Daniel's Forum Threads

Bro, I absolutely adore Siouxsie and the Banshees.  I've had an unconventional choice of theirs, Peepshow, in my top 100 for years, but I also fell in love with Tinderbox, A Kiss in the Dreamhouse, Juju, Hyaena and Kaleidoscope.  Easily one of the best things to come out of goth rock.  Even lesser known songs of theirs such as Ornaments of Gold are among favorites, as well as their hit from the dark ages before the breakup, Kiss Them for Me.

Marilyn Manson - "Antichrist Superstar" (1996)

Surprisingly, this has been my very first attempt at a full Marilyn Manson record but I've quite enjoyed the ride, even if I do have to question how this album is strong enough to justify the global attention that Marilyn built off the back of it. It's a lengthy effort at 77 minutes & seventeen tracks but there's not a huge amount of filler to be found with only three songs failing to connect with me. His sound sits somewhere between industrial rock & industrial metal but there's enough metal here to justify the record's inclusion at the Academy in my opinion. Hit single "The Beautiful People" is certainly one of the best pieces along with "Dried Up, Tied & Dead to the World", "Little Horn" & "Deformography", all of which reside in the first half of the tracklisting so things do fade a touch over the B side. There can be no denying Manson's charisma as a front man though, even if you put aside his horrific image & stage presence. I'm happy to say that "Antichrist Superstar" is definitely worth a listen or two although I can't see myself returning to it any time soon.

For fans of Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie & Ministry.

3.5/5

Ben, please add Ära Krâ.

I have never listened through an Imperial Triumphant record but I always imagined it would sound exactly like Sonny described it.

Grief - "Come to Grief" (1994)

The debut full-length from this Boston-based sludge metal outfit sees Grief taking a step up from 1993's excellent "Dismal" E.P. & has subsequently gone on to become one of my favourite sludge releases of all time. "Come to Grief" is made up of eight oppressive tracks of ultra-doomy, abrasive & aggressive pieces of rat-infested glory, highlighted by the incisive vocals of front man Jeff Hayward who is thoroughly believable throughout. This is a wonderful example of what the genre is trying to achieve & one that highlights the ease with which some of the premier American bands seem to be able to tap into a downtrodden crack den for inspiration. I'm not sure what that says about the country as a whole though.

For fans of Noothgrush, Dystopia & Eyehategod.

4.5/5

Glenn Branca - "Lesson No. 1" E.P. (1980)

The debut solo release from this Pennsylvania guitarist sees him coming up with a completely new musical concept that's based predominantly on theoretical concepts. Totalism sees an artist adding additional energy & rhythmic complexity to the ideas presented in the classical genre of minimalism & Branca pulls it off with utmost ease here, although it has to be said that this doesn't always amount to an enjoyable listen. The first of the two lengthy tracks ("Lesson No. 1 for Electric Guitar") is a beauty & sees the concept presented in an easily palatable & highly professional format that's built around repeated, rhythmically-phasing melodic phrases. The noisy & musically awkward twelve-minute B side ("Dissonance") doesn't fair nearly as well though & ruins the release's chances of making a marked impression on me. Still... I'm interested to hear what Branca would become in the future so I can see myself checking out some more of his work in the future.

For fans of Manuel Göttsching, This Heat & Steve Reich.

3/5

Despite heading back to the melodic progressive/power metal zone, I enjoy a few of the more modern metalcore bands, like this formerly Christian metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona:

And this Finnish band that started off as modernized old-school thrash metal but ending up going the alt-metal/metalcore route starting with their 2020 album:

Early Norwegian progressive/power metal with wonderful singing by Roy Khan who would later join Kamelot:

Once again, my return to The Guardians has caused my heavy/power/symphonic metal interest to be reborn and rapidly expand. Here are 6 bands of those genres that I've heard of when I was still completely in that zone 10 years ago (except The Dark Element), but didn't start listening to them full-time until I rediscovered them in the playlists that I've assembled in the last few months:

Totally devastated that I couldn't revive this old Suffocation long-sleeve due to the size of the holes in the elbows. Oh well... it means I get the chance to replace it with something equally cool now. ;)

This old Razor hoodie packed it in last month.

Karl, please submit your suggestions by close of play on Monday if you want them included in October's playlist.

Nile - "Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka" (1998)

A very solid debut album from this South Carolina trio & one that shows a strong understanding of the death metal genre & what makes it so great. I really love the dark production job which further enhances the high-quality performances to make this a bit of a beast of a record. The middle eastern themes are perhaps not as prevalent as they would become in the future but that's never been the attraction to Nile for me personally. I just love the sheer relentlessness of this band & that's showcased beautifully here. Nile certainly have better records (see the classic "Annihilation of the Wicked", the excellent "Those Whom the Gods Detest" or the rock-solid "In Their Darkened Shrines" for example) but that shouldn't detract from death metal fans enjoying Nile's first-up effort as it still contains everything that makes these Americans a household name in extreme metal circles. In fact, I reckon I might even take this one over its 2000 follow-up "Black Seeds of Vengeance" these days, if by a fairly miniscule margin. Just listen to those over-the-top guitar solos which hark back to early Deicide. That's what death metal is all about guys.

