Sonny's Forum Replies

If you enjoy Raphael Weinroth-Browne, Vinny, I strongly recommend you check out The Visit's 2015 album Through Darkness Into Light. It was my AOTY for 2015 and features Weinroth-Browne on cello and piano with vocalist Heather Sita Black. It's a beautiful album that deserves to be much more highly acclaimed than it is. In fact, I am going to go and listen to it again now.

Fossilization - Leprous Daylight (2023)

I had a few reservations about Fossilization's 2021 EP, He Whose Name Was Long Forgotten, going into it with the feeling that it was definitely something that should really appeal to me. It was from members of a band I really enjoy (Brazil's Jupiterian) and they were playing my favourite style of death metal, the cavernous old-school version, so it should have been a no brainer, yet I felt there was sadly something lacking. Maybe my expectations for a couple of members of Jupiterian were misplaced, anticipating a more doom-filled approach to their death metal that didn't really transpire.

So, two years on and I am going into their debut full-length with my eyes much more wide open and my expectations held in check. Initial impressions were that little has changed and I still felt a bit short-changed, yet... As exposure to it increased with additional playthroughs, I am beginning to overcome my reticence and am actually really starting to enjoy this M-F. Although there are a number of doomier moments during the runtime, this is far more effective when it is pummelling the loving shit out of you, such as during the faster sections of the title track or The Night Spoke the Tongue of Flames, where it feels like you have thrust your face in front of a sandblaster! The guitar sound is a real down and dirty old cavernous sound that has been dug up from some music production graveyard, ably boosted by thundering basslines and infernal blastbeats whilst Vakka's hoarse growling roars threaten to strip away your sanity with tales of demonic delight at the destruction of the world we know and the advent of hell on Earth.

The album is quite short, it's eight tracks only amounting to a 36 minute runtime, but this is to it's credit as it doesn't outstay it's welcome, which I think a longer album of this intensity would. The band wield a consummate savagery that evidences their South American lineage, no one quite does metal viciousness like the South Americans do they? Ultimately, through sheer adrenaline intensity and technical adroitness, the duo have won me over and I take back all my earlier misgivings.

4/5

Dirge - Dirge (2023)

Dirge are an Indian sludge metal five-piece, formed by members of hardcore punk band Death By Fungi in 2014. After almost ten years, this self-titled effort is only their second release, but they must have been busy honing their craft over the last decade, because this is a very accomplished slab of atmospheric sludge metal that certainly flicks all the right switches, at least as far as I am concerned.

Playing up to the sludge metal tag, this has thick, smoke-wreathed, stonerized riffs that serve as one half of their dual attack, in combination with Tabish Khidir's taut, throat-shredding roar, this is an example of the cudgel and the blade wielded with impressive adroitness and clinical skill upon the listeners aural sensibilities. Don't let me give the impression that this is relentlessly aggressive however, no there is more to Dirge in the songwriting department than that. They are equally adept when luring the listener into a misleading sense of calmness with gentler, soothing sections before unleashing their pent-up anger once more, such as during Malignant where the hypocritical politicians and businessmen of the world stumble into their lyrical sights and feel the full weight of Dirge's spleen being vented upon them (not as it bothers the bastards much I don't suppose, but you can't knock the band for trying).

I did label this as atmospheric sludge, but I mean that more as a description than in relation to the actual genre. Dirge don't exactly adhere strictly to the post-metal convention of build-build-release, but rather use gentler sections as a counterpoint to the general agressiveness of most of the runtime and thus render their conventional sludge metal more atmospheric as a result. I certainly wouldn't lump them in with Cult of Luna or Neurosis, but a better comparison for me is Germany's Hexer. The production absolutely nails the requisite sound, imparting a huge amount of weight to proceedings that an album like this stands or falls upon. I don't know too many Indian metal acts I must admit, but of those I am familiar with, Dirge top the tree.

Super-solid 4/5

I  hadn't really noticed that you had reduced the focus on newer material, Daniel.  Is there any particular reason for it?

