Saxy S's Forum Replies
Deep Purple In Rock as a whole is proto-metal. It has elements that would become synonymous with heavy metal, but I feel like the jam nature of it is much closer to standard blues rock than anything metal. "Hard Lovin' Man" has a galloping triplet groove, which is close to metal ("The Trooper", "Raining Blood", etc.), but Heart's "Barracuda" uses it too; it isn't exclusive.
Black Sabbath are heavy metal. They are the first heavy metal band, and the more through composed structure of tracks such as "Paranoid" and "War Pigs" makes it sound a lot closer to heavy metal than Deep Purple In Rock, even though sonically, it's probably less "heavy" than Deep Purple.
Taken at surface level, The Dance of the Four Elemental Spirits feels like the prototypical blackened thrash metal album. The thrashy instrumentals are prominent and almost annoyingly simple, while the shrill vocal timbre and the overall very loose, reverb-y production is a callback to the kind of satanic worship trope that is abundant throughout the early black metal of the 1990s. The record does have some nice riffage and motifs ("Nocturnal Trudge" and "Violent, Bloody & Cold" in particular), but the records simplicity is also to its determent as well since songs on their own have no distinguishing moments other than the instrumental closer. Everything sounds pretty basic and frankly, uninspired from "Goddess Death" and beyond. It is not a bad record by any stretch; the locale and the sheer number of high quality thrash bands coming out of Chile prevent that from happening, but even by those standards, this record is kind of average.
3/5
Not a fan of this to be quite frank. There are some decent moments throughout Fatalism, but they come few and far between. The bands more alternative metal and quasi post-metal tunes are a nice touch around the very standard, unoriginal metalcore breakdowns. Songs like "Harbinger" and "Aftertouch" feel like an advancement of a predictable sound and I wish the rest of the record did the same. The untimely passing of Polaris' guitarist, Ryan Siew does not actually make a large impact in this albums release as it was basically complete and ready to ship out the door before the sad news. I'm sure for the band themselves, Fatalism is a heartfelt goodbye to a great friend, but all I hear is a mostly unoriginal metalcore album.
2.5/5
October 2023
1. Fiends – Rented Mental (2023)
2. Annisokay – Calamity (2023)
3. Beartooth – Doubt Me (2023)
4. Breaking Benjamin – Hollow (2015)
5. Five Finger Death Punch – The Agony of Regret (2013)
6. In This Moment – Black Wedding (2017)
7. Mushroomhead – Qwerty (2014)
8. Soilwork – Övergivenheten (2022)
9. Spiritbox – Circle With Me (2021)
10. Static-X – New Pain (2003)
11. New Years Day – Epidemic (2015)
12. Black Veil Brides – Devil’s Choir (2013)
13. Therapy ? – Trigger Inside (1994)
14. Twelve Foot Ninja – Endless (2008)
15. Sôber – Superbia (2011)
16. The World Alive – Trapped (2016)
17. From Ashes to New – Forgotten (2018)
18. OSI – The Escape Artist (2009)
19. Hebosagil – Ääniä yössä (2022)
20. Mudvayne – Happy? (2005)
21. Fudge Tunnel – Backed Down (1994)
22. Thousand Foot Krutch – Untraveled Road (2014)
23. Overhead – Lost Inside Pt. 2 (2012)
24. Sugar Ray – Speed Home California (1997)
October 2023
1. Ayreon – Collision (2013)
2. Meshuggah – Sane (1998)
3. Sikth – Days Are Dreamed (2015)
4. The Ocean – Isla Del Sol (2004)
5. Voivod – Golem (1991)
6. Cyborg Octopus – Hindsight (2022)
7. Symphony X – The Turning (2002)
8. TesseracT – Legion (2023)
9. Unprocessed – Thrash (2023)
10. Traverser – Eyes To Silent Walls (2010)
11. Obsidian Tide – Clandestine Calamities (2023)
12. Night Verses – 8 Gates of Pleasure (2023)
13. Slice the Cake – Unending Waltz (Remaster) (2023)
14. Gorod – Transcnedence (2011)
15. Aviations – Coma (2023)
16. Dvne – Satuya (2021)
17. Avenged Sevenfold – Fermi Paradox (2016)
18. Subsignal – The Art of Giving In (2023)
19. DGM – Unravel the Sorrow (2023)
While Narrow Head don't really reinvent in any meaningful way on Moments of Clarity, I cannot deny that I still quite enjoy the newest output. Something about it major harmonies and more jolly melodic songwriting is a welcome change of pace when I've been trapped in an extreme metal deep dive, or the forgettable quagmire of modern metalcore. Even in comparison to Deftones, the bands most obvious influence, they do not continue in a loathsome, haze infused way, unlike a band such as Loathe or early Teenage Wrist.
I did enjoy this; it was a rather pleasant change of pace, which makes it stand out amongst its more metal contemporaries. Having allowed this record to sit with me for a little while however, I do feel like my initial reaction was swayed by novelty. The record does meander a bit too much and it can turn into a slog if you listen to the whole thing. But with this being post-metal/shoegaze, I don't think it's the biggest deal breaker.
3.5/5
I understand the trepidation upon hearing another album from the 20 Buck Spin record label. But I still cannot deny that the record is performed with quality. I just wish that it could have been more interesting as a whole:
20 Buck Spin has become a record label that I tend to explore with mild trepidation. While I cannot deny that they consistently distribute solid modern metal bands with an old school approach, much of it has started to become stale. Many of the labels death metal records have very similar tropes to them that cannot be overlooked and it does make much of their recent output a lot less interesting than if I was listening to it for the first time. Case in point, VoidCeremony. While much further towards the technical side of death metal than a band like Tomb Mold, something about the production of the record cannot help but make some very clear parallels.
Perhaps it comes through in the compositions, which are typically well done, but also rely heavily on played out death metal tropes; such as guitar pinch harmonics, whiplash tempo/style changes and Cookie Monster vocals. These are not necessarily bad on their own, but when put together, they give Threads of Unknowing a sense of comfort and familiarity that I don't think VoidCeremony would want. The album does have a heavy emphasis on bass leads instead of simply doubling the guitar riffs, which I certainly approve of. If there is anything that will make this album stand out in comparison to its label companions, it will be this. Having a technical death metal band such as VoidCeremony incorporate Ne Obliviscaris type polyphony into their music is a welcome treat. The closing track is also quite interesting as well. Even though it does suffer a bit from tempo/style whiplash, VoidCeremony have done a good job of creating a progressive metal epic that stays the course feels like a completed idea instead of a fragmented piecemeal.
