Daniel's Forum Replies

I think that having an aversion to Folk within Metal is rougher going than something like Gothic influence or, in my certain case, having Death Metal steer clear of grind influences. There are a good number of North albums that, although they aren't necessarily Folk Metal, tend to use folky tendencies as a natural progression of their sound even if they're playing a traditional style of Black Metal, which is why I agree in that it's a pretty tough deciding factor for The North in general. 

Quoted Xephyr

In fairness, I have no problem whatsoever with the inclusion of genuine folk music into metal. In fact, I quite enjoy the inclusion of acoustic folk songs or interludes to break up an extreme metal release. Where it creates a problem for me is when an artist elects to play jovial folk melodies over (or using) metal instrumentation & that rules a line through the a large portion of folk metal, medieval folk metal & Celtic metal as well as a percentage of Viking metal & Pagan folk metal. Some of the traditional folk instruments sound really wrong with extreme metal too in my opinion. On top of that, I generally find any subgenre that has the word melodic or symphonic in front of it's genre tag to be a little challenging & that includes a significant chunk of symphonic black metal & melodic black metal. Then you've got depressive black metal which I often find to work directly against the empowerment I like to receive from my black metal, blackgaze which is a bit too light-weight most of the time & black 'n' roll which is simply too rocky for my taste so I'm left with just black metal, atmospheric black metal & war metal that I can rely on to float my boat with a level of consistency. Is that enough to warrant a move back into The North? Perhaps it is given that it encompasses over two thirds of the overall clan releases. I dunno.

Here are the latest adjusted rules for playlist submission:

THE FALLEN: 30 minutes each for clan members only.

THE GATEWAY: 30 minutes each for clan members & one track from non-clan members.

The GUARDIANS: 30 minutes each for clan members only.

THE HORDE: 30 minutes each for clan members only.

THE INFINITE: 30 minutes each for clan members only.

THE NORTH: 20 minutes each for clan members only.

THE PIT: 30 minutes each for clan members only.

THE REVOLUTION: 30 minutes each for clan members & one track from non-clan members.

THE SPHERE: 30 minutes each for clan members & one track from non-clan members.

The gloriously textured shoegaze piece that closes out French post-rock outfit Alcest's 2016 "Kodama" album. For fans of Old Silver Key, "Melting Sun"-period Lantlôs & the self-titled Amesoeurs album.

Thanks for nominating this one Xephyr. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Here are my thoughts:

I've had an up & down experience with French blackgaze outfit Alcest over the years. I've always liked the idea of what they respresent more than the actual result but have certainly given them more than their fair share of chances. I think the long & short of it is that I simply prefer a more dark & imposing sound so I often find myself feeling a touch outside of my element while their ethereal & uplifting brand of post-metal washes over me & that's still very much the case with 2016's fifth full-length "Kodama" although I've definitely seen myself feeling more comfortable & accepting on this occasion. Perhaps I'm simply softening up in my old age but I suspect otherwise.

I can see why Xephyr has selected "Kodama" for feature release status because I consistently found myself asking an obvious question during each listen. Is this a metal release? It certainly seems to be universally regarded as one on other metal-related internet resources & RYM has this album tagged as Blackgaze (152-9), Shoegaze (126-27) & Post-Metal (62-20) primaries with Post-Rock (127-10) & Dream Pop (101-23) secondaries. Now, that's all well & good but I'm gonna throw a cat amongst the pigeons here by claiming that there's not more than a couple of minutes of actual metal on the whole album & even then it's borderline. The inclusion of the occasional black metal scream does not tie a record to metal in my opinion & that's about the extent of it here. The instrumentation is absolutely in line with the modern Post-Rock model with several of the tracks drawing on Shoegaze for inspiration too. I'd be happy with Post-Rock as the sole primary but can see the logic in a dual arrangement as well. I'm just not hearing where all of these people are picking up the metal thing from as there's not a sign of it here. In all honesty, "Kodama" sounds much closer to Coldplay than it does to Deafheaven & that's not meant as a criticism. If it was played straight after a Sigur Ros record you certainly wouldn't feel startled & likely wouldn't miss a beat.

Musically, this is very every bit an Alcest release. It's dreamy & melodic with the primary focal point being the layers of jangly guitars & the soft & unintimidating male vocals which see the listener being transported to a warm & positive world that's very much in opposition to the one we generally associate with a clan like The North. The consistency of the tracklisting is excellent with no weak tracks included & I find the whole experience to be very rewarding even if I do inevitably feel the craving for something more savage afterwards. It's often nice to be taken outside of your musical comfort zone by a quality artist that knows their craft very well & executes their plans with precision & that's exactly what we have here. "Eclosion" sees me drawing comparisons with latter period Anathema while the final track "Onyx" sees Alcest continuing their trend of finishing their albums with something a little different from the rest of the tracklisting, this time a darker & beautifully textured instrumental piece that I find to be the highlight of the album.

"Kodama" is not the sort of thing that'll I'll find myself reaching for all that often however it'll no doubt provide me with ongoing rewards whenever I do stumble on it while looking for something more specific. In fact, it's left me wondering as to whether I may have been too harsh on Alcest over the years. Perhaps a revisit of some of their earlier releases is required as God knows my taste profile has never been wider & more diverse than it is now.

For fans of Old Silver Key, "Melting Sun"-period Lantlôs & the self-titled Amesoeurs album.

4/5

Great selection Andi. In fact this is one of my all-time favourite records. Here are my notes from a year ago:

Most of our regulars would be aware that I don't dish out the full five stars very often at all. A release has to be absolutely perfectly in tune with my personal taste & also be impeccably performed & executed with an unparalleled level of creative ambition even to be considered. But 1999's sophomore album from Washington-based mathcore outfit Botch is not only an amazing release for the subgenre but it may well be the best mathcore record I've ever experienced. I honestly didn't know that this style of music could reach these heights. This is truly superior metal music that thumbs its nose at the competition.

For fans of Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan & Gaza.

5/5

Great selection Ben. Here are my notes from my last revisit:

The 1987 debut album from Canadian thrash metal outfit Infernäl Mäjesty is an aggressive riff-fest with a dark atmosphere & an impressive level of class in the song-writing & arrangements. Slayer has obviously been a major influence on the band which can't hurt however they offer enough of their own to differentiate themselves from their idols. The guitar solos aren't amazing & the drum production is a little stale however there's a nice level of separation between the instruments. Some of the riff structures hint at what would become death metal & I can't help but shake the thought that Morbid Angel's Trey Azagthoth might have been quite the fan because I can hear some similar ideas here. Overall, this is a very consistent & high quality thrash record that will appeal to fans of Slayer, Razor & Sacrifice.

