

3.5/5

Well, the Anniversaries section continues to make me feel old with Benediction and Pungent Stench both hitting the 30 year mark today.  I have very little time for The Grand Leveller but it has always been there on the periphery of my death metal listening.  I only ever really listened to that one Pungent Stench record and really should probably stretch my legs through their discography.

I'm right there with ya Vinny. I bought both of those albums on cassette at the time. They were both amusing listens without ever really making a huge impact on me.

I'm sorry to hear you've been doing it tough Andi. We're all here for you if you ever want to talk. COVID has been a major challenge for every one of us (some in very different ways to others) & I can assure you that you're not alone in feeling depressed about the whole situation.

Out of interest, where does your new relationship with artists like Arcturus & Samael that began their careers as black metal bands fit into this arrangement? I also find it interesting that you've elected to keep your options open in regard to sludge metal when it's the most aggressive & violent of the subgenres The Fallen contains. I would have thought it'd be the first to go to be honest.

And finally, I doubt there's a member on the site whose family & friends didn't question their musical taste at some point. It's a part of growing up as a metalhead. Despite this annoyance though, most extreme metal fans are calm & well-adjusted people who just happen to dig a style of music that takes them well outside of their everyday lives. Their taste in music shouldn't define who they are as a person though. If you're finding that your musical preferences are having a detrimental effect on yourself & the people around you then it's the right call to separate yourself from it. It's worth remembering that music is just a form of entertainment though & shouldn't be taken too seriously, despite how passionate we may feel about it.

I hope you get the result you're looking for. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

Sandwell District - "Fabric 69" (2013)

A spectacular single-disk minimal techno DJ set from this global techno supergroup that's been one of my favourites ever since it was released. It's very deep & dark which is just how I like my electronic music. It definitely isn't an entry point for newcomers to the genre.

A genuine Teutonic thrash metal classic for fans of Sodom, Slayer & Destruction.

"Extreme Aggression" was the release that introduced me to Kreator shortly after release & I frankly fell in love it right from the offset. To be more accurate, it was really the video clip for "Betrayer" that first brought them to my attention & it's still one of the greatest thrash metal tracks ever recorded in my opinion. I gave the album a right royal thrashing during the subsequent years & it held the prestigious position of my favourite Kreator record for an extended period there too. That being said though, it's been many years since I revisited it & after reacquainting myself with its wonderful follow-up record "Coma Of Souls" recently I thought it was time to see where "Extreme Aggression" sits in grand scheme of classic period Kreator after all these years.

"Extreme Aggression" is a very similar record to "Coma Of Souls" in many respects. It's an absolute riff-fest & a total thrash-a-thon! In fact, you'll rarely hear a record that better defines what late 80's European thrash was all about in my opinion as there's an nasty edge to the vocals, guitar tone & riff structures that makes Kreator infinitely cooler than the vast majority of their competition. The band had gotten significantly tighter by this stage too, particularly in the rhythm guitar & drumming departments. The guitar solos still spend a bit of time in off-key territory however it all sounds very cool indeed, even more so to an early teenage me.

The musical evolution that Kreator had started with 1987's "Terrible Certainty" has been further developed here with the band showing an increasing maturity in the song-writing department. Mille's newly acquired real-life lyrical approach would branch further away from the death-laden horror of Kreator's early works & I have mixed feelings on that. It's not a major concern but I do think his voice in best suited to sheer violence & blasphemy but he certainly makes a pretty good fist of the vocal hooks on offer here. The band show a great pedigree in not only thrash but also traditional heavy metal at times with an increased focus on guitar harmonies that reminds me just as much of Iron Maiden as it does of Metallica. Drummer Ventor can be seen to show a little more restraint than we were used to from his mid-80's efforts. Here we see him placing a lot more emphasis on the song-writing by picking his moments more selectively. He'd further refine that technique (not to mention his technical skills) before the recording of "Coma Of Souls".

There are no weak songs included. "Don't Trust" is clearly the weakest link however it's still quite enjoyable thanks to the previously-mentioned quality of the riffs. The rest of the album is absolutely top notch though with four of the nine tracks reaching genuine classic status for me. The one-two punch of "No Reason To Exist" & "Love Us Or Hate Us" pretty much rewrites the manual on how to write a great thrash riff while the two-track run of "Some Pain Will Last" into "Betrayer" is as devastating as any in the band's discography. "Some Pain Will Last" is the slowest inclusion of the nine & features an atmosphere that reminds me a lot of the down-tempo pieces from Slayer's "South of Heaven" & "Seasons In The Abyss" albums while the light-speed electricity of "Betrayer" is bursting at the seams with vitriol & spite.

"Extreme Aggression" isn't a perfect record but it was a noticeable step back up into the big league after the solid "Terrible Certainty" & is an undeniable classic that made a huge impact on my life from a very young age. It may not sound as extreme as it did back in the day but it's certainly lost none of its appeal. Interestingly though, after 30 years of listening to these two records I think that "Coma Of Souls" may have just pipped "Extreme Aggression" in my esteem for the very first time. I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that I now rate this record behind three other Kreator releases (i.e. "Pleasure To Kill", "Flag Of Hate" & Coma Of Souls") because I can't escape the feeling that it deserves more respect than that given the important role it played in my both my childhood & my musical development. Perhaps it's just a clear sign that Kreator were miles ahead of the rest of the Teutonic pack during their hey day.