Of course these bass lines would not as focal to the album as it is if the production was lousy. And while the guitars do have some great chunk to them, they never feel overpowering. In fact, I would say that the main guitar riffing is almost secondary to the bass lines. The band does find room to fit in a couple of blistering guitar solos throughout the album as well and they do a great job of peaking a listeners interest by having that drastic change in timbre without losing any of the song/album momentum. The vocals are... well they are very gargled and take a lot of pointers from Tomb Mold and Tzompantli in that regard. These vocals just do not interest me and are the aspect that I think most casual listeners will pick up directly as a "20 Buck Spin trope".
Threads of Unknowing is not a bad record, but I think it could have been more than what its trying to be. In the vein of progressive death metal, VoidCeremony have chops and decent influences to draw from, but in terms of its execution, it lacks character. This is by no fault of their own in my opinion, but perhaps VoidCeremony would benefit from digging into their progressive influence more; I could see this band taking a solid page out of In Mourning's playbook and do something really special. For now, keep this band on your radar if you like any style of progressive death metal.
3.5/5
September REVIEW DRAFT (The Infinite)
I've found a new batch of records to try out and anyone who wants to help me clear out this batch is more than welcome. I'll select first, followed by Rexorcist, Xephyr and then possible Andi.
1.El Altar del Holocausto - - I T - (2019)
2.Fractal Universe - Rhizomes of Insanity (2019)
4. Oxiplegatz - Sidereal Journey (1998)
5. Sun Caged - The Lotus Effect (2011)
This might be the best review draft yet considering I haven't heard a single one of these names before! My selection will be... Sidereal Journey by Oxiplegatz.
Rex, you're up!
September 2023
1. Jane’s Addiction – Mountain Song
2. Northlane -Freefall
3. Asking Alexandria – Bad Blood
4. Sevendust – Won’t Stop the Bleeding
5. System of a Down – P.L.U.C.K.
6. Beartooth- Might Lose Myself
7. End of Green – Dark Side of the Sun
8. Celldweller – Own Little World
9. Smallman – A Drop
10. Grim Salvo – Feasting.On.The.Guts.Of.Angels
11. Disturbed – The Best Ones Lie
12. Alice in Chains – Stone
13. Five Finger Death Punch – Coming Down
14. Fleshwater – The Razor’s Apple
15. Infected Rain – Everlasting Lethargy
16. In This Moment – The Great Divide
17. The Clay People – Awake
18. Lacuna Coil – Aeon XX
19. New Years Day – Relentless
20. Clawfinger – Out to Get Me
21. Alexisonfire – Reverse the Curse
22. BABYMETAL – Monochrome
23. Life Of Agony – My Mind Is Dangerous
September 2023
1. Whitechapel – Single File to Dehumanization (2010)
2. Botch – Frequency Ass Bandit (1999)
3. The Dillinger Escape Plan – Symptom of Terminal Illness (2016)
4. Any Given Day – Endurance (2016)
5. Typecaste – Traverse (2020)
6. As I Lay Dying – Blinded (2019)
7. Fit For A King – Hollow King (Sound of the End) (2013)
8. Electric Callboy – Best Day (2015)
9. The World Is Quiet Here – Ossuary (2023)
10. blessthefall – The Reign (2011)
11. Emmure – A Gift A Curse (2014)
12. iwresledabearonce – Green Eyes (2015)
13. Northlane – Corruption (2011)
14. MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE – Headshot! (2008)
15. The World Alive – Your Mirage (2014)
16. Animations – My Private Ghetto (2013)
17. The Eyes Of A Traitor – The Birth (2010)
18. Unbroken – Zero Hour (1993)
19. A Black Rose Burial – A Baleful Aura in the Graveyard of Broken Gears (2020)
20. ERRA – Vanish Canvas (2021)
21. The Agonist – Blood as My Guide (2019)
September 2023
1. Vildhjarta – + den spanska känslan + (2023)
2. Nuclear Power Trio – Anti-Saxxers (Mandatory Saxination) (2023)
3. The Advent Equation – A Sudden Perception (2023)
4. Ashbreather – Hivemind III (2022)
5. Psychonaut – Violate Consensus Reality (2022)
6. Ostraca – Heaven is Still (2023)
7. Dodheimsgard – Det tome kalde morke (2023)
8. Evergrey – Closure (2006)
9. Pestilence – Soul Search (1993)
10. Sikth – Cracks of Light (2017)
11. The Ocean – Permian: The Great Dying (2018)
12. Pain of Salvation – A Trace of Blood (2002)
13. TesseracT – The Grey (2023)
14. You Win Again Gravity – Paper Bodies (2023)
15. Aviations – Pure (2023)
16. The Anchoret – A Dead Man (2023)
17. Lucid Awakening – Aphelion (2021)
18. An Abstract Illusion – Slaves (2022)
19. Mastodon – Gigantium (2021)
20. Intronaut – Fast Worms (2015)
21. Haken ft. Courtney Swain – Canary Yellow (2023)
22. maudlin of the Well – Interlude 3 (2001)
23. Erra – Pale Iris (2023)
24. Cyborg Octopus – Old Stories (2022)
25. Vola – Paper Wolf (2023)
I have a confession to make: I don't really like the sound of straightforward black metal. I find it to be too much about texture or filthy production instead of creating something memorable. It takes the one thing that hardcore punk had going for it and left it as a hollow shell of noise. When I returned to the earliest black metal of Darkthrone and Mayhem only a few years ago, I felt underwhelmed. That feeling is likely cause of my limited knowledge of the genre and finding a comfort in the post-metal and atmospheric sides of black metal that sprouted during the mid 2000s.
Unlike Mayhem, Darkthrone took a different approach into the 2010s, and have gotten better as a result. The black metal that was once the central piece that made them iconic in extreme metal, has now become window dressing surrounding a doom-y brand of old school heavy metal. And props to Nocturno and company for still being able to create a chilling atmosphere, even under very different parameters.