4/5

Underworld - "Pearl's Girl" E.P. (1996)

65 minutes of ridiculously great techno & progressive house highlighted by my all-time favourite Underworld track (i.e. the title track) which was a huge one for me as a techno DJ. I have particularly memories of dropping the full version of "Pearl's Girl" as the second track in an early morning set I played at an extremely messy house party in Bondi to a pack of munted punters back in December 2008. I played two different versions of a more techy & understated track from a Japanese producer (whose name escapes me now) on either side of it & extended the mixes in & out using loops for a long period so that it was kinda like a journey all in itself. I also extended the breakdown to amplify the tension & release. I recorded that set & it went on to gain a little bit of a reputation amongst my fanbase as the hardest set I ever played which was a pretty accurate description to be honest. I didn't have much of a choice though as most of the people in attendance were into hard trance.

Interesting choice Andi. "Shining Kingdom" is the track that holds the least appeal on "Passage" for me personally. This one is my personal favourite as I really love the Slayer influence in the intro & verses.

I certainly understand your point there Sonny & it's one that I've pondered over on many occasions over a long period now. If folk metal was the only subgenre in The North that I struggled with then I probably wouldn't hesitate in rejoining but of the thirteen subgenres contained by The North I'd suggest that I only really consider myself to be a big fan of three. Interestingly though, those three subgenres make up around 65% of the release base for the clan so there's an argument that many of those niche subgenres are pretty insignificant. Anyway... I'll have a think about it.

I really love the ambience of this beautifully executed ambient piece which sees the listener observing an epic Viking battle from a safe distance.

This is the very epitome of everything I hate about the Folk Metal subgenre.

OK, so this one was always going to take me well outside of my comfort zone & I experienced some significant struggles with it if I'm being honest. Don't get me wrong. It's a very well produced & executed example of the Folk Metal sound & you'll find that my score reflects that but I think it's fair to say that I find this subgenre to be tougher going than any of our regularly contributing members, so much so that if I was to rank each of the eleven tracks included here you'd likely find that my feelings are the polar opposite of the rest of you. It's really only the excellent ambient interludes & traditional folk pieces that enable "Vredens Tid" to achieve the score that I've awarded it & even then I was pretty close to going a touch lower to be honest. I simply can't get into cheesy folk melodies within the context of extreme metal & there are truck loads of examples included here along with those horrid fiddle gigs which are undeniably none of my business. You'll even find some of those God-awful rubber band sounds that Moonsorrow love so much. Thankfully though, we have some splendidly executed atmospheric pieces to balance them out a bit with the wonderful Viking-themed "Preludium" being my clear album highlight along with the relaxing traditional folk music of "Svunna minnen". Unlike some of our other members, I actually quite enjoy the female vocals which provide a nice juxtaposition to the harsh male screams of the front man. His Black metal style vocals are pretty decent but when he backs off the extremity a bit I find that he tends to further reduce the intensity of the music a touch.

Let's be clear that (despite what competitors sites my tell you) there is very little genuine Viking Metal included here. You won't find any rhythms that remind you of oars in the water or the galloping of steeds. You're also very unlikely to find any of the atmosphere of Melodic Black Metal. "Vredens tid" is a pure Folk Metal release in my opinion & for that reason it was always gonna be a stretch for me find enough enjoyment to award it a pass mark. As with Moonsorrow (who were probably their main inspiration here), this is undeniably a beautifully put together representation of what the band were trying to achieve & it sports a stellar guitar tone that perfectly balances clarity & extremity. I applaud Månegarm for that but unfortunately "Vredens tid" simply resides too far outside of my wheel house & you'll rarely find a finer example of why I struggle with the concept of returning to The North. I mean if my rating was to count against the clan rating for this record then it would see our whole beloved clans system breaking down. It's a quandary that I'm yet to come up with an answer for as this record is so clearly derived from black metal yet is almost the polar opposite in its atmosphere & aesthetics. With that said, I think I kindly hand "Vredens tid" back to you Folk Metal fans with a gentle smile & a knowing nod to say that I've given it a fair chance & I respect it for what it is but it's clearly not for me.

For fans of Moonsorrow, "Far Far North"-era Einherjer & the last couple of Falkenbach albums.

3/5

*scrunches up idea & throws randomly over shoulder into unsuspecting wife's face*

For me it would likely be The Horde which is probably not much of a surprise to most of you given my past involvement with the death metal scene. I'm not into the few more niche subgenres it draws together (death 'n' roll, cybergrind, gorenoise) but the rest of the clan is right up my alley, particularly as I'm probably the only regularly contributing member that has much time for grindcore. Melodeath is certainly a little hit & miss for me but there's enough quality out there to keep me interested if Ben's playlist submissions are anything to go by.

I do find that I also have a very strong affiliation with The Fallen given that my taste profile encompasses the majority of the subgenres it contains. I'm probably more heavily into the drone metal & conventional sludge metal sounds than the rest of the group as well as having a life-long love of all brands of doom so that clan suits me really well. The Pit is also a strong clan for me however I have to admit that I'm never going to be a huge fan of speed metal, groove metal or crossover thrash. They're all more of a passing interest than anything else.

Interestingly, since voluntarily dropping The North some time ago my love of dark, blasphemic black metal has never subsided & I find myself consistently grappling with the idea of returning to the clan given that I regard some of its subgenres as the most dear to my heart (who says that about black metal?). The conventional & atmospheric black metal sounds sit amongst my all-time favourites while I also love my blasting war metal but I struggle with most of the other subgenres contained within The North which I often find tending to dilute the things I love about black metal. Perhaps I should just get over it & rejoin as the two more senior subgenres are by far the most dominant & the more informed contributing members we have in each clan the better.

Hhhmmm.... perhaps I was a little ambitious on the regularity. Would a fortnightly or monthly arrangement be more agreeable? We could just do one multi-subgenre round for each of the nine clans over 18 or 36 weeks with three semi finals & one final taking us to six months or a year. I'm not hellbent on the idea so feel free to pooh-pooh the whole concept if you don't find it appealing.

An epic 50 minute French funeral doom metal excursion for fans of Ea, The Howling Void & Remembrance.

