SilentScream213's Forum Replies

I actually have 2 different rating systems depending on the context. On sites like RYM where all music is included, I have a pretty standard "3 is decent, less is below average moving towards awful and more is good moving to masterpiece." However, since I love metal so much, most metal gets 4 stars or higher when compared to all other music. Because of that, I have to adjust for sites that are exclusively metal, else all my ratings would be really positive. And so...

5 - These albums affected me on a personal level, and are consistently the highest quality of music from start to finish.

4.5 - As good as an album can possibly be without having some intense personal appeal. 

4 - A masterpiece when compared to all music. 5 stars on other sites start here - however, metal can still get better than this...

3.5 - These are albums where about half the songs enter my permanent rotation. Very difficult for non metal, but my favorite genres (I.E. Thrash, Death, Doom) score here reliably.

3 - Great album, about average for a metal album.

2.5 - Very good album, somewhat mediocre against other metal.

2 - Good album, would rarely revisit outside of certain songs.

1.5 - Decent, probably listen to a few times and then never again.

1 - A bad album, and quite a feat for me to dislike metal this much.

0.5 - A horrible album by every standard.

That's awesome! I love this feature! Thanks Ben!

Although I love Tech Thrash, I haven't heard a huge number of artists who play it yet, so I'll keep it to 5

1. Coroner - No More Color (1989)

2. Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly (1985)

3. Watchtower - Control and Resistance (1989)

4. Destruction - Release from Agony (1987)

5. Аспид [Aspid] - Кровоизлияние (1992)

Well, mine is pretty dominated by a certain someone haha

1. Slayer - Divine Intervention (1994)

2. Slayer - South of Heaven (1988)

3. Slayer - Reign in Blood (1986)

4. Slayer - Show No Mercy (1983)

5. Slayer - Hell Awaits (1985)

6. Sodom - Agent Orange (1989)

7. Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss (1990)

8. Slayer - Christ Illusion (2006)

9. Kreator - Terrible Certainty (1987)

10. Coroner - No More Color (1989)

I realize how ridiculous that looks, so if I limit it to one release per artist, the final six albums would be

Exodus - Bonded by Blood (1985)

Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion (2019)

Metal Church - The Dark (1986)

Angel Dust - Into the Dark Past (1986)

Paradox - Heresy (1989)

The things I love about this site (that set it apart) are of course the gallery and ability to rate covers, as well as the many options for organizing albums in the Releases tab. Why has no other site ever implemented an "only releases I've rated" option? The clans and clan ratings also make sorting the charts super interesting. "Only releases without ratings" is a great way to find underground stuff and albums that need attention. I don't use most of the features unrelated to ratings/charts, but that's just because I'm a numbers guy and I love rating things and looking at other's ratings. The gallery again is just so much fun on it's own, I have never understood why no other sites have cover ratings. I would keep coming back even if that were the only feature haha.

I have two small suggestions. First, when sorting releases, there should be an easier way to select a span of time rather than manually adding every year. Even just adding an option for individual decades would be fine. Secondly, again in the releases tab, add an option in the sorting option to sort by cover rating! I'd love to be able to see all the covers I've rated organized by the site rating, as well as delve further than just the top 100 that the gallery allows.

You guys are doing great! Thanks for the awesome site and keep it up!

I see the appeal of both sides regarding the minimum rating for the gallery. I think it would be awesome if you added an option (Both for the gallery and charts) to edit the minimum number of ratings to customize it if you wanted. Even if it were only a couple options, like 1, 5, and 10. I realize you can already pretty much do this on the "releases" tab, but there's still no way to sort by album art rating there! Think that'll be implemented?

Please add the US band Heir Apparent (Heavy Metal/USPM with prog influence) when you find time, thank you in advance!

1. The Writ

2. Hand of Doom

3. Children of the Grave

4. Under the Sun

5. Iron Man

6. N.I.B.

7. Sabbra Cadabra

8. Wheels of Confusion

9. You Won't Change Me

10. Fairies Wear Boots

I think it's good to have the sub-genres available for those who want it, and if they don't interest you, you don't have to participate in voting for them. I know what you mean about the sniping in the comment boxes, that is pretty toxic. I like to believe that since Metal Academy is a much smaller and metal-oriented community, that sort of petty disagreement might be far less common, but I could be wrong.