This record is a lot more riff heavy than you'd expect thanks in large part to tracks like "Eon 2" and "Impeccable Caverns of Satan" and they help to keep this album on a forward motion in addition to a sense of conclusiveness...well, to a point. I must criticize the albums first two tracks, including "Impeccable Caverns of Satan" for having fade out endings this early into the album; they sound unusual and left me with a crippling feeling that Darkthrone would simply replace one dose of indecisiveness with another. Thankfully the album does get better, including the ten minute centerpiece "The Sea Beneath the Sea of the Sea".
The album is much cleaner and better produced than Old Star, and so I was happy right out of the starting grid and so I felt that any kind of wacky genre bending that Darkthrone performed on Astral Fortress may have been forgiven. And for the most part, you'd be right. I still don't find this as enjoyable as The Underground Resistance, but that record had even less to do with black metal than this one! I still enjoy this album and would likely listen to this again.
3.5/5
This is certainly one of the strangest combinations of heavy metal meets jazz fusion that I've heard in a while. The heavy use of brass as a primary instrument brought me initially to a heavier version of Thank You Scientist, but as the album progressed, the timbre stuck less as an influence and more the compositions that felt closer to Imperial Triumphant and Focus-era Cynic. The record contains lots of dissonance and quick modulation keeping the listener on their toes as the record refuses to become boring.
That said, I wish I could like this as much as an Imperial Triumphant record. I think it's the mixing, but this style of really muddy and unfocused production does not fascinate me. Some of these tracks sound like they were initial demo recordings and is being recorded by one of those portable Zoom microphones; the quality is still superior to that of using your shitty phone microphone, but it loses the intricate details. And, since the record seems to do away with anything resembling a hook or motif, it's hard for me to hear this album as anything but noise. Perhaps a mix closer to that of Imperial Triumphant will help, but for now, this isn't doing it for me. Props to the band for trying something different, but it needs work.
5/10
I finally got around to listening to this album and it was interesting to hear where Northlane came from before they went full into alternative metal. The metalcore roots are still on display with Alien but they do not take as much from everywhere, which was commonplace in earlier Northlane records and other metalcore albums in general. Alien is far heavier than its later project, but the vocal stylings are more diverse and interesting thanks in part to a greater emphasis on harsh vocals and djent-y breakdowns. The album sure is mixed well and has more than enough solid moments to keep it above average, but knowing what we do now, its clear to see how transitory Alien was. As a result, some of the experimentation (especially on tracks like "Rift") don't hit at all and pull the album down as a result. Still, its a fine release and a clever one by a band who knew what they want to do and have carried on with refinement, much to the dismay of older Northlane/metalcore fans.
7/10
Terra Tenebrosa - V.I.T.R.I.O.L. - Purging the Tunnels (2014)
Do not be fooled by the strange looking character on the cover wearing what looks like a military garb; this is not an industrial metal album. V.I.T.R.I.O.L. - Purging the Tunnels is an atmospheric sludge metal album with it fair share of obtuse songwriting decisions that lead it towards the avant-garde. The warbling vocal filter is fascinating, but not overwhelming when you consider the instrumental atmosphere on display. The nearly five minute ambient interlude during "Draining the Well" is kind of disturbing as shrieks of agony are felt wavering in the distance. And the monophonic strings that become progressively louder and more irritating and the final act of the first song reaches a conclusion. However, I did find those strings to not be the best choice, since they sound comically synthetic and mostly distracting as the song drones to a conclusion.
You'd think that after eighteen minutes that Terra Tenebrosa would be out of things to do on this record, but just for fun, there is another track here; "Apokatastasis". And I really enjoyed it. It's definitely a more straightforward piece of sludgy post-metal, but I really dug how the songs slow burn becomes so much more, even if the fundamental leans heavily into the minimalist technique with its hypnotic main guitar riff.
Avant-garde is really a tag that I think a lot of people explore with extreme trepidation. Perhaps that's why this Terra Tenebrosa EP was such a delight. While it can be unsettling at times, it never feels like the obtuseness of the compositions are taking over and rather play compliments to the atmosphere. And the secondary track is a nice piece of drone/minimalism that still feels like a fully developed piece of music. Quite the surprise from me, but if you like Rosetta or even the recent output of the Ruins of Beverast, give this EP a chance.
4/5
I'm taking Terra Tenebrosa's album. Rex is next!
WE ARE BACK!
You didn't think that I forgot about the review draft did you? Well it's back and ready to rumble. Since Andi is away for a couple months because of school & work, it looks like it'll just be me and Xephyr participating for the time being, but we are always open to adding new users to the fray if you so choose. Anyways, here are the albums that the shredder selected for the month:
1. 6:33 - The Stench From the Swelling (2013)