I really enjoyed this one Ben. Here's my review:

The funeral doom metal subgenre & I have a long & rewarding history as it’s a movement that I got involved with very early in its evolutionary timeline back in the early 1990’s. I really bought into the feeling of isolation it promotes & felt that it was just what I’d been looking for at the time. Over time though, I tended to find that it wasn’t the type of thing that I could listen to all that often without becoming restless & also that there weren’t nearly enough bands that were doing anything particularly different with the original prototype so these days I opt for an occasional return to key bands & releases that I find to be genuinely rewarding. After the last couple of days though, I’ll be adding French four-piece Monolithe to my list of agreeable options.

Single-track albums haven’t been something that I’ve had a particular interest in over the years. I rarely see the point in extending a single piece to those levels of excess with only very rare examples of releases that genuinely manage to captivate me by taking me on a cohesive journey that’s worthy of my undivided attention. Green Carnation’s “Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness” & Meshuggah’s “Catch Thirtythree” immediately spring to mind however for every win there are several examples that fall by the wayside. In order for a single track of that length to achieve a consistent level of intrigue it must take the listener through a number of rewarding movements that are easily differentiated from each other but still work together as a fluently flowing piece in its own right. Does the fifty minute “Monolithe II” work in this capacity? Well yes & no. Unlike Edge Of Sanity’s “Crimson”, this is definitely one long piece rather than sounding like a bunch of different parts pasted together & whether that’s something that you have the patience for is up to the individual really. “Monolithe II” certainly doesn’t stray too far from the theme it begins with but, at the same time, it’s not all that hard to identify highlight sections of the album such as the significantly more intense & climactic period that appears at around the 25-30 minute mark. It just takes a fair amount of building to get to that point with the atmosphere tending to sneak up on you so that when the peak finally arrives you’re not all that sure how you got there.

Monolithe champion a melodic brand of funeral doom metal that’s not unlike that of many of their peers however they do offer a point of difference in the consistent use of accordion as a melodic centrepiece along with the strong use of keyboards for atmospherics. There’s a conscious sense of grandeur about this album. It isn’t the most desolate example of the subgenre as the tempos don’t get as ploddy as some of their contemporaries & the overall concentration on melody gives it a lighter feel. For this reason, I often find myself reaching for comparisons with the death doom metal subgenre as there are some easy comparisons to be made with the simple melodic guitar themes of bands like My Dying Bride & Paradise Lost here. The death-growled vocals of Richard Loudin aren’t the most original you’ve ever heard either but they’re certainly serviceable. I do feel that he could have opted for a little more variation though as he doesn’t really command the listeners attention all that often, instead tending to compliment whatever melodic concept the instrumentalists are exploring at the time in order to accentuate the big atmosphere that Monolithe are trying to create.

Ultimately, “Monolithe II” is a very strong example of the funeral doom metal sound & I can understand other members awarding it some of their higher scores. For me personally though, there are a couple of things that will always keep it grounded in the upper realms of the also-rans. Whilst the use of accordion certainly creates an interesting point of differentiation, I can’t say that I think it fits the funeral doom format all that well as I find it to sound a little bit cheesy at times. In fact, I regularly find myself thinking that it might sound more at home on a Summoning record which isn’t a positive thing if you know my feelings on that particular artist. I’d also like to see Monolithe making a greater effort to change things up a bit. A stronger focus on light & shade might have made the 50 minute run time seem a lot less arduous in my opinion. Regardless of these minor blemishes though, “Monolithe II” definitely possesses enough atmosphere to successfully maintain my interest for its duration. It just doesn't peak in intensity enough to command my higher ratings. It’s an impressive accomplishment from a classy outfit but it’s not as emotionally engaging as the premier releases in the funeral doom subgenre.

For fans of Ea, The Howling Void & Remembrance.

4/5

OK, I'll bite. DDM primary on Rob Your Mates required:

1. Winter - Into Darkness (1990)

2. Rippikoulu - Musta seremonia (1993)

3. Cianide - A Descent Into Hell (1994)

4. Monolithe - Monolithe III (2012)

5. Epitaphe - I (2019)

6. Ceremonium - Into the Autumn Shade (1995)

7. Coffins - Buried Death (2008)

8. Sempiternal Deathreign - The Spooky Gloom (1989)

9. Convocation - Ashes Coalesce (2020)

10. Atavisma - The Chthonic Rituals (2018)

Sorry, I know it's considered sacreligious not to have MDB, Anathema et al on a death doom list, but I do genuinely struggle with the whole gothic death doom schtick (in case you hadn't noticed)!

I've also not included any albums that are principally considered funeral doom, so no Evoken and the likes.

Really interesting list mate. That Winter record was a strong contender for my list however it's just been too many years since I lastrevisited it so I couldn't quite decide where the level of my adoration sits for it these days. Cruciform's "Paradox" demo would have been a strong contender too but I wanted to create a list in our Public Lists section so could only select proper releases.

This track just sounds like a big mess to me. The focus on rhythmic complexity has gotten wwaayyy out of control.

This morning I decided to continue with my Top Ten subgenre lists theme of recent weeks with my Top Ten Death Doom Metal Release Of All Time so here it is:

01. diSEMBOWELMENT – “Transcendence Into The Peripheral” (1993)

02. Anathema – “Serenades” (1993)

03. My Dying Bride – “Turn Loose The Swans” (1993)

04. Anathema – “The Silent Enigma” (1995)

05. Katatonia – “Brave Murder Day” (1996)

06. My Dying Bride – “Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium” E.P. (1992)

07. Mar de Grises – “Streams Inwards” (2010)

08. Daylight Dies – “A Frail Becoming” (2012)

09. My Dying Bride – “The Thrash Of Naked Limbs” E.P. (1992)

10. Anathema – “Crestfallen” E.P. (1992)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/131

The doomier closer from the 1997 debut album from Atlanta-based progressive US power metal outfit Cauldron Born". For fans of Slauter Xstroyes, Deadly Blessing & mid-80’s Fates Warning.

Despite my fairly strong opinions below, "Born of The Cauldron" was definitely an interesting feature release Xephyr. I expect to see some very healthy discussion on it with some widely differing scores which is always fun. :)

Here's my review:

1997’s “Born Of The Cauldron” debut album from Atlanta-based US power metal outfit Cauldron Born is a very interesting inclusion in our September batch of feature releases as it doesn’t sit all that comfortably alongside its more traditional sounding heavy metal & power metals peers in The Guardians. In fact, it may well have been ostracized from the group & forced to sit & eat in the corner of the lunchroom in complete isolation. The main reason for this is its consciously technical approach that sees it fitting much more comfortably in our The Infinite clan. Fuck knows how it’s not already labelled as progressive metal because this record is about as progressive as you’ll find. I mean this fucker sounds like Yes got blind drunk & decided to become a US power metal band & I think it’s fair to say that the results are very mixed.