For fans of Hate Eternal, Suffocation & Dying Fetus.

4/5

September 2025

1. 40 Below Summer – Rope (2002)

2. Bleed – Silver (2021)

3. Breaking Benjamin – Had Enough (2006)

4. Calva Louise – Lo Que Vale (2025)

5. Cojum Dip – Waltz in E-Major, Op. 15 “Moon Waltz (2019)

6. Coldrain – Paradise (Kill the Silence) (2022)

7. Demon Hunter – Sorrow Light the Way (2025)

8. Digital Summer – Counting the Hours (2010)

9. Fire From the Gods – Thousand Lifetimes (2022)

10. Gemini Syndrome – IDK (2021)

11. Hacktivist – (Rock) Superstar (2016)

12. Haji’s Kitchen – Sucker Punch (2001)

13. Ice Nine Kills – The Great Unknown (2025)

14. Linkin Park – Breaking the Habit (2003)

15. Mass Hysteria – Reprendre mes Esprits (2018)

16. Puya – Bembele (2009)

17. O’Funk’illo – En el campito (2001)

18. Ravenface – Colder (2018)

19. Self Deception – The Shift (2011)

20. Shortie – Let’s Kill the World (2001)

21. Stavesacre – Shiv (1997)

22. Twisted Method – Inside Out (2003)

23. Vexed – Anti-Fetish (2023)

Limp Bizkit - "Significant Other" (1999)

Another pretty decent Limp Bizkit album that tends to be overly maligned due to people's hatred for Fred Durst's hobbo-isms. The band are really very capable & have a great understanding of dynamics & how to get a crowd jumping with the hip hop component being particularly strong throughout. This is a slightly stronger & more consistent record than the more popular 2000 follow-up album "Chocolate Starfish & the Hot Dog Flavored Water" in my opinion & I've actually quite enjoyed it if I'm being completely honest. 

For fans of Papa Roach, Korn & P.O.D.

3.5/5

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

01. Linkin Park - "Meteora" (2003)

02. Korn - "Korn" (1994)

03. Slipknot - "Iowa" (2001)

04. Linkin Park - "Hybrid Theory" (2000)

05. Deftones - "Adrenaline" (1995)

06. Korn - "Life is Peachy" (1996)

07. Korn - "Follow the Leader" (1998)

08. Limp Bizkit - "Significant Other" (1999)

09. Sevendust - "Animosity" (2001)

10. Korn - "Issues" (1999)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/313

Another well-done piece of gothic/industrial metal:

Starting off hard is this majestic opener of aggression and beauty:

Massive Attack v Mad Professor - "No Protection" (1995)

Stoners should look no further than this wonderful remix album that contains eight stripped-back takes on tracks taken from Bristol trip hop kings Massive Attack's brilliant 1994 sophomore album "Protection". Guyana dub legend Mad Professor does a wonderful job at keeping the original depth of the pieces & taking them into even more cerebral directions. I can't tell you how many times my best mate & I numbed ourselves to this record during my 2000's club days. Massive Attack are one of my absolute favourite artists & this is one of the truest examples of an underrated gem you'll find.

For fans of Thievery Corporation, Hooverphonic & DJ Shadow.

4.5/5

Sorry for the delay. 

How about these, think they all fit.

Convocation – Portal Closed (from “Ashes Coalesce”, 2020)

Coffincraft – “Sympathectomy” (from “IV.I.VIII”, 2014)

Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou - “Ancestral Recall” (from “May Our Chambers Be Full”, 2020)

16 – “Summer of ‘96” (from “Dream Squasher”, 2020)

High on Fire “Blessed Black Wings” (from “Blessed Black Wings”, 2005)

Children of Bodom-esque melodeath from a band once known for its neoclassical power metal sound:

Armoured Angel - "Mysterium" E.P. (1994)

I was well into this Canberra trio as a young chap & they would play a serious role in inspiring me to become a musician myself. Although they may not be all that well known outside of Australia, Armoured Angel are probably the most widely respected death metal act ever to come from these shores & this release comes from their peak period, a time when I would experience them in a live environment on numerous occasions. Armoured Angel's 1985 demo tape "Banished in Blood" was a pretty lacklustre affair but it was their two late 80's thrash metal demos "Wings of Death" & "Communion" that initially gained my attention, if not leaving me totally convinced. Once they sold their souls to the burgeoning death metal sound with 1992's "Stigmartyr" E.P. then there was no going back though & "Mysterium" sees the band continuing down that route, be it with their usual thrashy edge. Listening back now, I have to say that "Mysterium" doesn't hit as hard as the career-defining "Stigmartyr" did. The two highlight tracks ("Myth of Creation" & "Enigmatize") are both excellent but the other material doesn't live up to that promise, particularly the two combined pieces that close the release in "Pray for Me/Elegy" which don't do much for me. Still... there's enough quality to keep me interested & see me donning my old "Mysterium" t-shirt with pride although I do think I'd probably take the "Communion" demo over this CD these days if I'm being honest which isn't how I felt back in the day. The "Stigmartyr" E.P. is where you should direct your attention if you're looking to experience some premium Aussie death metal though.