2. Fall of Efrafa - Owsla (2006)
3. Terra Tenebrosa - V.I.T.R.I.O.L. - Purging the Tunnels (2014)
4. Radiation 4 - Wonderland (2003)
Xephyr, if you would like to make the first choice, then I'll follow
August 2023
1. All That Remains – Not Alone
2. Amaranthe – Countdown
3. Suicide Silence – Witness the Addiction
4. Electric Callboy – Everytime We Touch
5. Emmure – Looking A Gift Horse In The Mouth
6. Iris Official – I’m the Animal
7. Killswitch Engage – The Signal Fire
8. Trivium – Brave This Storm
9. All Shall Perish – Awaken the Dreamers
10. Whitechapel – When a Demon Defiles a Witch
11. As I Lay Dying – Parallels
12. Fit For A King – Anthem of the Defeated
13. Adept – Shark! Shark! Shark!
14. To The Grave – Red Dot Sight
15. Fit For An Autopsy – Iron Moon
16. Imminence – Jaded
17. Unearth – Mother Betrayal
18. Like Moth To Flame – Real Talk
19. Hatebreed – Weight of the False Self
20. Within Destruction – Plage of Immortality (feat. Dean Lamb)
21. After The Burial – To Carry You Away
22. Sea Of Treachery – Unleash The Serpents
August 2023
1. Arcturus – La masquerade infernale
2. Dødheimsgard – It Does Not Follow
3. Evergrey – Recreation Day
4. Sólstafir – Svatir Sandar
5. The Ocean – Subboreal
6. Rosetta – In & Yo / Dualities of the Way
7. While Heaven Wept – Icarus and I / Ardor
8. Symphony X – Pharoh
9. Between The Buried And Me – Voice Of Trespass
10. Dawn of Destiny – My Life Lies in Ruins
11. Holy Fawn – Drag Me into the Woods
12. Scar Symmetry – Reichsfall
13. Soen – Lucidity
14. Disperse – Message from Atlantis
15. Ebony Ark – True Friendship Never Die
16. Amogh Symphony – Decoded Karnosiris
August 2023
1. Asking Alexandria – Psycho
2. Breaking Benjamin – Never Again
3. Five Finger Death Punch – Mama Said Knock You Out
4. I Prevail – Paranoid
5. In This Moment – Rise With Me
6. Lacuna Coil – Never Dawn
7. Parkway Drive – Wishing Wells
8. POYNTE – In My Head
9. Rage Against The Machine – Down Rodeo
10. Dope – Dirty World
11. Sleep Token – Chokehold
12. Yakui The Maid – Nereid
13. Mudvayne – World so Cold
14. God Lives Underwater - No More Love
15. BABYMETAL – Onedari Daisakusen
16. TOOL – The Pot
17. Giraffe Tongue Orchestra – Back to the Light
18. Naïve – Mother Russia
19. Destiny Potato – Take a Picture
20. For The Fallen Dreams – No Heaven
21. Chevelle – Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)
I seem to be one of the only ones who were familiar with the name Xibalba before checking out this debut full length record from Tzompantli. I heard 2020's Años en infierno by sheer accident and enjoyed the record enough, since for a death doom record, the album decided to focus most of its time on the "death" portion of that hybrid; a sound that I was not as familiar with as the "doom" focused hybrids.
And that also seems to be the case with Tlazcaltiliztli. "Tlatzintilli" begins with a heavy percussive element while the guitar plays a slowed down rhythmic motif. It's certainly an unfamiliar sound in the doom or death metal spheres and left me interested to hear where the band could go from there. Unfortunately, the record kind of finds its groove around "Eltequi" and does not attempt these sorts of hybrid sounds again; instead keeping the death and doom parts isolated. That's because the second half of the album spends a lot more time focused on the Indigenous timbres, which all told, isn't very much. But as I have said with many extreme albums in the past that add objectively softer passages (such as a string/orchestra section), their contributions always feel subdued to the loud guitars, percussion and vocals.
On this record though, these limited elements are fascinating and rarely interfere with the straight up metal passages so as to not overburden the listener. It also keeps them fresh when they return. As for the straight up metal passages, even though I mentioned how stale it can get later on with the death and doom sections kept apart, I cannot deny that some of these riffs are filthy; mostly on the tracks "Tlatzintilli", the title track, "Ohtlatocopailcahualuztli" and the closer "Yaotiacahuanetzli". If you're looking for a death-doom album with heavy emphasis on the "death" as opposed to the much more popular "doom" stylings of My Dying Bride or Swallow the Sun, this record can scratch some real itches.
3.5/5
When I think back on my brief time with deathcore during the late 2000s/early 2010s and the parade of endless, disposable acts that arrived during the Warped Tour era, Whitechapel were the only band that I actually appreciated and still occasionally enjoy to this day. This is inevitably, the bands use of breakdowns and having them be an integral part of the piece instead of as an isolated fragment (usually).
And so we have this months feature release, A New Era of Corruption, a slept on album by the band; sandwiched in between two of the bands better and more popular records, This is Exile and the self-titled record from 2012. And while the record does not really live up to the same highs as those other records do, I cannot deny that A New Era of Corruption is still a decent piece of formulative deathcore. It also happens to feature one of my personal favourite Whitechapel songs with "Breeding Violence" so that helps it right out of the gate. Tunes are kept together with a decent flow and everything sounds like it belongs together. So many groups think that breakdowns are more impactful the slower and more downtuned they get, but Whitechapel's approach is to take the original idea and permutate it into something that does not require blast beats. And many of the breakdowns still incorporate Phil Bozeman's vocals, giving them even more unity.
It isn't all perfect though; some tracks still rely on sudden tempo/style changes for their breakdowns and they feel disjointed. And just like when the album came out in 2010, I've never really liked the timbre of the guitars on this record. They sound very muddy, which does not flow well with almost black metal textures that sometimes appear like on "Unnerving". And speaking of which, the synths/strings on that track sound horrendous.
I don't mind this album, but it certainly sounds like a throwaway album upon further listens and the benefit of hindsight.
3/5
So... a full length album review for this might take some time.
This is one of the most amazing debut records I've ever heard! When I featured Ne Obliviscaris' debut many months ago, I said much the same thing, but without much of a real comparison point to latch onto. I said "imagine 2000's era Opeth but heavier". Well Tómarúm is like Ne Obliviscaris on crack. They both share an unfathomable level of maturity for a debut and it never feels like the intensity of the instrumentals is taking away from the storytelling or the melodic songwriting. The production can feel a little bit bloated at times, but for this style of black metal that teeters on the fringes of extreme, I'm almost inclined to think it was a musical decision to make it, ironically, feel more raw and brutal.
When I think of the kind of extreme metal that really gets my attention in the modern age, it's records like Ash In Realms Of Stone Icons that come to mind. Not only are they very well composed and performed, but they also have the audience in mind when it comes to instant memorability and catchiness. The progressive nature of the record means that this record has plenty of room for technical wankery which, once again, does not feel like it is intrusive on the albums main ideas and themes. It's still early, but I think that Ash In Realms Of Stone Icons is the first documented 5/5 from me since joining Metal Academy. It's a light 5 for now, but we'll see where we are in a few weeks.
5/5
I'm glad I was able to recommend this album for the feature release, even though I already know that this is a seriously contentious album through its first couple of months in existence. There are a lot of people saying that this album is too basic for heavy metal standards, while simultaneously berating Take Me Back To Eden for it's frankly generic pop soundscape. There is very little that I can disagree with either of those statements, but I also think that the magic of this record occurs when those two elements are mixed together.
By enlarge, Take Me Back To Eden is a progressive metal album first with its elongated song structures, so I can imagine why someone who approaches this from the position of recent Bring Me The Horizon output, they will feel left out. The record certainly contains a lot more character than your generic Imagine Dragons clone, which is why I continue to hold it in much higher regard than many online critics. I can see faults in the armor and I think part of that is just because this hybrid of sounds is so new that they still need to be worked out from the core. But I highly recommend Take Me Back To Eden as an experimental rock/pop hybrid project just to see where everyone lies in this paradise.