For fans of Sodom, Slayer & Destruction.

4.5/5

I'm sure gonna miss when I used to enjoy that My Dying Bride album...

That comment doesn't make any sense to me Andi. If you really like that record then why would you deny yourself the opportunity for further enjoyment? You've been making cryptic comments about cutting yourself off from gothic/doom metal for weeks now but have never really elaborated on why. I have to admit that I'm curious because it just seems so insane to me.

Wonderful Australian progressive metal for fans of Opeth, Xanthochroid & Persefone.

This weekend's list is my Top Ten Drone Metal Releases Of All-Time:

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. Corrupted – “Llenandose de gusanos” (1999)

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

09. Sunn O))) – “Monoliths & Dimensions” (2009)

10. Earth – “Earth 2: Special low Frequency Version” (1993)

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

I've taken a little bit of creative license with a few releases that offer much more than drone metal (see the Neptunian Maximalism, Boris with Merzbow & Corrupted records for example) but I figured that if it wasn't for the drone metal link then they may not be on the site at all so why not allow them to qualify for a list like this one.

In this week's episode of "Fuck, how old am I getting dude!" we discover that three records that had a major impact on my life at the time all turned 30 years old today:

I'd discovered Soundgarden through their 1989 record "Louder Than Love" (their vidoe clips for "Loud Love" & "Hands All Over" to be more specific) but they really took things to the next level with their much more consistent & weighty "Badmotorfinger" album. I regard it amongst the best couple of releases for the grunge movement as a whole & it's a true testament to the genius of Chris Cornell as a front man. Alternative metal music doesn't get any better than that.

The Gorguts album was undone by its timing to an extent. It could have been significantly bigger if it had been released a year or two earlier & it isn't unique enough to be regarded as a classic. Still, it got many replays in the months after I picked up the CD. I think I first became aware of them after seeing one of my female friends wearing their t-shirt at a death metal gig very shortly after release & I quickly purchased the album. There are a couple of timeless death metal belters on there too.

"Effigy of The Forgotten" changed my life really. I don't think it's Suffocation's best work & I don't think it eclipsed the "Human Waste" E.P. that I'd loved so much but it took the brutality & technicality levels of death metal up a good couple of notches & set a new benchmark for the rest of the scene. It would go on to inspire me as a musician for the rest of the decade & has lost none of its potency to this day.

It's interesting that my rating has gone in the other direction as I've dropped it back half a star. At the time of release I was completely blown away by the sheer virtuosity, precision & attention to detail that Ne Obliviscaris have achieved. I mean all of the instrumentalists are performing at a level that was completely unheard of for an Australian band & it left me feeling a huge sense of national pride. The lead guitar work of Benjamin Baret is spectacular, the bass lines of Brendan Brown are wonderful & Daniel Presland is frankly the best metal drummer this country has ever produced & you can easily hear the time that the band have put into developing every piece that's included over the nine years they'd been in existence to that point, an extremely long time before a debut full-length when you think about it. It really shouldn't be a surprise when you find out that three of the pieces made up the "The Aurora Veil" E.P. a full five years earlier as this artist clearly likes to refine their craft to the nth degree. Regardless of that though, to have all of these dudes pop up on the one release from a band that I'd never even heard of before was astounding & the fact that I quickly had the pleasure of seeing them all perform this material live several times in quick succession only added to their appeal.

That being said, I do have to admit that there was always an internal battle going on inside me when contemplating my overall feelings for "Portal Of I" & I remember struggling with it when I first tried to rate it too. Whenever I revisit "Portal Of I" I'm left with no doubt at all that it's a genuine progressive metal masterpiece but at the same time I find that it it's also a little too melodic (& at times even pretty) for my personal taste. The more brutal moments certainly get my blood pumping in a way that few bands can manage (see the one-two punch of "Xenoflux" & "Of the Leper Butterflies" or the magical closer "Of Petrichor Weaves Black Noise") but the folkier parts of the album where the violin work of Tim Charles takes the forefront don't always maintain that level of enthusiasm, especially the sections that hint at a folk metal jig which isn't something I want to hear in my extreme metal. Plus, the harsh vocals of Xenoyr do tend to be a touch generic some of the time if I'm being honest. I really dig Charles' Mike Patton-ish clean vocals but I'm not sure his hooks are quite strong enough to have them ringing in my head for days afterwards. (Hint: don't take your girlfriend to see them live as their ovaries tend to pop out of their bodies in a frantic attempt to devour him). 

So while I find "Portal Of I" to be a really refreshing, intriguing & generally impressive metal experience (particularly the drumming of Presland which is the clear highlight in my opinion), I now have to be honest with myself & admit that it's simply a touch too accessible for me to be placing alongside the Slayers, Morbid Angels & Suffocations in my Hall of Metal Glory. It's the uplifting positivity of the atmosphere that I'm a little bit at odds with. I have a few melodically inclined records in my Hall but they all tend to be deeply mournful & melancholic, traits that "Portal Of I" can't claim to (& never tries to) possess. Nonetheless, this is a perfect representation of the progressive metal subgenre in every respect & it deserves all of the praise that it receives.