I really struggled with “Born Of The Cauldron” to be completely honest. With the exception of some of the ultra-underground & super-necro sounding extreme metal, my background as a musician sees me being quite picky when it comes to performance, execution & musicianship & these are clear weaknesses for Cauldron Born. Despite the fact that the song-writing & composition is extremely ambitious for a debut release, some of the band members aren’t even close to being up to the task at hand & it leaves a lot of this material sounding like a bit of a mess. The secret to writing captivating & impressive progressive metal is to present rhythmically & melodically technical instrumentation & vocal arrangements in a way that flows smoothly & still enables the song-writing to dig its hooks into the listener’s memory bank. In fact, your less technically inclined listener should almost not notice the technique on display & be able to enjoy the music for what it is i.e. actual music rather than a medium for showcasing someone’s talents. Unfortunately, Cauldron Born don’t seem to have any sort of understanding of this requirement & have subsequently presented us with some highly complex compositions that don’t flow & sound very jerky which leaves tracks like “The Sword's Lament” & “In Fate's Eye a King” sounding like a bit of a mess really. This may not have been such an obvious problem if drummer Bill Parsons could play in time however this is unfortunately not the case with his kick drum work being consistently behind the beat & guitarist Howie Bentley regularly struggling to keep in time with him. Howie has his own issues to be fair as he really wants to be a shredding guitar virtuoso but his chops aren’t even close to being able to pull off what he’s attempted here. Thankfully bassist Shawn Kascak is a bit of a star & manages to recover things slightly with his Chris Squire influenced bass lines constantly shifting through run after run of inventive melodic noodling.

Vocalist Danny White is your classic US power metal front man. His operatic style & clear higher register tone sound a lot like virtually every other vocalist from the movement but he has a much more challenging task in front of him than any of his contemporaries. Trying to layer a workable vocal hook over music this rhythmically complex was always going to be immensely challenging & he’s done a reasonable job of it, despite falling in a heap on several occasions due to the lack of fluency in the instrumental performances. And this really does highlight the problem with “Born of the Cauldron” because the best material is clearly aligned with the less complex tracks. Songs like “The Final Incantation / In the Dreaming City” & the doomy closer & album high point “Unholy Sanctuary” are a clear indicator of what could have been achieved if the instrumentalists had stayed within the confines of their technical limitations & focused on writing some strong riffs for Danny to work over. Sadly, there’s not enough of this & I found myself struggling to make much sense of “Born Of The Cauldron” for the most part. There’s no doubt that it’s a consistently interesting experience though & I was sitting on the fence between a 2.5/5 & a 3/5 rating for some time but at the end of the day I can’t deny that the moments when I can honestly say that I’m genuinely enjoying myself are too rare for me to go with the higher score.

For fans of Slauter Xstroyes, Deadly Blessing & mid-80’s Fates Warning.

2.5/5

Here's my revised list:

1970: Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”

1971: Black Sabbath – “Master Of Reality”

1972: Black Sabbath – “Vol 4”

1973: Black Sabbath – “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”

1974: Budgie – “In For The Kill”

1975: Black Sabbath – “Sabotage”

1976: Judas Priest - "Sad Wings Of Destiny"

1977: Quartz – “Quartz”

1978: Judas Priest – “Killing Machine”

1979: Judas Priest – “Unleashed In The East”

1980: Diamond Head – “Lightning To The Nations”

1981: Motorhead – “No Sleep Till Hammersmith”

1982: Ozzy Osbourne – “Speak Of The Devil”

1983: Slayer – “Show No Mercy”

1984: Metallica – “Ride The Lightning”

1985: Exodus – “Bonded By Blood”

1986: Slayer – “Reign In Blood”

1987: Bathory – “Under The Sign Of The Black Mark”

1988: Metallica – “…And Justice For All”

1989: Morbid Angel – “Altars Of Madness”

1990: Slayer - "Seasons In The Abyss"

1991: Death – “Human”

1992: Alice In Chains – “Dirt”

1993: diSEMBOWELMENT – “Transcendence Into The Peripheral”

1994: Darkthrone – “Transilvanian Hunger”

1995: Suffocation – “Pierced From Within”

1996: Burzum – “Filosofem”

1997: Exodus – “Another Lesson In Violence”

1998: ISIS – “The Mosquito Control” E.P.

1999: Botch - "We Are The Romans"

2000: Immolation – “Close To A World Below”

2001: Tool - "Lateralus"

2002: ISIS – “Oceanic”

2003: Boris – “Boris At Last -Feedbacker-“

2004: ISIS – “Panopticon”

2005: Deathspell Omega – “Kenose” E.P.

2006: Celtic Frost – “Monotheist”

2007: Wolves In The Throne Room – “Two Hunters”

2008: Pig Destroyer - "Natasha" E.P.

2009: Ulcerate - "Everything Is Fire"

2010: Deathspell Omega - "Paracletus"

2011: Inside The Beehive - "Drink Bleach; Live Forever" E.P.

2012: Deftones - "Koi no Yokan"

2013: Gorguts - "Colored Sands"

2014: Dead Congregation - "Promulgation Of The Fall"

2015: Akhlys - "The Dreaming I"

2016: Mick Gordon - "Doom (Original Game Soundtrack)"

2017: Fen - "Winter"

2018: Saxon - "Thunderbolt"

2019: Altesia - "Paragon Circus"

2020: Oranssi Pazuzu - "Mestarin kynsi"

2021: Altarage - "Succumb"

A twenty-one minute cerebral drone metal excursion of the highest order from this Spanish death metal outfit who will likely appeal to fans of Portal, Adversarial & Mylingar.