For fans of Ares Kingdom, House of Atreus & Mi'gauss.

3.5/5

Discharge - "Fight Back" E.P. (1980)

A short six & a half minute shot of adrenaline containing five high-octane tracks that whip past you in no time at all. The Motorhead influence is obvious throughout & this is all enjoyable stuff, even for someone like myself who doesn't class themselves as a big punk fan. It's interesting that the two songs on the B side are comfortably the best material so I feel that Discharge would have been better served with an alternate arrangement of the tracklisting. Still... this is a decent way to fill a very small gap in your day. I just can't see myself thinking to return to it any time soon.

For fans of Poison Idea, Negative Approach & Anti-Cimex.

3.5/5

Alcest - "Les chants de l'aurore" (2024)

So, I've spent a bit of time with the French post-blackgaze stalwarts' seventh full-length now & have developed the feeling that it's not a bad record, if not one that I'm likely to reach for when I feel the urge for some Alcest. The tracklisting is without blemish but the overall atmosphere is extremely whispy & melodic (even for them) with the shoegaze influence being far more prevalent than the post-rock on this occasion. The black metal shrieks aren't used as regularly as they have been in the past either but the instrumentation has plenty of black metal about it. Overall, I'm gonna suggest that "Les chants de l'aurore" is probably Alcest's least impressive album since 2014's "Shelter" but it's still worth a few listens, even if (much like the Frenchmen's previous record "Spiritual Instinct") I can't say that this is an essential release for those looking for the elite-level blackgaze.

For fans of Amesoeurs, Lantlôs & Deafheaven.

3.5/5

These tracks were in the original 1992 edition of Circle of Dust's self-titled debut and were never re-recorded because of how much Klayton hated them. And I have to agree, these two sh*tty tracks should never have existed:

Jesu - "Jesu" (2004)

This week's revisit to this old favourite has finally seen me understanding what it is that people call "doomgaze". Forget how many websites tag this record. There's bugger-all drone metal or straight-up post-metal here. It's a combination of industrial metal & doom metal with a clear shoegaze influence to some of the vocals & melodic components which leaves me opting for an industrial doomgaze tag. It's a fantastic metal release too, one of my all-time favourites in fact with the more industrial material sounding very much like classic Godflesh & the doomier & more emotional inclusions being nothing short of incredible. This is some of Justin Broadrick (Fall of Because/Godflesh/Napalm Death) & drummer Ted Parsons' (Godflesh/Killing Joke/Prong/Swans) finest work.

For fans of Nadja, Godflesh & Isis.

4.5/5

Here are my sneak peek submissions for the October Sphere playlist:

Blue Stahli - "Not Over Til We Say So" (3:41) from The Devil (2015)

A Dark Halo - "Unbreakable" (4:27) from Catalyst (2006)

The Interbeing - "In the Transcendence" (3:08) from Edge of the Obscure (2011)

Mechina - "Praise Hydrus" (8:15) from Venator (2022)

Neurotech - "Escapism" (6:22) from Exo Escapism (2025)

Omega Lithium - "Point Blank" (3:57) from Dreams in Formaline (2009)

Total length: 29:50

Here are my sneak peek submissions for the October Revolution playlist:

The Breathing Process - "Metamorphosis" (4:21) from Odyssey (Un)Dead (2010)

Cave In - "N.I.B." (4:17) from Anomalies, Vol. 1 (2010) (RIP Ozzy Osbourne)

Fear of Domination - "Inner Lies" (4:03) from VI: Revelation (2021)

It Dies Today - "Marigold" (3:06) from The Caitiff Choir (2004)

We Came as Romans - "Dreams" (4:15) from To Plant a Seed (2009)

While She Sleeps - "Gates of Paradise" (5:20) from So What? (2019)

Winds of Plague - "The Impaler" (3:01) from Decimate the Weak (2008)

Total length: 28:23

For the October Infinite playlist, I'd like to nominate this long epic that's one of the best of melodic progressive metal:

Symphony X - "The Odyssey" (24:09) from The Odyssey (2002)

Here are my sneak peek submissions for the October Guardians playlist:

Galneryus - "My Hope is Gone" (7:00) from Into the Purgatory (2019)

Masterplan - "Music" (7:27) from PumpKings (2017)

Powerwolf - "Fire & Forgive" (4:30) from The Sacrament of Sin (2018)

Visions of Atlantis - "Lemuria" (3:41) from Cast Away (2004)

Warkings - "Armata Strigoi" (4:14) from Morgana (2022)

Total length: 26:52

While checking out Vio-Lence AND some post-bop, I'm also using minor bits of free time to check out the extremely short albums of this trap artist named Dave Blunts, known for his complex beats and his large weight.  I read that he's going to work hard to try and lose that weight for personal reasons.  His beats are quite fine, but when it comes to his lyrical rhythms and rhymes, the humor doesn't change the fact that he's basically another run-of-the-mill trap artist.  Hopefully he makes his beats more unique while working on his health.  He obviously has some smarts in some respects, and I'd like to see those expand.