For fans of Opeth, Xanthochroid & Persefone.

4/5

Classic Finnish doom metal for fans of Saint Vitus, Lord Vicar & Spiritus Mortis.

Well, you needn't have worried Sonny because I was always gonna enjoy a monolith of pure doom like this one. Yes, it's extremely lengthy & there's not going to be nearly enough variation to keep your more casual punter entertained but I've always been partial to a truly authentic doom metal sound & you won't find much more authentic than this. There are some truly immense & lumbering riffs on this muthafucker. The Geezer Butler inspired bass work is highlighted by a monstrous tone that beefs up the whole album & there's a bluesy early Sabbath feel to the atmosphere a lot of the time too with those classic rocking-to-sleep rhythms. The traditional doom metal bands of the 1980's were certainly a major influence on Reverend Bizarre's sound in that respect, particularly Saint Vitus.

Albert Witchfinder's vocals aren't the strongest you'll hear but they suit the imposing atmosphere well enough. In saying that though, I do think "III: So Long Suckers" had the potential to become a genuine classic with a top class metal front man. The slower, heavier numbers are quite spectacular (see "Sorrow", "Funeral Summer" & "Caesar Forever") although none of them run their full course without changing things up a bit along the way. You're unlikely to identify anything particularly original here but there's an undeniable quality to everything that Reverend Bizarre attempts. The pointless hidden track that closes the record was a bit of a disappointing way to end 130 minutes of premium doom metal but I still find "III: So Long Suckers" to be a very rewarding experience for the more discerning & committed doom metal aficionado.

For fans of Saint Vitus, Lord Vicar & Spiritus Mortis.

4/5

Updated my list to include Boris' "Pink' album at the top. It's debatable as to whether it's a genuine Stoner Metal release or not however Stoner Metal is its only tag on Metal Academy so why the fuck not. Anyway... Sleep have now been completely dumped from my list which is interesting given their legendary status in the scene.

01. Boris - "Pink" (2005)

02. High On Fire – “De vermis mysteriis” (2012)

03. Electric Wizard – “Let Us Prey” (2002)

04. Adrift For Days – “The Lunar Maria” (2010)

05. Electric Wizard – “Supercoven” E.P. (1998)

06. Electric Wizard – “Dopethrone” (2000)

07. Boris – “あくまのうた (Akuma no uta)” (2003)

08. Electric Wizard – “Come My Fanatics…” (1997)

09. Elder - "Spires Burn / Release" E.P. (2012)

10. Down – “NOLA” (1995)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/135

Here's my old review from the Metal Academy podcast several years ago:

"Night On Bröcken" is a record that’s more significant from a timeline point of view than from an artistic one as it represents the more humble beginnings of one of the more iconic US metal bands of the 80’s. Connecticut five-piece Fates Warning would go on to become one of the most important bands in the development of the progressive metal subgenre & they remain a metal powerhouse still to this day but their debut full-length represents their more humble of beginnings with the Metal Blade Records backed release sporting a sound that showed very little in the way of invention or artistic license.

The crude cover art gives you a strong indication that the album might not be as polished as the rest of the band’s star studded back catalogue & that definitely proves to be the case with Fates Warning simply testing the waters by emulating their NWOBHM heroes. It’s interesting that the album title is referring to a German mountain that’s famous for its association with witches as referenced in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s tragic play “Faust”. The title of Stormwitch’s debut album “Walpurgis Night” from around the same time is actually referring to the night that the witches traditionally met at the top of Bröcken so it seems to have been a popular topic for metal bands of the time.

The production job on “Night On Brocken” isn’t horrible but it is a little inconsistent with some songs sounding a little flatter than others. You can clearly hear all of the instruments but the overall sound comes across as pretty dry which is more in line with what you’d expect from a well put together demo tape. Interestingly, Metal Blade house producer Bill Metoyer was behind the mixing desk along with label head Brian Slagel & it’s pretty clear that they were still finding their way as far as how to package a professional sounding metal release goes but this is not a disaster by any means.

The thing that most makes “Night On Brocken” stand out from the rest of the Fates Warning back catalogue though is the style of music it presents with very little in the way of genuinely progressive material on display here. Instead we get a straight down the line NWOBHM direction with Iron Maiden being the primary influence. So much in fact, that I regard a lot of this album as pure plagiarism. The galloping riffs & harmonized guitar lines all sound oh so familiar & you can often pick the exact songs they’ve been crafted around. The album does have a somewhat more US feel to it though which is probably as much to do with the production as anything else, particularly the guitar sound.

But it’s iconic front man John Arch who is the most noticeably trying to clone the mighty Irons & while there are certainly moments when you struggle to tell that this isn’t Bruce Dickinson himself there are more where he just sounds like an average imitation. There are times when Queensryche’s Geoff Tate springs to mind too actually but even though he’s the clear focal point of the band, it’s an inconsistent performance from Arch here as some of the songs see him sounding quite pitchy or straining to reach the more mid-range notes in his repertoire. He seems much more capable with the higher pitched screams but for all his failings he IS the most memorable feature of Fates Warning’s sound at this early stage. When he gets it right we see Fates Warning’s best moments & I have to say that I find them difficult not to enjoy.