I've got an idea what most of those niche genres are, but wtf is mincecore?

I find that the efficacy of demo tracks within a playlist depends a bit on the other tracks around them. If they are quite a bit quieter, or excessively messy-sounding and the tracks around them have crystal clear or beefed-up production then the transition from one to the other can be a bit jarring and take the listener out of their headspace, but reasonable-sounding demos that fit in with the other tracks can be pretty interesting.

I've not done much stat examination for a while and so I have been looking at some stats relating to the Clan charts.

For each clan I looked at how many releases were on the chart with a minimum of 5 ratings and then how many were in each clan with a minimum of 4 ratings, thus seeing how many were a single rating away from making the 5 rating minimum chart:

The Fallen - 180 / 257 = 77

The Gateway - 98 / 161 = 63

The Guardians - 344 / 471 = 127

The Horde - 242 / 346 = 104

The Infinite - 237 / 326 = 89

The North - 249 / 362 = 113

The Pit - 232 / 312 = 80

The Revolution - 60 / 101 = 41

The Sphere - 57 / 71 = 14

I think for the New Year I will set myself to the task of converting whichever of those fours I can into fives, at least for my clans anyway.

I'd love to see one of the clan charts get to 500 entries.

Nice work, Daniel, I think this may be my favourite Horde playlist to date. There were only the Imperial Triumphant and the last couple of tracks that I really didn't like.

Standout for me was the Nihilist track which, considering I am a bit uncommited when it comes to Entombed, was a nice surprise. Other big-hitters that I am less familiar with were Universally Estranged, Gates of Ishtar, Theory in Practice, Tenebro, Wharflurch and, of course, Neuropath are well worth their place on here. Thanks, man.

The last day or so of listening has seen me make a couple of changes to my Fallen top 20 of 2023:

Isole and Tribunal drop off the bottom of the list.

Edit: A further edit is the inclusion of Indian band Dirge's self-titled at #9, costing Hamds of Orlac a place in the top 20.

Godthrymm - Distortions (2023)

Godthrymm were formed by vocalist and guitarist Hamish Glencross who, along with drummer Shaun Taylor-Steels, was a member of My Dying Bride for some of their most iconic albums. Unsurprising then that they sound heavily influenced by the Yorkshire gothic death doom pioneers. The lineup is completed with Sasquatch Bob Crolla on bass and Glencross' wife Catherine was brought in as keyboard player and full-time female singer in 2022, after guesting as vocalist on a couple of tracks on the debut.

Although the MDB influence is apparent, this is nothing like as sorrow-ridden and mournful-sounding as the seminal Peaceville acolytes. The riffs aren't universally crushing and although they do carry sufficient weight, there is also an intangible airiness concealed within them that allows the tracks to breathe rather than being stultifyingly uncompromising. This effect is also enhanced by the concentration on clean vocals, not just Catherine's female vocals, but also Hamish's cleans seem to soar rather than bear the listener down. The rhythm section of Bob's bass and Shaun's drumming also keep things driving forward and are relatively busy for a doom album, providing further variation within the overall doom aesthetic.

The album as a whole and the individual tracks themselves are longer than on Reflections and so allow for more development and atmosphere-building with the songwriting seeming to have received an upgrade in the interim between albums. Overall, I would say that this is an album that takes a classic doom metal template and weaves lighter melodies within the riffing whilst harnessing a gothic aesthetic to produce an album that still manages to remain quite heavy, whilst delivering a refreshing and expansive atmosphere. It may not appeal to everyone, but I think it provides something a little bit different whilst not departing enormously fom what doom metal afficianados would be justified in expecting.

4/5

I thought the same thing Sonny.

Nothing wrong with it, enjoyed it for a listen, but I've had zero want to go back to it. It scratched the itch for some classic stoner tunes at the time but like you said, it feels hard to get truly excited about something like this. 3/5 as well from me, hence why it didn't make it onto The Fallen 2023 roundup list.