OK, so this release has left me thoroughly devastated (in a good way). I first approached "Succumb" a couple of months before Vinny submitted it as a feature release & remember thinking to myself that it'd be totally up Vinny's alley. We're very much kindred spirits when it comes to ultra-savage & super-intense extreme metal & this release is absolutely that with a murky death-swamp of a production only further accentuating the cripplingly dark atmosphere.  I have absolutely no doubt as to the records that Altarage grew up listening to because I was right there with them. Morbid Angel's "Covenant"? Tick! Classic Incantation? Tick! Bestial Warlust's "Vengeance War 'til Death"? Tick! There are huge intimidating tentacles protruding out of this fucker with the sludgy down-tuned guitar tone seemingly engulfing the listener in pure blasphemy & violence. Carlos' vocals are nothing short of monstrous too & I love the war metal streak that runs right through the core of Altarage's foundations with the swirling guitars having seemingly derived their textured aesthetic from black metal.

Despite completely rocking my world, there are a couple of things that could have further improved "Succumb". The inclusion of some psychotic shred-tastic guitar solos would definitely have added to the mayhem. The quality does dip a little through the middle of the album too. But wait! What's this at the end of the record?? A twenty-one minute cerebral drone metal excursion of the highest order? Count me in like Flynn guys. This is my album of the year thus far & I'm placing another 666 blackened stars next to Vinny's name. I would post a review however Vinny's one already highlights everything that needs to be said.

For fans of Portal, Adversarial & Mylingar.

4.5/5

Before this, Samael was initially in the 2nd wave of black metal.

In fairness Samael predates the second wave with their debut album appearing the year before Darkthrone & Burzum heralded the dawn of a new era for black metal. It’s more accurate to suggest that Samael came at the tale end of the first wave in my opinion.

This might be my last time submitting suggestions for The Fallen playlists. I'm cutting down on some Fallen-related activities due to running low on ideas and other personal reasons I will explain later.

Andi, can you please confirm whether you're intending on contributing any The Fallen playlist submissions this month? If not then I'll bump up the time allocations to 30 minutes each for Sonny, Ben & I.

Here's the October feature release nominators:

THE FALLEN: Daniel, Sonny, Ben

THE GATEWAY: Andi, Saxy S

THE GUARDIANS: Andi, Vinny, Xephyr

THE HORDE: Ben, Daniel, Vinny

THE INFINITE: Saxy S, Andi, Xephyr

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

THE PIT: Daniel, Sonny, Vinny, Ben

THE REVOLUTION: Daniel, Andi

THE SPHERE: Daniel

September 2021

1. Mnemic – “Deathbox” (from “The Audio Injected Soul”, 2004)

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

3. Lindemann – “Blut” (from “F & M”, 2019)

4. Uniform & The Body – “Day Of Atonement” (from “Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back”, 2019)

5. 2wo – “My Ceiling’s Low” (from “Voyeurs”, 1998)

6. Rob Zombie – “Shadow Of The Cemetery Man” (from “The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy”, 2021)

7. Dodheimsgard – “Shiva-Interfere” (from “666 International”, 1999)

8. 16volt – “And I Go” (from “SuperCoolNothing”, 1998)

9. Combichrist – “Maggots At The Party” (from “We Love You”, 2014)

10. Pain – “On & On” (from “Rebirth”, 1999)

11. Static-X – “Worth Dyin’ For” (from “Project Regeneration, Vol. 1, 2020)

12. KMFDM – “Hau Ruck” (from “Hau Ruck”, 2005)

13. Godflesh – “Shut Me Down” (from “A World Lit Only By Fire”, 2014) [Submitted by Vinny]

14. Sybreed – “Ego Bypass Generator” (from “Antares”, 2007)

15. Corrections House – “Crossing My One Good Finger” (from “Know How To Carry A Whip”, 2015)

16. Turmion Kätilöt – “Verta ja lihaa” (from “Hoitovirhe”, 2004)

17. Samael – “Exodus” (from “Exodus” E.P., 1998)

18. Dagoba – “Maniak” (from “Dagoba”, 2003)

19. Ministry – “Burning Inside” (from “The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste”, 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]

20. Autarkh – “Introspectrum” (from “Form In Motion”, 2021)

21. Fear Factory – “Manufactured Hope” (from “Aggression Continuum”, 2021)

22. Oomph! – “Born – Praised - Kissed” (from “Wunschkind”, 1996)

23. Author & Punisher – “The Barge” (from “Melk en Honing”, 2015)

24. Strapping Young Lad – “Skeksis” (from “Alien”, 2005)

25. Black Magnet – “Punishment Map” (from “Hallucination Scene”, 2020)

26. DEAFBRICK – “Máquina obssessivo-compulsiva” (from “Deafbrick”, 2020)

September 2021

1. The Devil Wears Prada – “Nora” (from “ZII” E.P., 2021)

2. Wristmeetrazor – “Anemic (The Same Six Words)” (from “Replica Of A Strange Love”, 2021)

3. Mental Cruelty – “Ultima Hypocrita” (from “A Hill To Die Upon”, 2021)

4. Zao – “In the Jaws Of Dread” (from “The Crimson Corridor”, 2021)

5. BABYMETAL – “Ijime Dame Zettai” (from “BABYMETAL”, 2014)

6. We Came As Romans – “To Plant A Seed” (from “To Plant A Seed”, 2009)

7. Shadows Fall – “Of One Blood” (from “Of One Blood”, 2000) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

8. Motionless In White – “Immaculate Misconception” (from “Creatures”, 2010)

9. Demon Hunter – “Sixteen” (from “Storming The Gates Of Hell”, 2007) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Earth Crisis – “Killing Brain Cells” (from “Slither”, 2000) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Will Haven – “I’ve Seen My Fate” (from “El Diablo”, 1997)

12. Crisis – “Different Ways Of Decay” (from “Deathshead Extermination”, 1996)

13. Underøath – “Paper Lung” (from “Ø (Disambiguation)”, 2010) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Kaonashi – “T.A.Y.L.O.R.” (from “Dear Lemon House, You Ruined Me: Senior Year”, 2021)

15. Chimaira – “Sp Lit” (from “Pass Out Of Existence”, 2001)

16. Integrity – “Rise” (from “Seasons In the Size Of Days”, 1997)

17. While She Sleeps – “Crows” (from “The North Stands For Nothing” E.P., 2010)

18. Converge – “You Fail Me” (from “You Fail Me”, 2004) [Submitted by Vinny]

19. Pupil Slicer – “Mirrors Are More Fun Than Television” (from “Mirrors”, 2021)

20. Born Of Osiris – “Recreate” (from “The Discovery”, 2011) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

21. Darkest Hour – “Beneath The Blackening Sky” (from “Darkest Hour”, 2014) [Submitted by shadowdoom9]

22. God’s Hate – “Finish The Job” (from “God’s Hate”, 2021)

23. For Today – “Devastator” (from “Breaker”, 2010)

24. Coalesce – “Have Patience” (from “Give Them Rope”, 1997)

25. Veil Of Maya – “Namaste” (from “[id]”, 2010) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

26. The Dillinger Escape Plan – “The Running Board” (from “Calculating Infinity”, 1999) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