The musicianship on display isn’t of the same sort of standard as that we would hear on Fates Warning’s progressive metal counterparts Queensryche’s debut E.P. a year prior but they’d show a lot of development in that area over the next year or so. The sort of technical wizardry we’ve become used to hearing from the prog metal elite was beyond them at this point but they were certainly a more than serviceable heavy metal band. And for that reason I struggle with the common consensus that “Night On Bröcken” was a failed venture. Yes, it clearly showcases a young band that was still very much finding their sound & was more comfortable to simply test the waters with a safe & generic brand of song-writing but it’s pretty well put together nonetheless & I find myself enjoying around two thirds of the material here. The weaker songs aren’t horrible. They’re just a bit flat sounding with their more generic & basic riffs providing little to get enthusiastic about. The stronger material on the other hand offers enough in the way of soaring vocal lines, chuggy metal riffage & general enthusiasm to keep this old metalhead reasonably engaged even if the album lacks those couple of genuine highlight tracks to make it truly memorable. I’d recommend that fans of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest & Queensryche give the album a chance but it’s doubtful that you’ll find anything too life-changing.

3.5/5

Spine-chilling Burzum-inspired atmospheric black metal from the Ukraine. For fans of Ygg, Winterfylleth & Wodensthrone.

Drudkh - "Blood In Our Wells" (2006)

This one should be right up your alley Xephyr. Think atmospheric black metal with a Pagan edge to it ala Ygg, Winterfylleth & Wodensthrone.

Don’t expect much metal on the MonumentuM record Andi. The links are tenuous at best. The main reason that “In Absentia Christi” is spoken of in metal terms is the links to Euronymous as it was released on his Deathlike Silence label. It’s really a gothic darkwave release in my opinion. I only cleared it for inclusion on the general consensus rather than my own personal feelings but it’s one of my all-time faves none the less.

This week's list is my Top Ten Gothic Metal Releases Of All Time:

01. MonumentuM – “In Absentia Christi” (1995)

02. The Gathering – “Nighttime Birds” (1997)

03. Tiamat – “Wildhoney” (1994)

04. Type O Negative – “October Rust” (1996)

05. Paradise Lost – “Icon”

06. The Gathering – “Mandylion” (1995)

07. Paradise Lost – “Draconian Times” (1995)

08. Type O Negative – “World Coming Down” (1999)

09. Swallow The Sun – “Emerald Forest & the Blackbird” (2012)

10. Paradise Lost – “Tragic Idol” (2012)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/136

Aaaahhhhhh.....so there's potential for Vinny's impressions to grow over repeat listens then. I understand now.

It seems pretty obvious to me. The gothic chick is about to commit suicide after catching her man in intimate embrace with the blonde & knocking her unconscious. She brought her midget cronies & animals with her. He's still having a better morning than I am though.

Just so we're clear, am I to understand that you didn't like it much then Vinny?

No but it is compulsory for you to sigh & shake your head whenever you spot them in the playlist each month Sonny.

Yeah I've been meaning to check them out for some time now as I know you're a big fan & I trust your judgement when it comes to all things doom. Thought I'd throw myself in the deep end too.

Here's the November feature release nominators:

THE FALLEN: Sonny, Ben, Daniel

THE GATEWAY: Saxy S, Andi

THE GUARDIANS: Vinny, Xephyr, Andi

THE HORDE: Daniel, Vinny, Ben

THE INFINITE: Andi, Xephyr, Saxy S

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

THE PIT: Sonny, Vinny, Ben, Daniel

THE REVOLUTION: Andi, Daniel

THE SPHERE: Daniel

October 2021

1. All Out War – “Resist” (from “Truth In The Age Of Lies”, 1997)

2. Unearth – “Incinerate” (from “Extinction(s)”, 2018) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Lorna Shore – “To The Hellfire” (from “…And I Return To Nothingness” E.P., 2021)

4. Bullet For My Valentine – “The Last Fight” (from “Fever”, 2010) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. From Autumn To Ashes – “Short Stories With tragic Endings” (from “Too Bad You’re Beautiful”, 2000)

6. Poppy – “Breeders” (from “Eat (NXT Soundtrack) E.P., 2021)

7. Attack Attack! – “Smokahontas” (from “Attack Attack!”, 2010)

8. Shadows Fall – “Destroyer Of Senses” (from “The Art Of Balance”, 2002) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Circuit Circuit – “Pray” (from “Circuit Circuit” E.P., 2021)

10. Zao – “Times Of Separation” (from “The Splinter Shards The Birth Of Separation”, 1997)

11. Destrage – “Jade’s Place” (from “The King Is Fat ‘n’ Old”, 2010)

12. Strongarm – “These Times That Try Men’s Souls” (from “The Advent Of A Miracle”, 1997)

13. Misery Signals – “Five Years” (from “Of Malice & The Magnum Heart”, 2004) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Born Of Osiris – “Angel Or Alien” (from “Angel Or Alien”, 2021)