Vio-Lence - Eternal Nightmare

Genres: Thrash Metal

After hearing the band's two early demos, I still didn't have much of an inkling as to their true abilities because the recording quality, demo or not, was terrible for the first demo and slightly better for the second.  With this one, they got a real producer to handle the sound quality, which maximizes everything they're capable of.  Thing is, while these guys are still stylistically generic, not really standing out with a style of their own, theycan sure jam like fuck and play at Star Trek levels of warp speed.  Much of the frontal work is done by later Machine Head guitarist Robb Flynn, who totally understand what thrash power and riffage needs to sound like.  For the most part, the rest of the instrumentalists aren't really struggling to keep up with him at all.  They match his power pretty easily, which is incredible considering that the single hiring of one different person would almost send this album toppling.  Of course, that's as far as the instrumentation goes.  Although this is a perfectly produced album with song great songwriting, I'm really not digging Sean Killian's vocals.  Not only is he joining the chained-to-a-wall kink train of thinking shouting the same way through a whole album is somehow the coolest thing you can do, but it sounds like he's in the wrong genre.  He sounds like he belongs in a power metal band or a Queensryche knockoff, like he's adjusting his voice for thrash to hide this and failing.  As well, with half these songs sharing very similar tempos and practically all of them bearing the same vibe, they don't really push any boundaries beyond raw instrumentality.  As well, some of the songs drag on much longer than they likely need to, largely because the album's mostly an exercize in showing off both instrumental and production techniques rather than an example of depth.  So I think it's right that I give this a good rating for some incredible strengths, but from a broader perspective, it's not the most enlightening... just addictingly thrashy.

83

Rotting Christ - "Non serviam" (1994)

The highly regarded sophomore album from these Hellenic black metal kings also happens to be my favourite Rotting Christ release. I picked it up on CD at the time of release & have always seen it as a step up from their debut full-length "Thy Mighty Contract". It's a measured, consistent & highly focused release that sees the band keeping well within their limited technical abilities while championing a unique atmosphere built on repetitive mid-range tempos & palm-muted death metal riffs that are given a black metal feel by shrieking vocals & subtle synthesizer use, ending up somewhere between the melodic & conventional black metal subgenres. The use of melodic lead guitar themes definitely borrows from the early doom/death movement too & sees "Non serviam" sitting in the top couple of releases from the whole Hellenic black metal movement in my opinion. Highly recommended.

For fans of Varathron, Samael & Thou Art Lord.

4/5

Here's my updated Top Ten Melodic Black Metal Releases of All Time list:

01. Dissection – “Storm Of The Light’s Bane” (1995)

02. Mare Cognitum – “Solar Paroxysm” (2021)

03. Les Chat de Nihil – “Le tyran et l’esthete” (2021)

04. Rotting Christ – “Non Seriam” (1994)

05. Dawn - "Nær sólen gar niþer for evogher" (1994)

06. Dawn – “Slaughtersun (Crown Of The Triarchy)” (1998)

07. Iskald – “The Sun I Carried Alone” (2011)

08. Naglfar – “Teras” (2012)

09. Abigail Williams - "In The Absence Of Light" (2010)

10. Dissection - "The Somberlain" (1993)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/164

September 2025

1. Architects - "Deep Fake" from The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Lord of the Lost, Within Temptation - "Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness" from Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness (2025)

3. Mechina - "Vanquisher" from Acheron (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Fear Factory - "Martyr" from Soul of a New Machine (1992)

5. Misery Loves Co. - "Sonic Attack" from Misery Loves Co. (1995)

6. Acumen Nation - "Queener" from Territory=Universe (1996)

7. Tyrant of Death - "Because Death is Not Ready Yet" from Re Connect (2012)

8. Mass Hysteria - "Matiere Noire" from Matiere Noire (2015)

9. Sonic Violence - "Ritual" from Jagd (1990)

10. Killing Joke - "Mathematics of Chaos" from Pandemonium (1994)

11. Zynthetic - "Bled Dry" from Soundtrack for the Apocalypse (2010)

12. Rammstein - "Ich Will" from Mutter (2001)

13. OOMPH! - "Breathtaker" from Sperm (1994)

14. Circle of Dust - "Deviate (Blue Stahli Remix)" from alt_Machines (2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Illidiance - "Mind Hunters" from Damage Theory (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Realize - "In Silence" from Two Human Minutes (2023)