Yeah, like I say, it is a shame, because the band are very competent and I don't like to slag off albums solely for sounding like other albums, especially in a genre like stoner metal where basically everyone's ripping Sabbath off to a greater or lesser degree. I guess the problem's mine, not the band's and over-exposure to the genre is the main culprit. 

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs  - Land of Sleeper (2023)

Pigs x7 are a Geordie stoner band, their sound based around fuzzed-up Sabbathian riffs and a passing nod to 1970's hard rock. Pretty much par for the course I suppose and no, they don't break the mould of stonerized doom metal, but it is pretty enjoyable and more than passes the requirements of heaviness that we stoner doom disciples expect. I must admit that when I hear an album like this nowadays, I think that the band are probably more enjoyable in a live environment than on record, not because there is anything at all wrong with it, but because it is based around riffs that are 50 years old now and the lack of originality is less of an issue in a live setting.

I do find it hard to get over-enthused about a lot of stoner metal these days and Land of Sleeper doesn't do anything to change that attitude. I feel a bit bad about heaping such faint praise upon this, because there really is nothing wrong with it at all, and it does occasionally hint at a darker side, but there is just so much familiarity contained within the grooves of the album that it is hard to get overly excited about it, If you are new to stoner doom, or are just a stoner obsessive, however, then you may well enjoy this a lot more than I did and I hope there are plenty of you because these guys deserve it, unfortunately I'm just not feeling it.

3/5

Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean - Obsession Destruction (2023)

Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean are an anonymous, four-piece sludge metal crew from Massachusetts. Their name is apt as a metaphor for the crushing weight of their material, bearing the listener down as surely as those many, many metric tonnes of pressure exerted at the ocean's floor. That monicker is, of course, taken from a Thou song and that is hardly surprising as they sound remarkably like their obvious influence, yet they are proficient enough, both songwriting and performance-wise to stand on their own two feet and stand clear of the shadow of the Baton Rouge sludge masters.

The band have a devastatingly thick, distorted guitar tone that is very much based on Thou's signature sound, but as I absolutely love Thou's guitar tone, then that is just fine by me. The vocals are painful, ragged howls with their origins in both hardcore and black metal, that shred the ears with their shrieking roar and tear at the soul with their heartfelt desperation. It has to be admitted that this is quite simple metal, there are no fancy tricks, technical gymnastics or attempts to surprise the listener, but that is all to the good as far as I am concerned, because this is metal for those who want to engage with the music on an emotional and visceral level rather than an intellectual one. This is as visceral a sound as any high-intensity death metal or febrile black metal, it's just that this is bludgeoningly heavy rather than rapier sharp and will result in crushed limbs rather than savage flesh wounds and ultimately it is music so heavy it feels like it has some physical effect on reality itself.

Though I say that this is fairly simple in structure, that doesn't mean that it is monolithically dull or unimpressive. There is enough variation in tempo and tone to keep the mind engaged, often turning to a post-metal style of atmospheric tension building and release that gives the listener a well-deserved payoff by track's end. Ultimately, it must be admitted, if you have no love for Thou and their extended sludge metal outings, then Obsession Destruction will probably leave you cold, but for those of us who view this style of throbbing, crushing sludge as manna from heaven and who enjoy being swamped and overwhelmed by the listening experience, then this is 66 minutes of pure gold.

4.5/5

I've just gone to "Releases" and put in 2023 Fallen albums that I haven't rated and have just realised how slack I have been with new releases this year as there are loads I would like to check out still and over 100 that I haven't heard at all. I guess my focus has been elsewhere ths year!

Convocation - No Dawn for the Caliginous Night (2023)

Finnish duo Convocation inhabit that sector of the metal Venn diagram where the arcs of funeral and death doom overlap, which also happens to be one of my favourite shades of metal. For latest album, No Dawn for the Caliginous Night, they lean more towards the funeral doom side of things, ultimately taking a leaf out of the mighty Esoteric's book. One danger of funeral doom that these Finns avoid is in overcooking things and allowing tracks to drag along without much variation, producing arse-numbingly long albums in the process. Convocation rarely go beyond the 12 minute mark for individual tracks and their longest album is fifty minutes, this one clocking in at forty-eight. They also like to bring in some textural and tonal variation, whilst still maintaining the slow, funereal pacing from whence the genre derives it's name.