15. Amaranthe – “Drop Dead Cynical” (from “Massive Addictive”, 2014)

16. All That Remains – “Behind Silence & Solitude” (from “Behind Silence & Solitude”, 2002)

17. Every Time I Die – “The Logic Of Crocodiles” (from “Last Night In Town”, 2000)

18. After The Burial – “Pendulum” (from “In Dreams”, 2010) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

19. Wristmeetrazor – “Our Distress Entwined” (from “Replica Of A Strange Love”, 2021)

20. Wanderer – “Marionette” (from “Liberation From A Brutalist Existence”, 2021)

21. MouthBreather – “I Leave” (from “I’m Sorry Mr. Salesman”, 2021)

22. Converge – “No Heroes” (from “No Heroes”, 2006) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

23. Conducting From The Grave – “And Our War Will Dawn” (from “Revenants”, 2010)

24. Yautja – “Tethered” (from “The Lurch”, 2021)

25. Fawn Limbs – “Twitching, Lapsing” (from “Darwin Falls”, 2021)

26. Threat Signal – “One Last Breath” (from “Under Reprisal”, 2006) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

27. Rings Of Saturn – “Seized & Devoured” (from “Embryonic Anomaly”, 2010)

28. Deformity – “Night Scars” (from “Murder Within Sin”, 1999)

29. Job For A Cowboy – “Entombment Of A Machine” (from “Doom” E.P., 2005)

30. Slaughter To Prevail – “Demolisher” (from “Kostolom”, 2021)

October 2021

1. Evile – “War Of Attrition” (from “Hell Unleashed”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Dagoba – “Black Smokers (752 Farenheit)” (from “Poseidon”, 2010)

3. Vulture – “Gorgon” (from “Dealin’ Death”, 2021)

4. ZnöWhite – “Bringing The Hammer Down” (from “All Hail To Thee” E.P., 1984)

5. Intruder – “Cold-Blooded Killer” (from “Escape From Pain” E.P., 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

6. Annihilator – “The Fun Palace” (from “Never, Neverland”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

7. Gojira – “Another World” (from “Fortitude”, 2021)

8. Anthrax – “The Enemy” (from “Spreading The Disease”, 1985) [Submitted by Sonny]

9. Slayer – “The Antichrist” (from “Show No Mercy”, 1983) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Rigor Mortis – “The Haunted” (from “Freaks” E.P., 1989) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Blood Feast – “Kill For Pleasure” (from “Kill For Pleasure”, 1987) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Corrosion Of Conformity – “Consumed” (from “Animosity”, 1985) [Submitted by Vinny]

13. Forbidden – “Twisted Into Form” (from “Twisted Into Form”, 1990)

14. Powermad – “Terminator” (from “The Madness Begins…” E.P., 1988) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Demolition Hammer – “Under The Table” (from “Time Bomb”, 1994)

16. Acid Drinkers – “Superstitious Motherfucker” (from “Broken Head”, 2000)

17. Sepultura – “Mask” (from “Sepulquarta”, 2021)

18. Paradox – “Collision Course” (from “Collision Course”, 2000)

19. Iron Reagan – “Miserable Failure” (from “The Tyranny Of Will”, 2014)

20. Artillery – “The Devil’s Symphony” (from “X”, 2021)

21. Flotsam & Jetsam – “The Wicked Hour” (from “Blood In The Water”, 2021)

22. Violator – “Futurephobia” (from “Annihilation Process”, 2010)

23. Cryptic Slaughter – “Hypocrite” (from “Convicted”, 1986) [Submitted by Vinny]

24. Obsolete – “Still” (from “Animate//Isolate”, 2021)

25. Lich King – “Act Of War” (from “World Gone Dead”, 2010)

26. Scythelord – “Equanimity” (from “Earth Boiling Dystopia”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

27. The Crown – “Doomsday King” (from “Doomsday King”, 2010) [Submitted by Daniel]

28. Ranger – “Storm Of Power” (from “Where Evil Dwells”, 2015) [Submitted by Daniel]

29. Nekromantheon – “Dead Temples” (from “Visions Of Trismegistos”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

October 2021

1. Der Weg einer Freiheit – “Aufbruch” (from “Finisterre”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

2. Fluisteraars – “Verscheuring in de schemering” (from “Gegrepen door de geest der zielsontluiking”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

3. Thron – “The Prophet” (from “Pilgrim”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

4. Arcturus – “To Thou Who Dwellest in the Night” (from “Aspera Hiems Symfonia”, 1996)

5. Deafheaven – “Violet” (from “Roads To Judah”, 2011) [Submitted by Daniel]

6. An Autumn for Crippled Children – “To Set Sail to the Ends of the Earth” (from Lost”, 2010) [Submitted by Ben]

7. Falkenbach – “Ultima Thule” (from “...En Their Medh Riki Fara...”, 1996) [Submitted by Vinny]

8. Departure Chandelier – “Life Escaping Through the Candle's Smoke” (from “Antichrist Rise to Power”, 2019) [Submitted by Sonny]

9. Odal – “...um Ewiges zu schaffen” (from “Welten Mutter”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Duskmourn – “Deathless” (from “Fallen Kings & Rusted Crowns”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

11. Mayhem – “Chainsaw Gutsfuck” (from “Deathcrush” E.P., 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]

12. Progenie Terrestre Pura – “[.subLuce.]” (from “oltreLuna”, 2017) [Submitted by Ben]

13. Cresent – “The Fires of Akhet” (from “Carving the Fires of Akhet”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny]