I like the "classic" label as well, good call there.

As far as "Trad Doom" - I'm going to debate Daniel here (though purely on opinion) and say Candlemass - as well as most "epic" Doom bands - are definitely included when I think of Trad Doom. I think most Doom developed in the 80's, which was either Sabbath worship or slow fantasy-style metal, is Trad Doom, and all bands henceforth that imitate this style are also Trad Doom. Doom bands in the 80's, Candlemass included, made almost no use of atmosphere,  or in general techniques or instruments not commonly found in Metal. Though they were often sombre and lethargic, mood was not a focus, and groovy riffs were usually the forefront. They didn't embody what we NOW associate with Doom Metal.

In the 90's, when gothic stuff started getting interwoven, Doom became a much different beast, even aside from the Death Doom and Funeral Doom. 90's Doom is when the genre started putting heavy emphasis on atmosphere, lyricism that was emotionally evocative, high emphasis on melody, and incorporating techniques, instruments, and styles not normally found in metal. The music was much darker, and more likely to feature a mixture of cleans and growls or female vocals. Despite being invented later, this is the style I think of as plain "Doom Metal," as it has let go of all Sabbath worship and become something much different than everything that was done in the 80's (Though I do believe Trouble was the closest to this style on "The Skull" and "Run to the Light").

IF epic doom was it's own genre, then I agree Candlemass and similar bands would fit there. However without such, I think Epic Doom is much closer to Trad Doom than true Doom.

Haha thanks man, yeah I tend to really like songs that don't seem to stand out to most people. In Flames for example - Evil in a Closet is one of their most mellow songs, but the lyrics and delivery of that song hit me way harder than any dual guitar assault from their melodeath era. All the songs I picked had some sort of emotional effect on me; these always stick with me more than something that just sounds really cool.

My favorites, limited to one per artist

10. Persefone - Shin-Ken (Parts 1 & 2)

9. Insomium - The Killjoy

8. Slipknot - Vermillion

7. DOOM:VS - Oblivion Upon Us

6. Swallow the Sun - Hold This Woe

5. In Flames - Evil in a Closet

4. 40 Watt Sun - This Alone

3. Slayer - Killing Fields

2. X Japan - Say Anything

1. Mar de Grises - For Just an Eternity

Honorable mentions

Some non-metal songs by metal artists would be there, but I wanted to stick purely to metal : Opeth -To Bid You Farewell, Anathema - Inner Silence

Strong contenders: Katatonia - Rainroom, Queensryche - Screaming in Digital, Angel Dust - Marching for Revenge, Exodus - Strike of the Beast

Before I give mine, are you specifically looking for one or 2 per genre? All top 10 - maybe even 20 - would be Thrash, Doom and Death metal otherwise.

Almost as a side thought, I would be interested to know how important fans think album covers still are. Obviously growing up with vinyl records and physical record shops, the covers of albums were particularly important in capturing your attention as you flicked through racks of records, but is this still the case in the modern world of streaming and downloads? I'm still an old vinyl junkie and must admit there are still some crackers out there, but what does everyone else think?

Cover art isn't "important" in the sense that it never effects my score of an album, but aside from that, I love good cover art. Not only is it more art to enjoy in itself, but it can also help create a general mood for the album; if you listen to music with an image already in mind, it can alter your perceptions of it. Memorable cover art can also make the album itself more memorable. Even though people don't browse vinyls/CDs much anymore, there's still a ton of online browsing being done and more often than not it'll be a good cover that catches my eye and makes me want to listen to an album.

I thought the Site Rating and Clan Rating for album covers was implied. If it's not too difficult to do I think that's ideal!

Love the rating album cover idea! I don't think it should be limited by clan though. Clan is for music taste, and an album cover can be liked or disliked by anyone completely regardless to their taste in music. Just do as you have with the album charts and make it sortable by clan for those who want to.