The production is excellent, allowing the heaving chords to provide a huge wall-of-sound which towers over and threatens to smother the listener with sheer sonic immensity and even though there is an undoubted crushing power to the tracks, there is much more to them than just that, with string accompaniment and vocal and guitar melodies providing a striking countepoint to the fundamrntal heaviness of the instrumentation. Opener, Graveless yet Dead, features Shape of Despair's Natalie Koskinen as second vocalist, whose soaring, angelic vocals provide perfect contrast to Marko Neuman's bellowing roars as he rails against his fate as a cursed, undying soul, fated to forever wander the Earth. The album features another couple of guest vocalists, Corpsessed's Niko Matilainen on second track, Atychiphobia, and Dying Fetus / Misery Index singer Jason Netherton guesting on closer, Procession (which also sees Ferum's Samantha Alessi providing a spoken narration).

The eye of the album's storm is the instrumental track Between Aether and Land which sits at the heart of the album and which has a less dense feel to it, being woven through with a nice melodic thread that makes it sound less despairing and hopeless than the opening twenty minutes, allowing a shaft of light or a glimpse of open countryside to infiltrate the ominous and despairing atmosphere of the remainder of the album. Naturally this is short-lived and Lepers and Derelicts hits with the full crushing force of a tsunami of hopelessness, sucking all air and positivity out of proceedings and feeling all the more forceful for it's contrast with the preceeding track, Marko Neuman's howling roars sounding increasingly desolate as he bellows the protagonists hatred of his own existence as a torturous demon, bedevilling mankind. On closer, Procession, Convocation really reveal their hand with a track that has a massive epic quality to it, with superb compositional and atmospheric flourishes, from guest Antti Poutanen's cello accompaniment to Samantha Alessi's narration and the melodic guitar work that threads it's way through those hefty, intimidatingly massive chords. Ultimately the track (and by extension, the album) sheds it's horrors and ends with a much more serene feeling as cello and picked guitar along with the closing narration seem to offer the consolation that eventually all horrors must pass.

With No Dawn.. Convocation have truly cemented their place as one of my absolute favourite funeral / death doom bands and I would claim this as a classic of the genre, making them fit to take up their place alongside genre greats like Esoteric and Evoken.

5/5

Another top list this month, Ben. I don't know if it's because the winter is here and the music suits the mood so well, but the last couple have been very good indeed. In fact there wasn't a single track I could say I disliked. Sure there were a couple that were a bit more melodic than I prefer, but they were still fine in their own way. I'm with Vinny in thinking that Faidra track was a particular highlight. Deiphage, Ebony Pendant, Fork Of Horripilation, Glemsel and Auriferous Flame were fantastic too. And let's face it, any playlist with Mayhem, Emperor and Darkthrone is going to kick ass anyway. Nice work Ben and everybody who submitted their selections.

Hands of Orlac - Hebetudo Mentis (2023)

I was quite the fan of Hands of Orlac's debut album, even scoring myself a vinyl copy. Their split album with The Wandering Midget was pretty good too. However, I was intially a bit reticent about their new release. The production sounds washed-out and it robs it of any heft or weight to a degree, with Ginevra's vocals particularly sounding quite weak. The early tracks are a bit lukewarm songwriting-wise too, lacking any speacial kind of hook or particularly interesting idea and ultimately failing to grab my attention.

Things take an upward turn after the short instrumental title track at the midpoint, however, with Malenka sounding much more like the sort of thing I have come to expect from the Italians. Frostbite is a much more interesting track too, with the flute adding some nice variation and giving it more of a paganistic, Blood Ceremony vibe. The lengthy closer Ex Officio Domini (The Executioner of Rome) weighs in at just under fifteen minutes length and is a bit of a proggy, psychedelic doom epic where we get to hear some nice soloing at last.