14. Khandra – “In Harvest Against the Sun” (from “All Occupied by Sole Death”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny]

15. Abigor – “The Rising of Our Tribe” (from “Orkblut - The Retaliation” E.P., 1995) [Submitted by Ben]

16. Anaal Nathrakh – “When Fire Rains Down From the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as It Has Sown” (from “When Fire Rains Down From the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as It Has Sown” E.P., 2003) [Submitted by Ben]

17. Sadistik Exekution – “Fukking Death” (from “Fukk”, 2002) [Submitted by Daniel]

 October 2021

1. Symphony X – “The Damnation Game” (from “The Damnation Game”, 1995) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Carbonized – “My Hate” (from “Screaming Machines”, 1996)

3. Russian Circles – “Arluck” (from “Blood Year”, 2019)

4. Fantômas – “Book 1: Page 4” (from “Fantômas”, 1999)

5. Astronoid – “A New Color” (from “Astronoid”, 2019)

6. Syncatto – “Möbius” (from “A Place To Breathe”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

7. OSI – “ShutDOWN” (from “Office Of Strategic Influence”, 2003) [Submitted by Xephyr]

8. Leprous – “White” (from “Tall Poppy Syndrome”, 2009) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Fates Warning – “Fata Morgana” (from “Awaken The Guardian”, 1986) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Between The Buried & Me – “Revolution In Limbo” (from “Colors II”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

11. Jinjer – “Mediator” (from “Wallflowers”, 2021)

12. Big Brave – “Half Breed” (from “Vital”, 2021)

13. Evergrey – “Broken Wings” (from “Torn”, 2008) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Scale The Summit – “Narrow Salient” (from “The Migration”, 2013) [Submitted by Xephyr]

15. Faxed Head – “Rest Stop Cleaning” (from “Chiropractic”, 2001)

16. Cleric – “Poisonberry Pie” (from “Regressions”, 2010)

17. Cynic – “Veil Of Maya” (from “Focus”, 1993)

18. Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa – “Liturgy for the Ekzunreh” (from “Corrupted Pillars Of Vanity”, 2021)

19. Dir en Grey – “Reiketsu nariseba” (from “Uroboros”, 2008) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. Ænigmatum – “Fracturing Proclivity” (from “Deconsecrate”, 2021)

October 2021

1. Altarage – “Altars” (from “Nihl”, 2016) [Submitted by Vinny]

2. Carcass – “Flesh Ripping Torment Limited” (from “Torn Arteries”, 2021)

3. Acausal Intrusion – “Transcending The Veil” (from “Nulitas”, 2021)

4. White Stones – “Chain Of Command” (from “Dancing Into Oblivion”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

5. Arch Enemy – “Nemesis” (from “Doomsday Machine”, 2005) [Submitted by Ben]

6. Runemagick – “Dethrone The Flesh” (from “Enter The Realm Of Death”, 1999) [Submitted by Ben]

7. Unbounded Terror – “Dreamlord” (from “Nest Of Affliction”, 1992) [Submitted by Vinny]

8. Funebrarum – “Perish Beneath” (from “The Sleep Of Morbid Dreams”, 2009) [Submitted by Ben]

9. Canker – “Hand of God” (from “Earthquake”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Teitanblood – “Whore Mass” (from “Seven Chalices”, 2009) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Avulsed – “Sweet Lobotomy” (from “Eminence In Putrescence”, 1996) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Diskord – “The Endless Spiral” (from “Degenerations”, 2021)

13. Dipygus – “Plasmoidal Mass (Slime Mold)” (from “Bushmeat”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Haemorrhage – “Traumaggedon” (from “Hospital Carnage”, 2011) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Qrixkuor – “Serpentine Susurrus - Mother's Abomination” (from “Poison Palinopsia”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Vital Remains – “Dechristianize” (from “Dechristianize”, 2003) [Submitted by Ben]

17. Drumcorps – “Better Days” (from “Better Days” E.P., 2021)

18. Antediluvian – “Obscene Pornography Manifests in the Divine Universal Consciousness” (from “The Divine Punishment”, 2021)

19. Socioclast – “Surveillance/Normalization/Examination” (from “Socioclast”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

20. Machetazo – “Revientas” (from “Ruin”, 2013) [Submitted by Vinny]

21. Effluence – “Unholy Liquid” (from “Ballistic Bloodspray” E.P., 2021)

22. Wormed – “Tautochrone” (from “Exodromos”, 2013) [Submitted by Vinny]

23. Nile – “In The Name Of Amun” (from “What Should Not Be Unearthed”, 2015) [Submitted by Ben]

October 2021

1. Lunar Shadow – “Red Nails (For The Pillar Of Death)” (from “The Smokeless Fires”, 2019) [Submitted by Xephyr]

2. Unleash The Archers – “Northwest Passage” (from “Explorers” E.P., 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Therion – “To Mega Therion” (from “Theli”, 1996)

4. Savatage – “Sarajevo” (from “Dead Winter Dead”, 1995) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Iron Maiden – “The Writing On The Wall” (from “Senjutsu”, 2021)