17. Raubtier - "Varldsherravalde" from Skriet Fran Vildmarken (2010)

18. Skymning - "Trolltekk / Aggrotekk" from Machina Genova (2004)

19. Bong-Ra - "Bloodclot" from Black Noise (2025)

20. NOWHERE2RUN, Loathe - "Ant in the Afterbirth" from Ant in the Afterbith (2024)

21. Turmion Katilot - "Helvetin Torvet" from Universal Satan (2018)

22. Atrocious Filth - "Moans" (5:21) from Moans (2016)

23. Eisbrecher - "Atem" from Die Holle Muss Warten (2012)

24. Neurotech - "Memory Eternal" from Memory Eternal (2024) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

25. Fear of Domination - "Ruin" from Metanoia (2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

September 2025

1. Aftershock - "Prelude to Forever" from Through the Looking Glass (1999)

2. Overcast - "Root Bound Apollo" from Reborn to Kill Again (2008)

3. Nora - "For the Travelers" from Loser's Intuition (2001)

4. Zao - "The Race of Standing Still" from (Self-Titled) (2001) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. August Burns Red - "Composure" from Messengers (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. Poison the Well - "12/23/93" from The Opposite of December... A Season of Separation (1999)

7. The Breathing Process - "Inferno" from In Waking: Divinity (2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

8. Neaera - "Desecrators" from Let the Tempest Come (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Strife - "Lift" (3:35) from One Truth (1994)

10. Blood of the Martyrs - "I Know Why the Caged Bird Kills" (3:41) from Once More With Feeling (2011)

11. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Horse Hunter" (3:11) from Ire Works (2007)

12. Car Bomb - "Blindsides" from Tiles Whispers Dreams (2025)

13. Converge - "Worms Will Feed / Rats Will Feast" from Axe to Fall (2009)

14. Frontierer - "Bunsen" from Orange Mathematics (2015)

15. Cult Leader - "Craft of Mourning" from A Patient Man (2018)

16. Drown in Sulphur - "The Sleeping Abomination" from Sulphur Cvlt (2021) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

17. Mental Cruelty - "Chapter II - The Rise of the Antichrist" from Purgatorium (2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. A Wake in Providence - "The Court ov the Trinity" from Eternity (2022)

19. The Red Chord - "Breed the Cancer" from Fused Together in Revolving Doors (2002) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. Spitfire - "Quintenessence at Glance" from The Dead Next Door (1999)

21. Trivium - "Bury Me With My Screams" from Bury Me With My Screams (2025)

22. Annisokay - "Into the Gray" from Abyss Pt II (2025)

23. Avenged Sevenfold - "Second Heartbeat" from Waking the Fallen (2003)

24. Vision of Disorder - "Jada Bloom" from Imprint (1998)

25. Hope for the Dying - "Legacy" from Legacy (2016)

26. Wolves at the Gate - "The Father's Bargain" from VxV (2014)

September 2025

1. Blind Guardian - "Imaginations From the Other Side" from Imaginations From the Other Side (1995)

2. Galneryus - "Finally, It Comes!" from The Stars Will Light the Way (2024)

3. Trivium - "Until the World Goes Cold" from Silence in the Snow (2015)

4. Black Sabbath - "Hole in the Sky" from Sabotage (1975)

5. Battle Beast - "Here We Are" from Here We Are (2025)

6. Metal Church - "Metal Church" from Metal Church (1984)

7. Halford - "Resurrection" from Resurrection (2000)

8. Judas Priest - "The Serpent and the King" from Invincible Shield (2024)

9. Ozzy Osbourne - "Believer" from Diary of a Madmen (1981)

10. Crimson Glory - "Masque of the Red Death" from Transcendence (1988)

11. Accept - "Shadow Soldiers" from Stalingrad (2012) [Suggested by Sonny]

12. Mercyful Fate - "Melissa" from Melissa (1983)

13. Manowar - "Battle Hymn" from Battle Hymns (1982)

14. Sabaton - "The Duelist" from The Duelist (2025)

15. Beyond the Black - "Break the Silence" from Break the Silence (2025)

16. Xandria - "Fight Me" from India (2005)

17. Amberian Dawn - "River of Tuoni" from River of Tuoni (2008)

18. Within Temptation - "Iron" from The Unforgiving (2011)

19. Kiuas - "Warrior Soul" from The Spirit of Ukko (2005) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. Golden Resurrection - "Identity in Christ" from Man with a Mission (2011)

21. Yngwie Malmsteen - "World on Fire" from World on Fire (2016)

22. Visions of Atlantis - "Seven Seas" from Trinity (2007)

23. Dark Moor - "Dies Irae (Amadeus)" from The Gates of Oblivion (2002)

24. Stratovarius - "Goodbye" from Fright Night (1989)

Here's my submission for the October Gateway playlist, my first single-track submission since my switch from The Gateway to The Guardians, and it's a long epic too:

Slipknot - Iowa (from Iowa, 2001)

Update for October:

THE FALLEN: VINNY, Sonny

THE GATEWAY: ANDI, Saxy

THE GUARDIANS: ANDI, Sonny, Karl

THE HORDE: KARL, Vinny, Sonny

THE INFINITE: SAXY, Andi

THE NORTH: SONNY, Karl, Vinny

THE PIT: SONNY, Vinny

THE REVOLUTION: ANDI

THE SPHERE: ANDI

September 2025

1. Onslaught – “Power from Hell (2025 re-recording)” (from “Origins of Aggression”, 2025)

2. Sodom – “Trigger Discipline” (from “The Arsonist”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Kreator – “Coma of Souls” (from “Coma of Souls”, 1990) [Submitted by Sonny]

4. Death Angel – “Truce” (from “Relentless Retribution”, 2010) [Submitted by Sonny]

5. Heathen – “Undone” (from “The Evolution of Chaos”, 2010) [Submitted by Sonny]

6. Sacrifice – “Underneath Millennia” (from “Volume Six”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

7. Coroner – “Renewal” (from “Dissonance Theory”, 2025)

8. Sacrilege – “Lifeline” (from “Behind the Realms of Madness”, 1985) [Submitted by Sonny]

9. Necrodeath – “Graveyard of the Innocents” (from “Into the Macabre”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]

10. The Haunted – “Warhead” (from “Songs of Last Resort”, 2025) [Submitted by Shadowdoom]

11. Invicta – “The Morning’s Light” (from “Triumph and Torment, 2023) [Submitted by Saxy]

12. Sijjin – “Horrific Distortions” (from “Helijjin Combat”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

13. Parkcrest – “Impossible to Hide” (from “And That Blue Will Turn to Red”, 2019) [Submitted by Sonny]

14. Drain – “Stealing Happiness from Tomorrow” (from “…Is Your Friend”,2025)

15. Necromaniac – “Daemonomantia” (from “Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable”, 2025)

16. Aggressive Perfector – “Devil’s Bastard” (from “Havoc at the Midnight Hour”, 2019) [Submitted by Sonny]

17. Hellcrash – “Inferno Crematörio” (from “Inferno Crematörio”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. Gallower – “Bubonic Breath” (from “Vengeance and Wrath”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

19. Byzantine – “The Clockmaker's Intention” (from “Harbringers”, 2025)

20. Alien Weaponry – “Mau Moko” (from “Te Rā”, 2025)

21. Inhuman Nature – “Possessed to Die” (from “Greater Than Death”, 2025)

22. Heaven’s Gate – “Hail Mary” (from “Tales from a Blistering Paradise”, 2025)

23. Warfield – “Appetitive Aggression” (from “With the Old Breed”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

24. Sexmag – “Smród palonych dusz” (from “Sexorcyzm”, 2025)

25. Phantom G.D.L. – “Dark Wings of Death” (from “Tyrants of Wrath”, 2025)

26. Tyrannosatan – “Astronomicon” (from “Babylons Skräck”, 2025)

27. Torturer – “Intro (Arachnophobia)” (from “Oppressed by the Force”, 1992) [Submitted by Sonny]

September 2025

1. Emperor - "Towards the Patheon" (from "In the Nightside Eclipse", 1994)

2. Hades - "An Oath Sworn in Bjorgvin" (from "...Again Shall Be", 1994) [submitted by Karl]

3. Nattverd - "Hvisk Deg Vekk" (from "Tidloes Naadesloes", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

4. Aara - "Todesbiwak" (from "Eiger", 2024) [submitted by Saxy]

5. Satyricon - "The Pentagram Burns" (from "Now, Diabolical", 2006)

6. Wode - "Celestial Dagger" (from "Servants of the Countercosmos", 2017) [submitted by Vinny]

7. Sühnopfer - D.S.F.R. (from "Nous sommes d'hier", 2023) [submitted by Karl]

8. Waidelotte - "Celestial Shrine" (from Celestial Shrine, 2024) [submitted by Andi]

9. Odium - "Towards the Forest Horizon" (from "The Sad Realm of the Stars", 1998) [submitted by Karl]

10. Vorna - "Maa martona makaa" (from "Sateet palata saavat", 2019)

11. Deafheaven - "Honeycomb" (from "Ordinary Corrupt Human Love", 2018) [submitted by Sonny]

12. Profane Order - "A Sombre Passage" (from "One Nightmare Unto Another", 2023)

13. Gorgoroth - "Maaneskyggens slave" (from "Pentagram", 1994) [submitted by Sonny]

14. Infernal War - "Crush the Tribe of Jesus Christ" (from "Terrorfront", 2005) [submitted by Karl]

15. The Great Sea - "The Maze" (from "Noble Art of Desolation", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

16. Primordial - "No Nation On This Earth" (from "To the Nameless Dead", 2007)

17. Sinmara - "Shattered Pillars" (from "Aphotic Womb", 2014) [submitted by Vinny]

18. Obtained Enslavement - "Soulblight" (from "Soulblight", 1998) [submitted by Karl]

19. Krallice - "Telluric Rings" (from "Diotima", 2011) [submitted by Sonny]

September 2025

1. Mizmor & Hell - Pandemonium's Throat (from "Alluvion", 2025) [submitted by dk1]

2. Marble Orchard - "A Life Not Worth Living" (from "Ruminations of Ruin", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