Overall a step down from their earlier material for me, let down by weak production and two or three formulaic and uninteresting tracks early on. I am glad I persevered though, because the last three tracks are very good and make the album overall a worthwhile listen.

3/5

Benthic Realm - Vessel (2023)

I have been a fan of Krista Van Guilder's turns in bands like Warhorse and Second Grave for some time now and was very contented with the direction of latest band Benthic Realm as indicated by their first couple of EPs released in 2017/18. However things had gone quiet on the BR front while the world battled the Covid-19 pandemic, but now they are back with their debut full-length, five years after their last EP hit the shelves. Well, the band have certainly not been sitting back and I've got to say up front, this is possibly my favourite release from bands Krista has been involved in. The guitar sound is perfect for this style of doom metal, with a powerful, booming tone that imparts a huge amount of heft to the riffs. The bass and drums provide a rock solid foundation upon which these booming riffs are built, providing a dense, all-enveloping quality to the sound. Then over all this soars the heavenly vocals of Krista herself. These aren't the ephemeral, airy vocals associated with a lot of female singers in the doom metal scene, but powerful and authoritative with a gorgeous tone that perfectly complements the weight of the riffs with a strength of their own, providing both melody and power in equal measure.

The songwriting is very good also, being instantly relatable to any doom metal veteran fan, whilst still retaining a vibrancy and identity very much of their own. No, Benthic Realm don't throw away the doom metal rulebook, but they are so proficient as songwriters and performers that Vessel sounds anything but tired and derivative, feeling like a shot in the arm to a scene that often retreads old ground with solid, but indistinguishable releases. If you only listen to one female-fronted doom metal album this year then you could do much worse than grab a copy of Vessel.

4/5

Thanks Ben. I must check out that Convocation album myself, as I am a big fan of their previous two.

Ben, do you have any suggestions for January's playlist?

Much appreciated Sonny. Feeling very honored that you would invest your hard-earned money in our little release. Wait till you see the band photos on the inside cover. :)

I must admit, the booklet is one of the big reasons I wanted to get hold of a physical copy. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Hi Ben, could you add Benthic Realm's latest album, Vessel, please.

Sod it, I've gone ahead and ordered a copy from Bandcamp, anyway.

I'm gonna call it a Xmas present to myself!

Ben / Daniel, are there any plans to run these again for 2023?

Hi Ben, could you add norwegian doom bands Helldiver and Superlynx, please.

Hi Ben, could you please add the latest album from Italy's Hands of Orlac, "Hebetudo Mentis". Also their 2017 split with The Wandering Midget. Thanks.

That is indeed a very positive review, Daniel. It must make you feel very proud to be spoken of in such glowing terms.

I have looked into getting a CD copy, but Bandcamp want 150% of the media cost for postage alone, so they want £20 for a CD that costs £8. Discogs is even worse, one guy wants £16 shipping! I'll have to settle for the digital version for now and see if any UK distros pick it up later.

Nice one Xephyr. Got my vinyl copy delivered this morning. Only had chance to check out the first LP so far, but I am enjoying it immensely. Sounds a lot like ...And Again Into the Light, but the even longer track lengths seem to allow for a more narrative kind of song structure.

Hi Ben, could you add Lithuanian death doom crew Sullen Guest please.

My suggestions for the next playlist:
Lord Vigo - Eternal Saviour (off Blackbourne Souls)
Ningen-Isu - 鬼  (off 修羅囃子)

The Ningen-Isu album is in The Guardians and not The Fallen, so I cannot accept that suggestion, Morpheus, but the Lord Vigo has been added.

The first half of this month's playlist was as good as anything you've put together, Vinny. Iced Earth, Coroner, Possessed, Mystik, Motorhead, Nihilist, Mystic Storm and Hellish, along with my own picks made for an imperious first hour. The more groove / crossover focus of the second half found my attention wandering a little with Upon A Burning Body and Scatterbrain's impersonation of The Offspring being the lowlights for me. Things picked up nicely towards the end however, from Virus onwards, closing with an absolute killer cut from Vektor. Thanks a lot, Vinny, especially for that first hour!