1970 - Black Sabbath - Paranoid

1971 - Black Sabbath - Master of Reality

1972 - Black Sabbath - Vol. 4

1973 - Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

1974 - Budgie - In for the Kill

1975 - Scorpions - In Trance

1976 - Rainbow - Rising

1977 - Judas Priest - Sin After Sin

1978 - Judas Priest - Stained Class

1979 - Scorpions - Lovedrive

1980 - Scorpions - Animal Magnetism

1981 - Iron Maiden - Killers

1982 - Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

1983 - Slayer - Show No Mercy

1984 - Metal Church - Metal Church

1985 - Slayer - Hell Awaits

1986 - Slayer - Reign in Blood

1987 - Sepultura - Schizophrenia

1988 - Slayer - South of Heaven

1989 - Sepultura - Beneath the Remains

1990 - Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss

1991 - Sepultura - Arise

1992 - Edge of Sanity - Unorthodox

1993 - Edge of Sanity - The Spectral Sorrows

1994 - Slayer - Divine Intervention

1995 - Anathema - The Silent Enigma

1996 - Katatonia - Brave Murder Day

1997 - Vader - Black to the Blind

1998 - Slayer - Diabolus un Musica

1999 - Opeth - Still Life

2000 - In Flames - Clayman

2001 - Kamelot - Karma

2002 - In Flames - Reroute to Remain

2003 - Swallow the Sun - The Morning Never Came

2004 - Mar de Grises - The Tatterdemalion Express

2005 - Swallow the Sun - Ghosts of Loss

2006 - DOOM:VS - Empire of the Fallen

2007 - Swallow the Sun - Hope

2008 - DOOM:VS - Dead Words Speak

2009 - Slayer - World Painted Blood

2010 - Mar de Grises - Streams Inwards

2011 - 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room

2012 - Swallow the Sun - Emerald Forest and the Blackbird

2013 - When Nothing Remains - Thy Dark Serenity

2014 - DOOM:VS - Earthless

2015 - Swallow the Sun - Songs from the North

2016 - Veiled in Scarlet - Reborn

2017 - Septicflesh - Codex Omega

2018 - Veiled in Scarlet - Atonement

2019 - Swallow the Sun - When a Shadow is Forced into the Light

2020 - So far Sepultura, really looking forward to My Dying Bride and Katatonia.

Would you mind adding Chastain (USA) and Killers (France)?

Thanks!

Nope, Pure enjoyment for me.

I used to be somewhat conscious of the general rating, and what happened was I would get to albums with a low rating by the populace (Like modern In Flames) and then I would go into the album looking for flaws and trying to understand the low rating rather than just enjoying it. These days, I always try to listen to albums blind. I never read reviews or check ratings before listening, and I never change my opinions due to conformity. I allow myself to love what I love and hate what I hate, and it's much more fun that way. Objectivity has no place in a personal rating in my opinion.

Thanks Ben!

It's nice to have some like-minded metalheads around! Already finding this site more engaging than RYM ever was.

On that note, I searched to see if you had an account there so I could add you, and I see you do but it looks inactive. You should consider at least rating stuff - god knows metal needs ratings at that site, and I love using friend's ratings to find good stuff. 

I find it interesting that our tastes seem similar, yet we only share one clan. All the hail The Horde I guess. 

Hey Ben, how about In Flames' cover of Everything Counts on their concept album Whoracle? They specifically chose the song because the lyrics could be interpreted to fit in with the theme of the album, so it goes perfectly with the flow, sound and story-wise. I didn't even know it was a cover when I first heard the album.

I totally agree Shadowdoom, modern Septicflesh is my favorite because they mend symphonic and death metal elements perfectly.

I actually like most covers because it's interesting to see songs done in a different style. As long as I like the band preforming the cover, I usually like it. An exception would be In Flames' cover of Wicked Game... that was bad. 

I was able to get six, limiting it to just one per band. 

6). Pantera - Rock Out! - Closer to Pantera's eponymous debut album, and the worst track on it. It's just a total mess - one of the few songs that isn't experimental or some sort of interlude that truly deserves this designation.