3. Caronte - "Sagittarius Supernovae" (from "Spiritus", 2025) [submitted by Sonny]

4. Bloodhorse - "Illumination" (from "A Malign Star", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

5. Thou – Floyd the Barber (from "Doused in Mud, Soaked in Bleach", 2016) [submitted by dk1]

6. Evoken - "Grim Eloquence" (from "Atra Mors", 2012) [submitted by Sonny]

7. Throne - "Tortura" (from "Ossarium", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

8. Yob – Prepare the Ground (from "Atma", 2011) [submitted by dk1]

9. Paradise Lost - "Silence Like the Grave" (from "Ascension" [preview], 2025) [submitted by Sonny]

10. Pentagram - "Lady Heroin" (from "Lightning in a Bottle", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

11. Alunah - "Awakening the Forest" (from ""Awakening the Forest", 2014) [submitted by Sonny]

12. Mantar - "Church of Suck" (from "Post Apocalyptic Depression", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

13. Black Sheep Wall – White Pig (from "I'm Going to Kill Myself", 2015) [submitted by dk1]

14. Hell - "Mortem" (from "Submersus", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

15. Mourning Dawn - "Blue Pain" (from "The Foam of Despair", 2024)

16. Monolord - "Cursing the One" (from "Vaenir", 2015)

17. Worm - "Murk Above the Dark Moor" (from "Foreverglade", 2021)

Yellow Magic Orchestra - "Yellow Magic Orchestra" (1979)

The 1979 sophomore release from Tokyo synthpop act Yellow Magic Orchestra is a complete remake of their self-titled debut from the previous year, this time being achieved with a greater level of clarity & crispness in the production. I hated the original if I'm being honest &, interestingly, I've found myself going a little against the grain by hating the remake even more. This shit is as cheesy as absolute fuck & I really struggle with the vast majority of the material with only the annoyingly catchy "La femme chinoise" managing to break through my defenses. I'm quite simply not the intended audience for these early YMO records & will be giving them a wide birth in future.

For fans of Kraftwerk, Isao Tomita & Yukihiro Takahashi.

1.5/5

As I've said before, I tend to like cheesy music when it's done right.  Back when I was first starting on music forums, I was a bit of a nut for Meat Loaf.  These are the kinds of guys that can rock Japanese electronic cheese like tuxedos IMO.  Honestly, I consider YMO one of the top synthpop acts, and this remix album is a part of the reason why.

Art Pepper - The Trip

Genres: Post-Bop

It appears that Art pepper isn't very popular on Jazz Music Archives. That feels a little awkward since I've seen some darn good praise for his works on other websites. This album in particular, The Trip, is part of what looks to be a comeback period after a ten-year hiatus from 1963 - 1973. But I've heard quite a few Art Pepper albums before this one, and I have to say, I'm not terribly impressed. Out of the seven I've heard, this is the second worst.

And why? Now the moods are alright, nothing that hasn't been done before but nothing that doesn't at least get to the back of your neck. But the real issue is that only half of the six tracks have any engaging melodies or sax solos, so it's only really enjoyable half the time. Three tracks are pretty boring, two are only pretty good, and the only track worth bobbing your head to is Sweet Love of Mine due to its slight Latin flair. So suffice it to say, even though some people seem to love this one, I really can't see myself going back to this anytime soon. It's got some finely-tuned aspects, but the melodies can get quite dull. 

67

New Hooded Menace due 03rd October.  Two tracks up for streaming are okay. Heavy PL vibe of course but digging the 90's death metal album cover more than the tracks if I am honest.

Jordan de la Sierra - "Gymnosphere: Song of the Rose - Music for the Well-Tuned Piano" (1977)

The first of two releases from this Californian new age producer, this one being a 103-minute double-album comprised of four lengthy yet stunningly beautiful ambient piano pieces. I simply adore music that can put me into the most tranquil headspace imaginable & "Gymnosphere" achieves this consistently across it's run time, particularly through the two middle tracks which are really quite incredible. In fact, this may be my favourite new age release ever based on the evidence of this week's listening experiences.

For fans of Yutaka Hirose, G.S. Schray & Kevin Braheny Fortune.

4.5/5

https://metalinjection.net/news/zoe-federoff-posts-her-contract-with-cradle-of-filth-details-how-little-she-was-paid

Wow! Not a great look for Dani Filth & management.

All that + a collaboration with Ed Sheeran = zero credibility.