6. Quartz – “Stand Up & Fight” (from “Stand Up & Fight”, 1980)

7. Queensryche – “Walk In The Shadows” (from “Rage For order”, 1986) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

8. Russell Allen & Jorn Lande – “Hymn For The Fallen” (from “The Great Divide”, 2014) [Submitted by Xephyr]

9. Spirit Adrift – “Invisible Enemy” (from “Forge Your Future” E.P., 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

10. Chastain – “Black Knight” (from “Mystery Of Illusion”, 1985) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. The Lord Weird Slough Feg – “Asteroid Belts” (from “Traveller”, 2003) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Pharaoh – “Lost In The Waves” (from “The Powers That Be”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

13. Kobra & the Lotus – “High Priestess” (from “High Priestess”, 2014) [Submitted by Vinny]

14. Dark Moor – “Halloween” (from “The Fall Of Melnibone” E.P., 2001) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Warlock – “Touch Of Evil” (from “Triumph & Agony”, 1987) [Submitted by Vinny]

16. Powerwolf – “Dancing With The Dead” (from “Call Of The Wild”, 2021)

17. Crystal Viper – “The Cult” (from “The Cult”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. Grand Magus – “Holmgång” (from “Triumph & Power”, 2014) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

19. HammerFall – “Any Means Necessary” (from “No Sacrifice, No Victory”, 2009) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. Significant Point – “Into the Storm” (from “Into The Storm”, 2021)

21. Helloween – “Out For The Glory” (from “Helloween”, 2021)

22. Mystik – “Lake Of Necrosis” (from “Mystik”, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

23. Edu Falaschi – “The Ancestry” (from “Vera Cruz”, 2021)

October 2021

1. While She Sleeps – “No Defeat For The Brave” (from “Sleeps Society”, 2021)

2. Dry Kill Logic – “Rot” (from “The Darker Side Of Nonsense”, 2001)

3. Body Count – “My Way” (from “Violent Demise: The Last Days”, 1997)

4. Serj Tankian – “Harakiri” (from “Harakiri”, 2011)

5. Living Colour – “Information Overload” (from “Time’s Up”, 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

6. Sôber – “Diez años” (from “Paradÿsso”, 2002)

7. Katatonia – “Behind The Blood” (from “City Burials”, 2020) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

8. Lantlos – “Cocoon Tree House” (from “Wildhund”, 2021)

9. Godsmack – “Keep Away” (from “Godsmack”, 1998)

10. Linkin Park – “From The Inside” (from “Meteora”, 2003) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Bad Wolves – “Zombie” (from “Disobey”, 2018) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Mudvayne – “Cultivate” (from “The Beginning Of All Things To End”, 2001)

13. Atreyu – “Catastrophe” (from “Baptize”, 2021)

14. The Apex Theory – “Apossibly” (from “Topsy-Turvy”, 2002)

15. Flaw – “Only The Strong” (from Through The Eyes”, 2001)

16. Kittie – “We Are The Lamb” (from “I’ve Failed You”, 2011)

17. Blindside – “Invert” (from “Blindside”, 1997)

18. Saliva – “Click Click Boom” (from “Every Six Seconds”, 2001)

19. Clawfinger – “Out To Get Me” (from “A Whole Lot Of Nothing”, 2001)

20. Chevelle – “Ghost & Razor” (from “Niratias”, 2021)

21. Architects – “An Ordinary Extinction” (from “For Those That Wish To Exist”, 2021)

22. Sevendust – “The Day I Tried To Live” (from “Blood & Stone”, 2020)

23. Hamlet – “Antes y después” (from “Insomnio”, 1998)

24. Disturbed – “Ten Thousand Fists” (from “Ten Thousand Fists”, 2005) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