3.5/5
This is the 2nd blackened thrash album featured this year that was released last year (Autonoesis being the other) and to be honest, I was impressed by this. It took quite a few listens before I could finally “get” it, but once I did, I found myself returning to this record a lot more than anyone might have expected.
I think what makes this record stand out is its motivic development. Well, perhaps that’s an overstatement, but these tracks are connected beautifully with strong ideas that are repeated enough to remind the listener how they got to this destination. Now that could be the guitar riffing, a specific percussion motif, or vocal inflection; I never felt like I was getting lost in the music that I was hearing. It also helped how the thrash/black metal passages are not interwoven together, rather they are kept separated, allowing for Nocturnal Graves to follow that songwriting high I spoke of earlier without having to do very much to the compositions at all!
Sparse guitar solos and a dramatic slow down of pace on “No Mercy for Weakness” hit me like a brick when they appeared and created a real sense of tension and release. My two biggest issues however are that while the compositions are robust on their own, they start to lose grandeur when every track uses the same formula. In addition, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the death metal instrumental interludes that connect vocal motifs to one another. I would have expected more traditional thrash riffage in those sections and especially something with a little bit more melody, instead of the low string tremolo that we got. But overall, this was not bad. A nice brisk runtime with some solid ideas makes for a more than refreshing take on blackened thrash.
3.5/5
Post-Metal and Black Metal can work together, but a lot of the times, the drastic differences in tempo, aggression and flow screw up whatever connection might have existed. And through the first half of Black Medium Current, I felt much the same way. The opener “Et smelter”, felt like a mishmash of ideas arbitrarily taped together and told to “give it your all kid!” And for a track that exceeds ten minutes, I was less than impressed for what would come next.
But much of the rest of the album feels a little bit better. Once I discovered that Dødheimsgard was associated with Ved Buens Ende… it began to click for me. The atonality of the album is not at the forefront and gives the post-metal sections an extra wrinkle. Compositions can be hit-or-miss, and the black metal passages are, like with Ved Buens Ende… the most lacking part of the project. Kind of odd considering Dødheimsgard’s first albums are closer to traditional black metal, but whatever.
The electronic elements are just another element to separate this from the plethora of same-y sounding progressive/post metal bands. The band has toyed with industrial elements in the past so this is nothing out of the ordinary. Overall, I really enjoy this record; it teeters on greatness, but that might be my leniency towards experimental music that’s willing to take more risks. This certainly does that, but I’m not if it resonates as much as I want it to.
4/5
Darkmoon Blade are creating a nostalgic style of heavy metal that leans close to the first wave of black metal circa the early 1980s. I always enjoy a band like this and Negative Plane who aren’t afraid to go back and not simply copy the giants of the early 1990s and black metal’s golden years.
There are riffs here closer to Motorhead, Judas Priest and Diamond Head, but for vocals, only Lemmy of Motorhead might have a close comparison. Velda’s timbre is almost comedically rough, like they perpetually have a huge clump of phlegm in the back of their throat. I found it to be distracting, especially since the instrumentals are so clean and proper; something you don’t typically expect out of a quasi-black metal album such as this.
Darkmoon Blade does get some points for their compositions, but I do share some trepidation when I see “Unborn Again” and “My Darling In The Fire” as being longer tracks with songwriting techniques taken from progressive music. Overall, it’s a decent album with enough techniques keeping it fresh, but those vocals don’t do it for me, and either the band needs to tighten up their progressive songwriting, or altogether simplify, to be more of my cup of tea.
3/5
Irreversible - Irreversible (2015)
This was not a record that should have caught my attention as much as it did, but to keep it brief, I did not like this album. Part of my disappointment for this record comes from the sheer lack of any innovation in the post-metal genre. This record has nothing unique to say and would rather just copy the notes of Rosetta on The Galilean Satellites or earlier The Ocean album's like Precambrian. I feel like I have been incredibly lucky when it comes to post-metal in recent years; whether through my normal progressive metal circles or right here at Metal Academy at finding premium content. There is a reason why Irreversible never floated to the top, and likely why I won't hear from them again.
2.5/5
I came into this record with no knowledge of Klone as a band either. I had just finished listening to the new Katatonia record Sky Void of Stars from earlier in the year and found it rather disappointing overall. Meanwhile, conversely, does not really seem like a record that is doing a whole lot different than a recent Katatonia album, but has its fair share of subtle deviances that snowball on one another to stand out amongst the influences. I, like Sonny, do feel like the album does get a little bit too comfortable at the halfway point, and Klone do not really seem super invested on developing their story beyond what has already been established on the first two songs. But the progressive tendencies are well executed, once again, the Katatonia influence is here in droves, but it doesn't sound like "another Katatonia album" and it features some excellent production, especially in the guitar leads.
4/5
Hmm...
The first black metal album that I got to listen to in 2023 is this one from a one man Chinese project called Hoplites [Ὁπλίτης]. Although to call this a black metal record might be a little deceiving. This record certainly has plenty of titanic open chordal progressions in the main guitar, but on more than a few occasions, the record transforms into these chugging riffs that would not sound out of place on a record by Vektor or Revocation. And while it certainly is not my cup of tea, I must commend Ὁπλίτης for keeping my attention locked into the album for the full runtime as I never felt like I knew where these tracks were going. The lack of a distinct tonal center allows the performer to not fall into any trends through the compositions.
That being said, it will make it difficult for someone to appreciate these songs as they feel very wishy-washy with the emotion that they try to evoke. At one second you can be carried away by the sweet black metal guitars, blast beat percussion and vocal howls, then without warning, you're pulled down into the depths with chugging guitar riffs and devilish gutturals. And then Ὁπλίτης will even throw in a metalcore style breakdown just for fun, as if metalcore kids will ever find enjoyment out of a record such as this! But I will admit, hearing Ὁπλίτης transition out of track 7 into track 8 while using the same fundamental groove from the breakdown to create something completely original was impressive. Overall, this is a record that has chops, but chops don't do it for me anymore. An extreme metal band has to use those chops in new and exciting ways to impress me not just as musicians, but as songwriters as well. And even though Ὁπλίτης are new and exciting, they still haven't figured out the songwriting part yet.