5). Septicflesh - Underworld Act 1 & 2 - Septicflesh's A Fallen Temple was some sort of concept album I guess, and they threw in these nearly ten minute each tracks that were basically stage plays, or something. I could never make it all the way through either one of them; they're just very painful to listen to.

4). Celtic Frost - Danse Macabre - Celtic Frost wanted to be the most evil, extreme band of their time, so they put together this assortment of odd sound effects and some occasional screaming. It's kind of creepy, but not in an entertaining way. It's just awful to listen to.

3). Metallica - Little Dog - Lulu in it's entirety was bad, but this song was by far the worst. The most experimental, the least melodic, the most garbage song they ever did.

2). Sepultura - Canyon Jam - Some tribal stuff thrown on the end of Roots as a bonus track, unless it was just a hidden track. 13 minutes of unbearable tribal sounds.

1). Tool - Cesaro Summability - Aenima is lauded as one of the greatest metal albums of all time, but it had more terrible, pointless interludes than any other album I've ever come across. This is the worst of them.

Again, I'll limit to one per band. Mine are in specific ranked order.

25). Metal Church - Metal Church

24). Before the Dawn - Rise of the Phoenix

23). Anathema - Eternity (I prefer Alternative 4 but it's not metal)

22). Kamelot - Karma

21). Persefone - Spiritual Migration

20). Lacuna Coil - Black Anima

19). Galneryus - The Flag of Punishment

17). Vader - Revelations

16). Septicflesh - Codex Omega

15). Slipknot - Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses

14). Exodus - Bonded By Blood

13). Opeth - Still Life

12). Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion

11). When Nothing Remains - Thy Dark Serenity

10). Insomnium - Heart Like a Grave

9). In Flames - Come Clarity

8). X Japan - Art of Life

7). Veiled in Scarlet - Atonement

6). Katatonia - Brave Murder Day

5). DOOM:VS - Dead Words Speak

4). 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room

3). Swallow the Sun - The Morning Never Came

2). Mar de Grises - The Tatterdemalion Express

1). Slayer - Divine Intervention

Welcome to the academy my friend, and welcome to the Fallen and Horde clans.

I had a couple brief exposures to Death metal and other music with death growls in my earlier metal days and never liked it, but I'll never forget the experience that changed that.

I found the album Come Clarity by In Flames at my library. I had never heard of the band, but the album cover looked surprisingly metal for a library so I got it. I remember getting home and giving it a listen, and instantly being in love with that opening riff on Take This Life. Unfortunately at the time, I was really disappointed when the screaming kicked in; I still couldn't handle that vocal style. So, I ripped the album to my laptop and didn't listen to it again for a long time.
Then came a time in my life when I was very angry and upset with something. I needed something really dark to listen to, and I once again decided to give In Flames a chance. At that time, it finally clicked with me. The screaming was not off putting or devoid of talent or whatever; it was fueled by the rawest of human emotions, a bestial display of passion, pain, anger. I listened to the album all the way through and I loved every second of it. 

Ever since then, I pretty much prefer harsh vocals to clean. Death metal and Death Doom are my favorite subgenres, along with the heaviest of Thrash.

I played Doom, haha. I loved the music, actually downloaded the soundtrack, and come to find many of the tracks were inspired by bands like Slayer, Metallica, and Pantera, who I promptly downloaded as well. That was my gateway into all of metal, but it started with Thrash and it's still one of my favorite subgenres. 

I respect that choice, originally I just figured they hadn't been added yet, but if you already decided not add them of course I understand.

Well, the line between Hard Rock and Heavy Metal can be hard to discern, especially in the 70's. Budgie is one of the bands that's right in between, and I'd consider them Hard Rock and Heavy metal, but I suppose you couldn't say any of their albums are pure metal.
Though, if someone ever asked me who the second Heavy Metal band after Sabbath was, I'd say Budgie.

How about Budgie? Though their discography dances between Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, their first 4 albums are solidly metal.

Also, amazing if you are pretty much adding everything on your own. Much respect and thanks.