Hi Ben, could you please add Australian doom/sludge outfit, KVLL to the site?  They have one album from 2020, Death//Sacrifice (and it's a fucking banger).

THE DALE COOPER QUARTET.  And as I predicted, not a single Dale Cooper.  Thanks for letting me know that exists; they're totally on my to-do list when I get around to dark jazz.

Aldaaron - "Par-delà les cimes" (2025)

I have a project list in my office for sub-genres I need to conduct a deep dive on. Pagan black metal is one item listed there as I have very little, formal knowledge of the sub-genre. When I come to a release that is tagged as “pagan” on the Metal Academy site I instantly think of folk metal, then I quickly remember that is a different thing. At least I think it is? Anyway, I won’t let the study of the tag take over the whole review, but if pagan black metal has more of what Aldaaron offer on Par-delà les cimes then I will be taking that deep dive sooner rather than later. The title of the album translates as “how pagan black metal differs to folk metal”. No, wait that’s wrong. “Beyond the Peaks” is the correct translation and the album is dedicated to their fallen comrade Thöl who covered bass duties in the band 2010-2012. Sadly, he passed away in 2022.

The album caught me off guard in two aspects if I am honest. Firstly, its potent aggression is vivid and striking from the off. The harrowing scream that starts album opener ‘Antediluvian Prophecies’ is an early taste of the venom of Aldaaron have coursing through their veins. The second item that was unexpected is how atmospheric and expansive the sound is here. Beyond those earthy tones there are soaring tremolos and majestic melodies that loop up into the air around them. Although the release has a thirty-six-minute duration, there are only four tracks here and with a couple of them stretching over the ten-minute mark it is important that the main duo of Ioldar and Voldr create some enchantment to these tracks. Thankfully they achieve this in bundles.

The choral passages are unobtrusive and befitting to the aesthetic of the album. Spaced well apart from the blackened material that drive the tracks in the main, these more ethereal sections are a clever contrast option. The charging tremolo of tracks such as ‘Chants d’hiver et de solitude’ are a joy to behold. Add into this mix, the thoughtful production job that allows each instrument some space to be heard. The vocals are superb throughout, with their ghastly edge creating atmospheres all of their own. The way you can pick out the bass on the final track, ‘Under the Icy Sky, Memories Fade Away’ is pleasing on the ear and the soaring lead work only adds to the allure of the track. A superb discovery, if not a little too short overall.

4/5

Ad Nauseam - "Live at Roadburn" [Italian avant-garde/dissonant death metal]

Onslaught - Killing Peace (2007)

I am a big fan of Onslaught's first two albums. Let's face it they were one of the very few thrash metal bands of any real consequence that hailed from the UK, so a bit of local bias came into play to endear them to me, even though those two albums are really good anyway. However, I have never listened to any of their post-reformation albums. Well, the intervening years between the 1991 split and 2004 reformation had seen the thrash world fall under the thrall of the groove gods, with the shadow cast by the likes of Pantera and Machine Head proving to be almost all-encompassing. In the 21st century it feels like the thrash world split into two distinct camps, the bands who embraced extremity and incorporated more death or black metal into their sound (let's call these the good ones) and those who sold their souls to the groove gods (for argument's sake we will call these the bad ones) in the hunt for increased record sales. Listening to "Killing Peace" it is obvious that Onslaught took the latter path, despite their earlier stuff suggesting they would be more likely to embrace the former. 

To be honest, after only a handful of tracks I had had enough of this, it's groove-oriented approach sounding far too much like a knock-off Machine Head for me to stomach it for long. I stuck it out until the end as I was out dog-walking and it was easier to keep listening than change it. However, come album's end I had the horrible empty feeling in the stomach that I get when I realise a band I once really dug has sold out and is nothing more than a trend-following shell of its former glory. In fairness only two of the guys who recorded "Power From Hell" were present on "Killing Peace", drummer Steve Grice and lead guitarist Nige Rockett who had even relegated himself to rhythm guitar in the new band, but even so, the latter album sounds like it was conceived and recorded by a completely different band, possibly one from a different dimension such is the lack of connection I make to it. For me, this is akin to the chasm in quality between St Anger and Master of Puppets.

On the plus side the production is super clean, as you would expect from an album recorded this century and there are a couple of quite gnarly solos, with opener "Burn" being a case in point. Steve Grice's drumming is very good too and is one of the only reasons to listen to this more than once, which I am doing right now, so dedicated am I to delivering a considered opinion! The lead vocals are pretty horrible though ("Destroyer of Worlds" is just painful), the gang backing vocals are even worse and those bouncy, groove-oriented riffs are anathema to all I hold dear. Add in yet another overused "I am become death" Oppenheimer sample and I have just about had it with this.

I originally had this pegged as a 2.5, but further listening has hardened my opinion agaginst it and I can't bring myself to go higher than a 2.0. I will definitely stick with Onslaught's 80s stuff and file their reform albums in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet in the shed at the bottomof the garden marked "Do Not Listen - Ever".