27. 100 Demons – “Forsaken” (from “In The Eyes Of The Lord”, 2000)

28. Bridge Burner – “Chlorine Eyes” (from “Disempath”, 2021)

29. Poppy – “Say Cheese” (from “Eat (NXT Soundtrack) E.P., 2021)

30. Embodyment – “20 Tongues” (from “Embrace The Eternal”, 1998)

31. Darko – “Insects” (from “Darko”, 2021)

September 2021

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

2. Soulfly – “Seek ‘n’ Strike (from “ॐ”, 2002) [Submitted by Daniel]

3. ZnöWhite – “Do Or Die” (from “All Hail To Thee” E.P., 1984) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Body Count – “KKK Bitch” (from “Body Count”, 1992)

5. Prong – “Beg To Differ” (from “Beg To Differ”, 1990)

6. Vulture – “Star-Crossed City” (from “Dealin’ Death”, 2021)

7. Artillery – “Turn Up The Rage” (from “X”, 2021)

8. Testament – “The Haunting” (from “The Legacy”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny92]

9. Metallica – “Harvester Of Sorrow” (from “…And Justice For All”, 1988) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Slayer – “Skeletons Of Society” (from “Seasons In The Abyss”, 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Suicidal Tendencies – “I Feel Your Pain… & I Survive” (from “Join The Army”, 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Gojira – “Born For One Thing” (from “Fortitude”, 2021)

13. Pantera – “I’m Broken” (from “Far Beyond Driven”, 1994) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Ritual Carnage – “Escape From The Light” (from “Every Nerve Alive”, 2000) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Helstar – “Pandemonium” (from “Glory Of Chaos”, 2010)

16. Striker – “Crossroads” (from “City Of Gold”, 2013)

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

18. Anthrax – “Imitation Of Life” (from “Among The Living”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny92]

19. Vreid – “Shadows Of Aurora” (from “Wild North West”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny92]

20. Kreator – “Under A Total Blackened Sky” (from “Enemy Of God”, 2005) [Submitted by Sonny92]

21. Hirax – “Flesh & Blood” (from “El Rostro de la Muerte”, 2009) [Submitted by Vinny]

22. Feared – “Your Black Is My White” (from “Svart”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

23. Cruel Force – “Victim Of Hellfire” (from “The Rise Of Satanic Might”, 2010)

24. Nekrofilth – “Crave The Grave” (from “Devil’s Breath”, 2013)

25. Cryptic Slaughter – “Wake Up” (from “Money Talks”, 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

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

27. Sadus – “The Wake” (from “Swallowed In Black”, 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

28. Nekromantheon – “Zealot Reign” (from “Visions Of Trismegistos”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny92]

September 2021

1. Blodsrit – “Vanmakt” (from “Helveteshymner”, 2004) [Submitted by Vinny]

2. Nameless Mist – “Unearthed” (from “Nameless Mist”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

3. Dawn – “Diabolical Beauty” (from “Nær sólen gar niþer for evogher”, 1994) [Submitted by Ben]

4. Dimmu Borgir – “Alt lys er svunnet hen” (from “Stormblåst”, 1996)

5. Alcest – “Écailles de lune - Part 2” (from “Écailles de lune”, 2010)

6. Mystifier – “Cursed Excruciation / The Sinuous Serpent of Genesis (Leviathan)” (from “Goetia”, 1993) [Submitted by Ben]

7. Bathory – “The Lake” (from “Blood On Ice”, 1996)

8. Felled – “Ember Dream” (from “The Intimate Earth”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

9. Blut aus Nord – “Epitome XI” (from 777 – The Desanctification”, 2011) [Submitted by Ben]

10. Primordial – “Autumn’s Ablaze” (from “A Journey’s End”, 1998)

11. Khold – “Nattpyre” (from “Masterpiss Of Pain”, 2001)

12. Silencer – “Death – Pierce Me” (from “Death - Pierce Me”, 2001)

13. Warmoon Lord – “Empowered With Battlespells” (from “Battlespells”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny92]

14. Pillorian – “Archaen Divinity” (from “Obsidian Arc”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Mare Cognitum – “Pulses in Extraconscious Lucidity” (from “An Extraconscious Lucidity”, 2012) [Submitted by Sonny92]

16. Sainte Marie des Loups – “Des profondeurs le silence” (from “Funérailles de feu”, 2020) [Submitted by Sonny92]

17. Agrypnie – “Wir Ertrunkenen” (from “Metamorphosis”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. Bestial Warlust – “Blood & Valour” (from “Blood & Valour”, 1995)

September 2021

1. Mastodon – “Curl of the Burl” (from “The Hunter”, 2011) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Skin Tension – “Conqueror Worm” (from “Machinic Impulses of the Hyperreal”, 2021)

3. Dola – “-“ (from “Czasy”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

4. Ayreon – “Beneath The Waves” (from “01011001”, 2008) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Psychotic Waltz – “Into The Everflow” (from “Into The Everflow”, 1992)

6. Papangu – “Holoceno” (from “Holoceno”, 2021)

7. Fates Warning – “Still Remains” (from “Disconnected”, 2000)

8. Soen – “Pluton” (from “Tellurian”, 2014) [Submitted by Xephyr]

9. Dream Theater – “Pull Me Under” (from “Images & Words”, 1992)

10. Symphony X – “Absinthe & Rue” (from “Symphony X”, 1994) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Teramaze – “A Deep State Of Awake” (from “I Wonder”, 2020) [Submitted by Xephyr]

12. Between The Buried & Me – “Astral Body” (from “The Parallax II: Future Sequence”, 2012) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. Gojira – “Another World” (from “Fortitude”, 2021) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Alcest – “Protection” (from “Spiritual Instinct”, 2019)

15. Textures – “Young Man” (from “Polars”, 2004)

16. Vildhjarta – “Dagger” (from “Måsstaden”, 2011)

17. Thy Catafalque – “Köd utánam” (from “Róka Hasa Rádió”, 2009) [Submitted by Xephyr]

September 2021

1. Witch Vomit – “Purulent Burial Mound” (from “Abhorrent Rapture” E.P., 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