25. Entombed – “Addiction King” (from “Same Difference”, 1998)

26. The Bread Scientists – “Slug” (from “Troposphere”, 2021)

27. Hacktivist – “Cold Shoulders” (from “Hacktivist” E.P., 2012)

28. Tallah – “We, The Sad” (from “Matriphagy”, 2020) [Submitted by Daniel]

29. Beartooth – “Below” (from “Below”, 2021)

October 2021

1. Midnight Odyssey – “Dawn-Bringer” (from “Biolume Part 2: The Golden Ord”, 2021)

2. Body Void – “Wound” (from “Bury Me Beneath This Rotting Earth”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

3. Melvins – “Isabella” (from “King Buzzo”, 1992)

4. Lacuna Coil – “Senzafine” (from “Halflife” E.P., 2000) [Submitted by Ben]

5. Earth – “Thrones & Dominions” (from “Phase 3: Thrones & Dominions”, 1995) [Submitted by Daniel]

6. King Woman – “Celestial Blues” (from “Celestial Blues”, 2021)

7. Solitude Aeturnus – “The 9th Day: Awakening” (from “Through The Darkest Hour”, 1994)

8. Pentagram – “The Ghoul” (from “Pentagram”, 1985) [Submitted by Daniel]

9. The Slow Death – “Famine” (from “Siege”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny92]

10. Black Lodge – “Dissonance” (from “Covet”, 1995) [Submitted by Ben]

11. Esoteric – “Dominion Of Slaves” (from “The Pernicious Enigma”, 1997) [Submitted by Ben]

12. Vouna – “Vanish” (from “Atropos”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny92]

October 2021

1. Static-X – “Regeneration” (from “Project Regeneration, Vol. 1, 2020)

2. Master Boot Record – “Himem.sys” (from “Floppy Disk Overdrive”, 2020)

3. Oomph! – “Unsere Rettung” (from “Unrein”, 1998)

4. DEAFBRICK – “O antropoceno” (from “Deafbrick”, 2020)

5. Crossbreed – “Underlined” (from “Synthetic Division”, 2001)

6. Killing Joke – “Invocation” (from “Hosannas From the Basements of Hell”, 2006)

7. Lord Of The Lost – “Loreley” (from “Thornstar”, 2018) [Submitted by Vinny]

8. Eisbrecher – “Tanz mit mir” (from “Die Hölle muss warten”, 2012)

9. Pain – “Designed To Piss You Off” (from “Coming Home”, 2016)

10. Deathstars – “Tongues” (from “Termination Bliss”, 2006)

11. Lard – “Mate, Spawn & Die” (from “The Last Temptation Of Reid”, 1990)

12. Rob Zombie – “The Satanic Rites Of Blacula” (from “The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy”, 2021)

13. Godflesh – “I, Me, Mine” (from “Us & Them”, 1999)

14. Ghostemane – “Convoluted” (from “Fear Network II” E.P., 2021)

15. Uniform & The Body – “Contempt” (from “Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back”, 2019)

16. Uniform – “Alone In The Dark” (from “The Long Walk”, 2018)

17. Samael – “Rain” (from “Passage”, 1996) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. 3TƎETH – “Atrophy” (from “shutdown.ɘxe”, 2017)

19. Sybreed – “ReEvolution” (from “Slave Design”, 2004)

20. Ministry – “Unsung” (from “Animositisomina”, 2003)

21. Andrew Hulshult – “Departure To Destruction” (from “Dusk (Original Game Soundtrack), 2018)

22. P.H.O.B.O.S. – “Wisdom” (from “Tectonics”, 2005)

23. Black Magnet – “Anubis” (from “Hallucination Scene”, 2020)

24. Fear Factory – “Cognitive Dissonance” (from “Aggression Continuum”, 2021)

25. Mick Gordon - “Rip & Tear” (from “Doom (Original Game Soundtrack)”, 2016) [Submitted by Daniel]

26. Autarkh – “Lost To Sight” (from “Form In Motion”, 2021)

27. Dagoba – “The Things Within” (from “What Hell Is About”, 2006)

Ground-breaking early 90's technical death/thrash from Florida, USA. For fans of 90's Death, early Cynic & the techier Pestilence albums.

Atheist - "Piece Of Time" (1990)

Florida tech death/thrash legends Atheist's 1990 debut album "Piece Of Time" made a significant impact on me & was high on my rotation list at the time but as soon as their follow-up "Unquestionable Presence" was released I kinda forgot about it as the band's sophomore effort was a clear step up from the debut & an undeniable classic. It's been interesting to rediscover the point that Atheist were at in their creative & artistic journey with "Piece Of Time" this week as it's generally regarded as somewhat of a classic too.

The opening title track is an absolute belter & sounds exactly like the material from "Unquestionable Presence" which is a sure-fire indication that it was the most recently composed track included on the album. The other material sees them varying the amount of traditional thrash metal & more progressive elements & I'm willing to bet that I could piece together the exact order that the tracks were written because you can easily hear the band developing their sound over the course of the nine songs. For that reason, I've never found "Piece Of Time" to be quite the finished product however it undeniably represents a huge step up in ambition for the extreme metal movement. No one had attempted anything like this before & the more atmospheric & progressive parts of the album were a particular revelation that would be expanded upon significantly on later releases. Death, Cynic & Pestilence can all be found to be trying very similar things in the years that followed too & I don't think that's a coincidence.

The level of musicianship on display here is absolutely outstanding, particularly the shredding lead guitar work & Roger Patterson's super-interesting bass lines which take an up-front position in the mix. Kelly Shaefer's vocal delivery has never really struck me as being particularly "death metal" though & sounds more like a raspier thrash front man like Sadus' front man Darren Travis than it does Chuck Schuldiner. I probably would have preferred a little more extremity there to be honest but then again... that may have changed the feel of the album completely so it may be for the best.

Overall, "Piece Of Time" is a ground-breaking & highly influential debut that offers consistent quality & strong hints at the potential that was to be fulfilled in the coming years. 

For fans of 90's Death, early Cynic & the techier Pestilence albums.

4/5

Happy 35th anniversary to an album that made a life-changing impact on me as a youngster. "Somewhere In Time" was the very first Iron Maiden record I ever heard in full & it essentially signaled the flood gates being flung open with other forms of music being cast aside in favour of an increasingly more extreme taste in metal music. I don't think I've ever really lost my connection to that first experience as "Somewhere In Time" is not only still my favourite Maiden record but it's also my favourite heavy metal record overall.

Richie Hawtin - "Decks, EFX & 909" (1999)

The first proper release DJ mix CD from my all-time favourite techno producer. It's very rhythmic & loopy, not nearly as cerebral & minimal as Richie would go on to become in later years.