Hey Vinny, my suggestions for January are:

Machine Head - "In the Presence of My Enemies" (from "Through the Ashes of Empires", 2003)

Mekong Delta - "The Final Deluge" (from "The Music of Erich Zann", 1988)

Necrodeath - "Necrosadist" (from "Into the Macabre", 1987)

Power Trip - "Firing Squad" (from "Nightmare Logic", 2017)

Ratos de Porão - "Amazônia Nunca Mais" (from "Brasil", 1989)

Toxic Wine - "Opresión masiva" (from "No hay lugar para los débiles", 2016)

Hey Daniel, my suggestions for January are:

Behemoth - "Xul" (from "Demigod", 2004)

Death - "Bite the Pain" (from "The Sound of Perseverance", 1998)

Edge of Sanity - "Blood-Colored" (from "Purgatory Afterglow", 1994)

Napalm Death - "Out of Sight Out of Mind" (from "Order of the Leech", 2002)

Tiamat - "Sumerian Cry (Part III)" (from "The Astral Sleep", 1991)

Hi Ben, my suggestions for January are:

Enslaved - "Heimdallr" (from "Vikingligr veldi", 1994)

Skogen - "Under Fullmånens Sken" (from "Vittra", 2015)

Stilla - "Skuggflock" (from "Skuggflock", 2016)

I've been meaning to check this out for ages after being blown away by their previous album, Death, so thanks for nominating it Daniel. Maybe I'll get off my arse and give it a review now!

Nice choice Ben. My go-to album for Isole is their next one, Silent Ruins, but Bliss of Solitude runs it a close second. I haven't listened to it for a while, so I'll try and muster up some listening time and hopefully a review.

December 2023

1. Cough - "Killing Fields" (from "Sigillum Luciferi", 2006) [submitted by Sonny]

2. Candlemass - "Dark Are the Veils of Death" (from "Nightfall", 1987) [submitted by Vinny]

3. Sir Lord Baltimore - "Kingdom Come" (from "Kingdom Come", 1970) [submitted by Daniel]

4. EverEve - "A New Winter" (from "Seasons, 1997)

5. Mother of Graves - "Of Solitude and Stone" (from "Where the Shadows Adorn", 2022) [submitted by Ben]

6. Hamferð - "Sinnisloysi" (from "Evst", 2013] [submitted by Sonny]

7. Remembrance - "Stone Mirrors" (from "Fall, Obsidian Night", 2010)

8. Dymna Lotva - "Папялішча (Ashes)" (from "Зямля пад чорнымі крыламі: Кроў (The Land Under the Black Wings: Blood), 2023)

9. Margarita Witch Cult - "The Witchfinder Comes" (from "Margarita Witch Cult", 2023)

10. Sadhak - "The Perfection of Wisdom" (from "Sadhak" EP, 2013) [submitted by Sonny]

11. KEN mode - "A Reluctance of Being" (from "VOID", 2023) [submitted by Vinny]

12. Plateau Sigma - "Maira & the Archangel" (from "White Wings of Nightmares", 2013) [submitted by Daniel]

13. Black Sabbath - "Black Sabbath" (from "Black Sabbath", 1970) [submitted by Daniel]

14. Melvins - "Night Goat" (from "Houdini", 1993)

15. Warning - "How Can It Happen?" (from "The Strength To Dream", 1999)

16. Dream Unending - "If Not Now When" (from "Starpath" split with Worm, 2023) [submitted by Ben]

Edge of Sanity - Crimson (1996)