2. At The Gates – “Spectre Of Extinction” (from “The Nightmare Of Being”, 2021)

3. Pestilence – “Morbvs Propagationem” (from “Exitivm”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Bologna Violenta – “Trapianti giapponesi” (from Il nuovissimo mondo”, 2010)

5. Messiah – “Extreme Cold Weather” (from “Extreme Cold Weather”, 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

6. Entombed – “Retaliation” (from “Inferno”, 2003)

7. Be’lakor – “Venator” (from “Stone’s Reach”, 2009) [Submitted by Ben]

8. Bolt Thrower – “World Eater” (from “Realm Of Chaos”, 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]

9. Seputus – “Tautology” (from “Phantom Indigo”, 2021)

10. Ghastly – “Out Of The Psychic Blue” (from “Mercurial Passages”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Disbelief – “Misery” (from “Worst Enemy”, 2001) [Submitted by Ben]

12. Carcass – “Kelly’s Meat Emporium” (from “Kelly’s Meat Emporium” single, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

13. Grave Miasma – “Rogyapa” (from “Abyss Of Wrathful Deities”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Skeleton Of God – “Urine Garden” (from “Urine Garden” E.P., 1993)

15. Cattle Decapitation – “Mauled” (from “Homovore”, 2000)

16. Nasum – “Relics” (from “Helvete”, 2003) [Submitted by Ben]

17. Extreme Noise Terror – “Work For Never” (from “The Peel Sessions ’87-‘90”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Deicide – “Crucifixation” (from “Deicide”, 1990) [Submitted by Ben]

19. Malignant Altar – “Retribution Of Jealous Gods” (from “Retribution Of Jealous Gods” demo, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

20. Blood – “Kadath” (from “O agios pethane”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

21. Blood Red Throne – “Itika” (from “Imperial Congregation”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

22. Broken Hope – “Mutilated & Assimilated” (from “Mutilated & Assimilated”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

23. Drawn & Quartered – “Oblivion Pilgrimage” (from “Congregation Pestilence”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

24. Torsofuck – “Raped By Elephants” (from “Erotic Diarrhea Fantasy”, 2004)

25. Internecine – “Ceremonies Of Deceit (Effulgence Rituals)” (from “The Book Of Lambs”, 2002) [Submitted by Ben]

26. Ophidian I – “Spiral To Oblivion” (from “Desolate”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

27. Clinging To The Trees Of A Forest Fire – “Teeth & Hair” (from “Songs Of Ill Hope & Desperation”, 2010) [Submitted by Daniel]

28. Hate – “Seventh Manvantara” (from “Auric Gates Of Veles”, 2019) [Submitted by Ben]

September 2021

1. Venom Inc. – “Ave Satanas” (from “Avé”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

2. Stratovarius – “Speed Of Light” (from “Episode”, 1996) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Wintersun – “Time” (from “Time I”, 2012) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. After Forever – “Ephemeral” (from “Prison Of Desire”, 2000) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Samson – “Thunderburst” (from “Head On”, 1980) [Submitted by Vinny]

6. Saxon – “Heavy Metal Thunder” (from “Strong Arm Of The Law”, 1980)

7. Alice Cooper – “Brutal Planet” (from “Brutal Planet”, 2000)

8. The Lord Weird Slough Feg – “Sky Chariots” (from “Down Among The Deadmen”, 2000) [Submitted by Vinny]

9. Saber – “Without Warning” (from “Without Warning”, 2021)

10. Traveler – “Street Machine” (from “Traveler”, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Pharaoh – “The Powers That Be” (from “The Powers That Be”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

12. Sonic Haven – “The Darker Side” (from “Vagabond”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

13. Cirith Ungol – “Blood & Iron” (from “One Foot In Hell”, 1986) [Submitted by Xephyr]

14. Bloodbound – “March Into War” (from “Creatures Of The Dark Realm”, 2021)

15. Grand Magus – “Varangian” (from “Sword Songs”, 2016) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Haunt – “In Our Dreams” (from “Beautiful Distraction”, 2021)

17. Blaze Bayley – “War Within Me” (from “War Within Me’, 2021)

18. Elvenking – “Reader Of The Runes – Book I” (from “Reader Of The Runes – Divination”, 2019) [Submitted by Xephyr]

19. Exmortus – “For The Horde” (from “Ride Forth”, 2016)

20. Powerwolf – “Beast of Gevauden” (from “Call Of The Wild”, 2021)

21. Helloween – “Fear Of The Fallen” (from “Helloween”, 2021)

22. Judas Priest – “Painkiller” (from “Painkiller”, 1990)

23. Dragonland – “Storming Across Heaven” (from “The Battle of the Ivory Plains: The Dragonland Chronicles Part I”, 2001) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

24. Epica – “Victims Of Contingency” (from “The Quantum Enigma”, 2014) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

September 2021

1. While She Sleeps – “Systematic” (from “Sleeps Society”, 2021)

2. Mushroomhead – “Solitaire/Unraveling” (from “XX”, 2001)

3. downset. – “Empower” (from “Do We Speak A Dead Language?”, 1996)

4. Staind – “Something To Remind You” (from “Staind”, 2011) [Submitted by Vinny]

5. Dub War – “Enemy Maker” (from “Wrong Side Of Beautiful”, 1996)

6. P.O.D. – “Youth Of The Nation” (from “Satellite”, 2001)

7. Skindred – “Cut Dem” (from “Union Black”, 2011)

8. The Almighty – “All Sussed Out” (from “Just Add Life”, 1996)

9. Dir en Grey – “The Final” (from “Withering To Death.”, 2005) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Sevendust – “Nothing Left To See Here Anymore” (from “Blood & Stone”, 2020)

11. (hed)pe – “Serpent Boy” (from “(hed)pe”, 1997)