5/10
May 2023
We are back with a new month and a new swathe of records to explore. I do not know what Xephyr's situation is at the moment so I'm thinking that:
1. Saxy S
2. Andi
3. Xephyr (?)
will be the order of selection for the draft this month. So here are the albums to choose from:
3. Irreversible - Irreversible (2015)
4. Painted in Exile - The Ordeal (2016)
Since I have the first selection for the month, I'm going to choose the self titled, Irreversible album. Andi is up next so whaddya want?
May 2023
1. Veil of Maya – Mother Pt. 4 (2023) (8)
2. NevBorn – Nemea (2023) (2)
3. Angel Vivaldi ft. Nova Gina – Nine (2023) (5)
4. Cynic – Veil of Maya (2023) (25)
5. Between the Buried and Me – Bad Habits (2021) (18)
6. Car Bomb – Antipatterns (2019) (10)
7. Slice the Cake – Westward Bound, Pt. 1 – The Lantern (2023) (25)
8. Amorphis – Northwards (2022)
9. Enslaved – Nauthir Bleeding (2015)
10. Green Carnation – Crushed to Dust (2003)
11. Stone Healer – In the Spoke of Night (2021)
12. The Ocean – Swallowed by the Earth (2010)
13. Julie Christmas – Not Enough (16) (2023)
14. AVKRVST – The Pale Moon (7) (2023)
15. Mandroid Echostar – Citadels (11) (2013)
16. Andromida – Into The Fire (2022) (10)
17. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum – Bring Back the Apocalypse (2004) (11)
18. White Walls – Starfish Crown (2020) (9)
19. Parius – Dimension Y (2022) (34)
May 2023
1. Soundgarden – Loud Love (1989)
2. Spiritbox – The Void (2023)
3. Loathe – New Faces in the Dark (2020)
4. Avatar – Hail the Apocalypse (2014)
5. Tremonti – If Not For You (2021)
6. Days of Jupiter - Ashes (2015)
7. Alpha Wolf – Bleed 4 You (2020)
8. Haji’s Kitchen – Twenty Twelve (2012)
9. Disturbed – The Curse (2008)
10. HELLYEAH – Welcome Home (2019)
11. Sleep Token – DYWTYLM (2023)
12. Five Finger Death Punch – Cold (2013)
13. Linkin Park – Crawling (2000)
14. Tallah – The Impressionist (2022)
15. I Prevail – RISE (2016)
16. Nonpoint – Rabia (2004)
17. Lacuna Coil – Hostage to the Light (2014)
18. Sevendust – Angel’s Son (2001)
19. Parkways Drive – Prey (2018)
20. Smallman & Ivan Shopov – Rhodopes (2016)
21. The World Alive – New Reality (2023)
22. Breed 77 – Insects (2009)
I went with the only artist whose name I recognized from the list: Iapetus - The Long Road Home. I was tempted to explore that Vomitron album and I still might, but for now, here's my review of Iapetus:
Sometimes a bands expectations precede them. There is a certain point when a new act is getting ready to break out and present the world with a new fresh new sound, only to see the names of album collaborators and then formulate relatively predicable expectations. That was the case with Iapetus, a New York prog-death band and their 2019 album The Body Cosmic. As soon as I saw the credits featuring the drummer of Ne Obliviscaris, any sense of wonder was squashed. The album was still good, but minus a few surface level changes, this really was not anything revolutionary in either progressive music, or melodic death metal.
And so, as part of the Review Draft, I had the chance to listen to the bands 2017 debut. And it was pretty rough as a whole. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the compositions on display here and how they split the difference between the post-metal soaring of Ne Obliviscaris, combined with a melodic death metal sound that is indebted to Insomnium. The performances are very impressive, but not super technical to whip me out of its very comfortable groove and flow. Overall, The Long Road Home is a very loud album with very few calming sections, and the few that we get are relatively short.
The album has a number of extended song structures, so it would be fascinating to hear how Iapetus are able to make these tunes work as part of a whole. Well the record is actually quite impressive in that regard. Like Ne Obliviscaris, songs have a sense of momentum and direction that is quickly changing, and sometimes it can result in some very strange style changes. But songs like "My Father, My God" know where they are going and how to say everything that needs to be said, while still making it sound like a coherent idea. "Lachrymae Rerum" meanwhile, does not get the album off on the right foot after the first two instrumental tracks, which are fine I guess, but I feel like they serve more of a textural purpose than a melodic one.
Given the influence, it should come as no surprise that this record dabbles in fantastical themes and environmentalism. As such, this can be a long album if you are not prepared for it. Considering how much it sounds like Insomnium melo-death instead of Ne Oblivscaris melo-black might also play into its length being a determent. "Eviscerate Divine" and "The Long Road Home" do not make for the epic conclusion that Iapetus were expecting, since both songs have very similar instrumental ideas and together take up nearly half of the albums runtime. Perhaps only one of them would have made this albums conclusion sit more comfortably, but here we are. In the end, I think Iapetus' biggest problem is that they have lots of good things going for them, but they try too hard to play into the "ten minute epic" school of progressive songwriting that it hurts them more than it doesn't. The Long Road Home is an album worth exploring, but you'll likely find yourself appreciating the destination more than the journey.
3/5
You know what? You're right Daniel. I don't know why, but I guess I just lost it in the shuffle of this past month. There was no intention on leaving it out on my part so I will take an L here. I'll be sure to include it plus your other selection for next months playlist.