Edge of Sanity are completely new to me and I have only come to Crimson via a project I am running on RYM. My time is a bit limited at the minute, so I have only given it a solitary listen yet, but this has very definitely grabbed my attention. Although I am a massive fan of progressive rock, there are only a few prog metal albums I rate very highly. Often the metallic version of prog leaves me cold, but this was great. At times it's death metal chugging has me desperately yearning for a good headbanging session (neck injuries notwithstanding), whilst at others it's touch is far more subtle and emotionally engaging. There are even sections of the sole forty minute track that take me back to my old gothic rock worshipping times, with the vocalist doing a more than credible Andrew Eldritch impression. Musically interesting, without resorting to excessive technicality or avant-garde pretensions and whilst still engaging the primal headbanger in me, this is scintillating stuff and although I don't have time for replays just yet, this is absolutely a release I will be returning to and hopefully will be able to deliver a full review for.

I'm going to assign a provisional 4/5, but suspect this may increase when I give it the time it so obviously deserves.

Converge - When Forever Comes Crashing (1998)

My only previous experience of Converge is their 2021 collaboration with Chelsea Wolfe, Bloodmoon: I, an album I enjoyed very much. As you all know by now, I am not much of a fan of metalcore and, in all honesty, When Forever Comes Crashing has done very little to change that. There were times, especially when the band would drop into a groovy, chugging riff, that I was thinking "OK, now here we go", but soon the ascerbic dissonance reasserts itself and the album loses me again. I understand that Converge are a big deal in the metalcore scene and especially, considering the early release date, that they were a seminal band in the development of that genre, but they also manifest those aspects of the genre that are the basis for my reticence towards it, which is the seemingly spasmodic guitar work, screamy vocals and general aura of chaotic dissonance. Ultimately I respect what the band were doing and they do sound proficient but, unfortunately, the genre they were pioneering does very little for me and when they do appeal, it is when they drop into those chugging riffs they occasionally unleash. This is a release that ultimately I can respect, but not enjoy that much.

3/5

I think that very occasionally it's a case of right time, right place. I've had a bit of a bummer of a week this week so, for some reason, Blazon Stone was exactly what I wanted (or needed) to hear today - without even knowing it!!

I love it when I'm checking out an album I am expecting to dislike and I find myself really enjoying it - it's almost as satisfying as finding a stone cold classic.

Running Wild - Blazon Stone (1991)

My only previous experience of Running Wild was their 1987 album "Under Jolly Roger" which I didn't care for much at all. I am pleasantly surprised, however, at just how much I am enjoying Blazon Stone. It doesn't at all pander to the worst excesses of power metal and contains some terrific riffs without too much by way of vocal overkill or suffocating layers of keyboards and ends up being a very enjoyable, high octane heavy metal album. Ahoy there my hearties, permission to come aboard!!

4/5

Hi Ben, could you please add russian atmo-black duo Frozenwoods.

Ocean of Grief - Pale Existence (2023)

Ocean of Grief are a Greek six-piece who play a melodic style of death doom that aims for a sombre, melancholy mood rather than attempting to crush the air from the listener's lungs or infecting them with the charnel odours of some deep, dark abyss. Pale Existence is the band's second full-length following 2018's debut, Nightfall's Lament, of which I was quite a fan. Pale Existence also marks the swansong of vocalist Charalabos Oikonomopoulos who has since been replaced by Shattered Hope's Nick Vlachakis.

What leaps out at you the most about Ocean of Grief is their melodic and soaring, yet mournful-sounding guitar lines that have a clear and clean air about them which contrast exceedingly well with the gruff growling vocals and the heavier riffs. The band concentrate on generating atmosphere and strive for a more nuanced approach than sheer weight to achieve their aims, which to a certain extent they achieve quite admirably. I won't pretend that this is my preferred style of death doom because I love that crushing, sulphurous style perpetuated by the likes of early Autopsy or Coffins, but Ocean of Grief's version of a lighter, more melancholy style holds an appeal for me over some of the more theatrical-leaning death doom practitioners who smother thair attempts at projecting mourning and melancholy in keyboards and overwrought vocal shenanigans. Less seems to be more where these Greeks are concerned.