12. Adema – “Giving In” (from “Adema”, 2001)

13. Djerv – “Headstone” (from “Djerv”, 2011)

14. Chevelle – “Peach” (from “Niratias”, 2021)

15. Serj Tankian – “Your Mom” (from “Elasticity” E.P., 2021)

16. Earshot – “Asleep, I Lie” (from “Letting Go”, 2002)

17. Polkadot Cadaver – “Bloodsucker” (from “Sex Offender”, 2011)

18. Deftones – “Be Quiet & Drive (Far Away)” (from “Around The Fur”, 1997) [Submitted by Daniel]

19. Geezer – “Man In A Suitcase” (from “Black Science”, 1997)

20. Pulse Ultra – “Build Your Cages” (from “Head Space”, 2002)

21. American Head Charge – “Just So You Know” (from “The War Of Art”, 2001)

22. Infectious Grooves – “Cousin Randy” (from Groove Family Cyco”, 1994)

23. Lantlos – “Lake Fantasy” (from “Wildhunt”, 2021)

24. Ill Nino – “Unreal” (from “Revolution/Revolucion”, 2001)

25. Drowning Pool – “Bodies” (from “Sinner”, 2001)

26. Stuck Mojo – “Pigwalk” (from “Pigwalk”, 1996)

27. Atreyu – “Underrated” (from “Baptize”, 2021)

28. Architects – “Impermanence” (from “For Those That Wish To Exist”, 2021)

29. Machine Head – “Bulldozer” (from “Supercharger”, 2001)

30. The Bread Scientists – “Helios” (from “Troposphere”, 2021)

31. Beartooth – “Dominate” (from “Below”, 2021)

September 2021

1. My Dying Bride – “A Kiss To Remember” (from “Like Gods Of The Sun”, 1996) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Melvins – “Eye Flys” (from “Gluey Porch Treatments”, 1987)

3. Red Fang – “Arrows” (from “Arrows”, 2021)

4. Theatre Of Tragedy – “Forever Is The World” (from “Forever Is The World”, 2009) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Saint Vitus – “Saint Vitus” (from “Saint Vitus”, 1984) [Submitted by Sonny92]

6. Paradise Lost – “The Last Time” (from “Draconian Times”, 1995) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

7. Anathema – “A Dying Wish” (from “The Silent Enigma”, 1995) [Submitted by Ben]

8. Candlemass – “Dark Reflections” (from “Tales Of Creation”, 1989)

9. Earth – “Seven Angels” (from “Earth 2: Special Low Frequency Version”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Draconian – “Stellar Tombs” (from “Sovran”, 2015) [Submitted by Ben]

11. Temple Of Void – “Leave The Light Behind” (from “The World That Was”, 2020) [Submitted by Sonny92]

12. Witchrot – “Million Shattered Swords” (from “Hollow”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny92]

13. Cult Of Luna – “O R O” (from “Vertikal II” E.P., 2013) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Inter Arma – “Citadel” (from “Sulphur English”, 2019) [Submitted by Sonny92]

15. Fossilization – “Neanderthal Tombs” (from “He Whose Name Was Long Forgotten”, 2021)

16. Tyranny – “Coalescent Of The Inhumane Awareness” (from “Tides Of Awakening”, 2005) [Submitted by Ben]

17. Amenra – “Ogentroost” (from “De doorn”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

Wonderfully intense post-sludge metal from the Californain masters of the subgenre. For fans of Isis, Cult of Luna & Amenra.

English gothic metal for fans of Cemetary, Tiamat & late 90's Katatonia.

After completing my Top Ten Doom Metal Releases Of All Time list last weekend, I thought I'd take a shot at my Top Ten Traditional Doom Metal Releases Of All Time. Here's what I came up with:

01. Candlemass – “Nightfall” (1987)

02. Saint Vitus – “Born Too Late” (1986)

03. Candlemass – “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus” (1986)

04. Paul Chain Violet Theatre – “Detaching From Satan” E.P. (1984)

05. Pentagram – “Pentagram” (1985)

06. Saint Vitus – “Saint Vitus” (1984)

07. Trouble – “Psalm 9” (1984)

08. Pagan Altar – “The Time Lord” E.P. (2004)

09. Trouble – “The Skull” (1985)

10. Saint Vitus – “Hallow’s Victim” (1985)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/129

Let's see yours!

Timeghoul - "Panaramic Twilight" demo (1994)

Ben, I think you'd really dig this progressive death metal demo tape. You can find it on the end of the "1992-1994 Discography" compilation.

Nevermore - "Dead Heart In A Dead World" (2000)

Xephyr, I think this one might be something that you'd enjoy.

A highly ambitious mid-90's progressive death metal demo track from Missouri, USA. For fans of Blood Incantation, Demilich & Nucleus.

Thanks Xephyr. I'll add it to the playlist.

Progressive groove metal from Seattle, USA. For fans of Communic, “Shadow Work”-period Warrel Dane & “The Year The Sun Died”-era Sanctuary.

This monster of a doom metal track sounds like Black Sabbath's debut album crossed with Led Zeppelin's "Dazed & Confused" & I absolutely love it.

How much of an absolute riff-fest is this Teutonic thrash belter?! For fans of Sodom, Slayer & Destruction.

Kreator - "Coma Of Souls" (1990)

I revisited this legendary slab of Teutonic thrash glory over the last couple of days & very quickly remembered how much of an absolute riff-fest it is. The production is superb (particularly the killer rhythm guitar tone) & the addition of Frank Blackfire on lead guitar adds some welcome technique & melody to proceedings. There are three or four unmitigated belters amongst the ten tracks on offer here but it's the inevitable quality of the filler material that best showcases the album's true strength i.e. it's overall consistency. Mille's raspy vocals still possess that imposing & instantly recognisable snarl that I've always loved so much but the most noteworthy characteristic of "Coma Of Souls" is the whole new level of maturity in the song-writing which showcases an unusual level of restraint at times. The continued improvement of Ventor as a powerful, precise & efficient drummer is equally impressive, even if it sometimes comes at the expense of one of Kreator's greatest charms i.e. their unbridled aggression. I guess this is partially responsible for "Coma Of Souls" not being my favourite Kreator record. In fact, it probably wouldn't even make my top three but it's still an undeniable classic which is as strong an indication of the importance of Germany's finest metal export as there ever was. What an album cover too!!

For fans of Sodom, Slayer & Destruction.

4.5/5

Yeah I don't like "Teacher's Pet" either. It massively disrupts the flow of the album & stands out like a sore thumb in the tracklisting. In truth though, there's actually a couple of other tracks on "Black Metal" that don't do a lot for me too though, namely "Raise The Dead" & "To Hell & Back". I certainly enjoy the "Black metal" album but I actually prefer "At War With Satan" & "Welcome To Hell" over it these days.

One of the most wonderful female vocal performances in all of metal from this Dutch gothic metal outfit. For fans of Tiamat, The 3rd & the Mortal & Theatre Of Tragedy.