Another month of the Infinite review draft is upon us. Xephyr will not be joining us again for the month of April so its just me and you Andi. You get to pick first between these four albums:
Iapetus - The Long Road Home (2017)
April 2023
1. Haken – Elephants Never Forget (2023)
2. Between the Buried and Me – Disease, Injury, Madness (2009)
3. Rivers of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name (2018)
4. Intronaut – The Unlikely Event of a Water Landing (2015)
5. In Mourning – Voyage of a Wavering Mind (2012)
6. Periphery – Wax Wings (2023)
7. Leprous – Within My Fence (2015)
8. Avenged Sevenfold – Nobody (2023)
9. Dream Theater – The Court of Tuscany (2009)
10. Rosetta – Ayil (2010)
11. Ne Obliviscaris – Misericorde I – As the Flesh Falls (2023)
12. Voivod – Planet Hell (1995)
13. The Ocean – Sea of Reeds (2023)
14. Slugdge – Transylvanian Fungus (2018)
15. Scar Symmetry – Scorched Quadrant (2023)
16. Caligula’s Horse – Capulet (2017)
April 2023
1. Exotic Animal Petting Zoo – Ira Lore (2008)
2. Stellar Circuits – Witch House (2023)
3. Disturbed – Indestructible (2008)
4. Gone Is Gone – Roads (2017)
5. Katatonia – Austerity (2023)
6. Linkin Park – Numb (2003)
7. Avatar – Dance Devil Dance (2023)
8. Breaking Benjamin – Next to Nothing (2002)
9. Dog Fashion Disco – Love Song for a Witch (2003)
10. System Of A Down – Vicinity Of Obscenity (2005)
11. Nonpoint – The Truth (2004)
12. Klone – Home (2004)
13. Atreyu – Do You Know Who You Are? (2015)
14. He Is Legend – Time To Stain (2014)
15. Pop Evil – Deal with the Devil (2013)
16. Bad Omens – ARTIFICIAL SUICIDE (2022)
17. Stuck Mojo – Violated (1996)
18. A Pale Horse Named Death – When the World Becomes Undone (2019)
19. Chevelle – Jawbreaker (2014)
20. Mudvayne – Scream With Me (2009)
21. (Hed) P.E. – Bartender (2000)
22. Korn – Start The Healing (2022)
Blotted Science - The Machinations of Dementia
How the fuck did I end up randomly choosing TWO Ron Jarzombek albums in less than six months? Oh well, the record is what it is and I hope I never have to hear about it again.
Well if it isn't my old friend Ron Jarzombek once again!
I must admit, I thought that as I was getting older my ears were not as great as they once were, but one playthrough of Blotted Science's only full length album, The Machinations of Dementia and I already knew which guitarist had their handprints plastered all over this record. This record is certainly not my cup of tea, but I can see potential for an album like this if it had that missing piece to put it all together. It needs a melodic line or a vocalist to keep the guitar wanking in check instead of allowing for it to go unchecked for almost an hour. The records first two tracks have some solid foundational work put into them and they sound like fully developed songs. Basically everything else falls into this empty void of impressive showmanship, but leaves me with nothing else to talk about.
And what pains me the most is that songs like "Narcolepsy" have worked for me in the past, but once again, this one is missing one important piece to connect the parts together. I am referring to Between the Buried and Me's Colors from the same year. Structurally, they are nearly identical records, but Ron Jarzombek and company don't have the songwriting chops to do anything other than guitar solo for an entire album. By the time the eight minute track "Activation Synthesis Theory" was complete, I just wanted this thing to be over. There is only so much I can say about an album that does not evolve or reinvent.
5/10
Welcome to a new month and a new draft in the Infinite! Due to a pretty overwhelming month of February, I will likely have to take a rain check on the Odessy album from last month. If I find time in March then I'll try to fit something in later. Anyways, here are the albums the shredder chose this month:
Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy (2018)
Blotted Science - The Machinations of Dementia (2007)
Dog Fashion Disco - Committed to a Bright Future (2003)
Looks like we're going pretty hard into the prog/tech death metal split this month! Since I get the first pick, I'm going with Blotted Science.
Xephyr is up next!
March 2023
1. Haken – Lovebite (2023)
2. The Contortionist – Follow (2019)
3. Burst – Cripple God (2008)
4. Aviations – Safehouse (2023)
5. Vulkan – This Visual Hex (2020)
6. Ne Obliviscaris – Devour Me, Colossus (Part I) : Blackholes (2014)
7. Poh Hock, Robert Edens – Fragile Space (2023)
8. Hypno5e – Tauca, Pt. I – Another (2023)
9. Periphery – Atropos (2023)
10. Queensryche – Bridge (1994)
11. Veil of Maya – Godhead (2023)
12. Fallujah – Carved from Stone (2014)
13. Lerpous – Contaminate Me (2013)
14. Today Is the Day – Going to Hell (1999)
15. The Resonance Project – End of Time (2023)
16. Bird Problems – Pigeon Superstition (2020)
17. The World Is Quiet Here – Heliacal Vessels I: The Mother of No Kin (2023)
18. The Ocean – Parabiosis (2023)
March 2023
1. Katatonia – Colossal Shade (2023)
2. Celldweller – Frozen (2003)
3. Memphis May Fire – Bleed Me Dry (2022)
4. Static-X – I’m With Stupid (1999)
5. Gone Is Gone – Violescent (2016)
6. Chaosbay – Message in a Bottle (2023)
7. BABYMETAL – Gimme Chocolate!! (2014)
8. Moon Tooth – Alpha Howl (2022)
9. Fair to Midland – Amarillo Sleep on My Pillow (2011)
10. Lacuna Coil – My Spirit (2012)
11. Klone – Within Reach (2023)
12. Malrun – Rise from Sorrow (2010)
13. Through Fire – Stronger – Extended Version (2016)
14. Tremonti – Dust (2016)
15. Flaw – I’ll Carry You (2017)
16. Demon Hunter – Silence the World (2022)
17. Stone Sour – Made of Scars (2006)
18. P.O.D. – Get Down (2015)
19. End of Green – Dead End Hero (2005)
20. Sleep Token – Vore (2023)
Klone - Meanwhile
I've really been enjoying this new album from this French based alternative, progressive metal band. Klone are making some very refreshing music that ticks all of my compositional boxes. It's very concise and catchy, while still pushing outside of the box without sounding to bogged town by technical wankery. Daniel and Xephyr might enjoy this, especially if you enjoy more recent Katatonia releases.
FFO: Katatonia, Soen, Nightingale
4/5
Norwegian industrial metallers Gothminister's seventh studio album is a fairly solid piece of industrial metal. The groove work is fairly solid from top to bottom and the vocal melodies compliment admirably. One of the reasons why I have never been able to appreciate Rammstein fully is because of the language barrier (my German is getting better though). Rammstein have solid melodies and tight knit grooves as well, but something about taking the intricacies of that language and creating a butchered English version does not help matters. Gothminister help by recording all the lyrics in English already....not that you need them because this is still standard in its gothic themes.
Speaking of gothic themes, does anyone else notice how much parts of this record sound like heavier Ghost? Forget about the industrial tinges and all of the synth leads, "Norge", "Mastodon" and "Star" sound identical. Which brings up my biggest issue with Pandemonium as a whole; the record is far too basic. It might borrow from Ghost, or EBM, or even other industrial metal giants like Rammstein, but not a lot about it feels innovative or unique to Gothminister. While I did enjoy it, too often I found the music falling behind and closer to background noise than anything I want to become invested in.
6/10
The modern alternative metalcore scene is a hard subgenre to pin down. While it certainly has its modern upsides in Bad Omens and Spiritbox, a lot of them begin to blend together after a while, as many simply latch on to already popular/dead trends hoping to make a quick buck. Motionless in White is one of those bands for me. After attempting to go more alternative with 2014's Reincarnate, they became a band that would release records that get a bunch of acclaim, but are as quickly forgotten about a month later.
Case in point, I did listen to Scoring the End of the World back in June of 2022 and thought it was...fine. Chris Motionless is quite capable when writing well constructed tunes with some decent melodies. And, most important to me, incorporating breakdowns that do not act as an aside from the original concept or idea. But the record is held back considerably by not having any identity of its own. I had to do a double take at first when listening to the chorus of "Sign Of Life" because I thought for certain that Benjamin Burnley was the principal vocalist here.
And while the vocal comparison should not be that big of a deal, when the instrumentals sound like Breaking Benjamin too, that's where I have to draw a line. MiW goes a step further by having "Porcelain" sound like a modern Bullet for my Valentine tune, complete with some industrial/electronic spattering's that, while not offensive, I found to be more than distracting.
Scoring the End of the World has a lot of guest features and those tunes also feature some of the freshest sounds on the record. "Slaughterhouse" with Bryan Garris is a straight rump and serves as a good change of pace and intensity following the slower, more dreary "Porcelain". Then a trifecta of songs at the end of the record, however these tunes are not as enjoyable. starting off with "Cyberhex" sounding closer to a Mick Gordon track than even the title track, which actually features Mick Gordon! And in the middle of those two, we have the Marilyn Manson inspired "Red, White & Boom", which can be cheeky and fun, but I was not really feeling it.
And I think the reason why is because MiW have this long stretch of Breaking Benjamin/Bullet for my Valentine sounding tunes that aren't the most innovative things in the world. Sure they have breakdowns, but a metalcore band has to do more than add breakdowns to pre-existing formulas to make them enjoyable. And then, right at the very end of the album, they throw a curveball and show you something vastly different than what you've heard through the first ten tracks. The pacing of this record is so back heavy that I had less interest in those deviances than if they had been prominently featured early on in the record. Chris Motionless and company may have had some good ideas, but they are few and far between, and the sequencing is not good at all.
6/10
I'm gonna go with Odessy's Reinventing the Past.
Finally Dinaric
February 2023
Hello Infinite drafters. It's a new month so let's open a new cycle of records to explore. Xephyr, you get the first pick:
Gone Is Gone - Gone Is Gone (2016)
February 2023
1. Mastodon – Ghost of Karelia (2009)
2. Periphery – Wildfire (2023)
3. Caligula’s Horse – Into the White (2013)
4. Sikth – Tupelo (2002)
5. Riverside – Hyperactive (2010)
6. Symphony X – The Accolade (1997)
7. The World Is Quiet Here – Writhing Gate (2023)
8. Andromeda – Extension of the Wish (2001)
9. Converge & Chelsea Wolfe – Lord of Liars (2021)
10. Haken – Taurus (2023)
11. Ihsahn – Unhealer (ft. Mikael Åkerfeldt) (2008)
12. Entheos – I Am The Void (2023
13. Enslaved – Havenless (2003)
14. The Ocean Collective – Preboreal (2023)
15. Plini – The Glass Bead Game (2020)
16. Animals as Leaders – Red Miso (2022)
17. Dan Swanö – Uncreation (1999)
18. In Mourning – Isle of Solace (2012)
19. Ne Obliviscaris – Graal (2023)
February 2023
1. Sleep Token – The Summoning (2023)
2. Mudvayne – Death Blooms (2000)
3. Atreyu – Untouchable (2021)
4. Katatonia – Birds (2023)
5. Buckethead – Soothsayer (2006)
6. Breaking Benjamin – Blood (2018)
7. Bloodsimple – What If I Lost It (2005)
8. Candiria – Down (2004)
9. Parkway Drive – Glitch (2022)
10. Demon Hunter – Heaven Don’t Cry (2022)
11. Slipknot – The Heretic Anthem (2001)
12. Disturbed – Won’t Back Down (2022)
13. Alice In Chains – Drone (2018)
14. I Prevail – There’s Fear in Letting Go (2022)
15. Coaltar Of The Deepers – AMETHYST [REVENGE] (2021)
16. Twelve Foot Ninja – Oxygen (2016)
17. Love and Death – Down (2021)
18. Within Temptation – The Reckoning (2019)
19. In This Moment – Black Wedding (feat. Rob Halford) (2017)
20. Halestorm – The Steeple (2022)
21. Stuck Mojo – The Ward Is My Shepard (2000)
Believe it or not, Scar Sighted was one of those gateway albums that I listened to back in 2015 when I started digging into black metal. And it took me a long time before I was able to appreciate it in comparison to those Panopticon, Saor and Agalloch records. This was far more brooding, dissonant and uncomfortable. And, despite it all, I could not help but get sucked in by its atmosphere. This is not an avant-garde release like Ad Nauseum with its unending assault of loud noises, uncommon time signatures, and unconventional song structures. Scar Sighted is unashamed to slow down and compliment its black metal pulse with post-metal passages; clean guitars, slower moving percussion and whispered vocals. Most importantly, these styles are complimented well to one another as not to feel like isolated ideas crammed together.
It can certainly be an overwhelming listen at just over an hour. The title track is likely my least favourite on the record as ten minutes seems like far too much and the track loses momentum at a more alarming pace than the records shorter moments. But as a whole...look my background with extreme metal has been challenging the further it diverges into the dissonant and the avant-garde, but this is an exception. I do enjoy this record; not as much as I did back in 2015 however. Scar Sighted is one of those rare examples of avant-garde music done right.
7/10