Of course, the issue with a lot of metal that concentrates on atmosphere and of which Oceans of Grief are also guilty is that the riffs aren't especially memorable, although some are very good indeed, but I didn't really find any of them worming their way into my hindbrain and sticking with me long after the album has ceased playing. Imprisoned Between Worlds is my favourite here and is probably the track that comes closest to staying with me, helped of course by the fact that it is the heaviest of the album's seven tracks. For me this is an album that is a very strong example of a style that I quite enjoy, but don't really love, so it scores well, even though it doesn't especially set my world afire. I know that sounds like damning with faint praise a little, but it is definitely worth your time and someone more inclined to it's melodic nature may rate it very highly indeed.

4/5

Be aware Andi that Dissection main man Jon Nödtveidt was a self-proclaimed and active satanist who was convicted of accessory to murder. He commited suicide by gunshot wound and his body was found with an open satanic grimoire next to it.

Also, whilst he denounces acts of violence and was never involved in murder or church burning, Ihsahn is also a self-proclaimed satanist.

Hi Ben, could you add this year's Leechfeast / Nightfucker split release please.

Let's stick with what unites us and not what divides us, so saying I agree Vinny, the Mānbryne track was a standout and their album is near the top of my list of things to check out soon.  As you've already listened to it, is it any good?

I've always wondered how people can cite Filosofem as one of the best black metal albums ever when twenty five minutes of it is boring as fuck.

I'm almost as big a fan of ambient & electronic music as I am of black metal so I really connected with "Rundgang um die transzendentale Säule der Singularität". In fact, it played as a strong role in me awarding "Filosofem" a perfect score as any of the other material.

Why is it do you think that ambient and electronic music has become so intrinsically linked to black metal? I just can't see the connection myself as the two are often diametrically opposed. I don't dislike ambient music, but it does little for me outside of when I want to listen to some soothing sounds to unwind, but that is definitely not why I listen to black metal! Even the biggest fan of Filosofem must admit that the ambient track is at odds with the rest of the album. That said, a lot of the ambient stuff seems to come from one-man outfits rather than full BM bands, so maybe it's an easy way to pad out an album's worth of material when using a home studio. 

Sure, sometimes a brief ambient break can be quite effective for a bit of textural variation, but this has become such an overused trope within BM that it's effectiveness has been diluted immensely. Is the use of ambient tracks as a vehicle of variation really any different to those bands that use folk or indiginous music in a similar way?

I get it that I am perhaps in a minority of one in this, but when I listen to a black metal album I want to hear black metal, not electronic music.

I like the new WitTR track, in fact I was going to suggest it for next month's playlist. Wayfarer are a new one on me and were great. Checked out the album and enjoyed it a lot - I like a bit of gothic country, so their splicing of it with atmospheric black metal appealed to me immensely. Trna's style of atmo-black is right up my street, if their track here is anything to go by, and was one of my favourites on the list. Archgoat were great as always and the Darkwoods My Betrothed also got my blood pumping. Other big winners for me were Draugur and Mānbryne and a bit of Bathory never goes astray does it?

Jute Gyte just wasn't for me and feels more like a musical theory lesson than a piece of entertainment with the listeners stroking their chins and nodding seriously as they listen along. The Branikald ambient piece didn't do anything for me either, me being one of those who fails to see the link between ambient electronica and black metal, other than the odd short track acting as a breather between intense black metal blasting. In fact, I've always wondered how people can cite Filosofem as one of the best black metal albums ever when twenty five minutes of it is boring as fuck.

Anyway, another sterling list Ben, well done and thanks.

Hey Ben, have you any suggestions for next month's playlist?

Warning (GBR) - The Strength to Dream (1999)

With my perpetual touting of "Watching From A Distance" as the greatest album of all-time (and don't bother debating me on this, your piteous cries of protest will fall on deaf ears), I suppose it's time to write a few lines about Warning's "other" album, their debut from 1999, The Strength to Dream. It is obvious that this is nowhere near as well-regarded as their classic and chances are that the majority of doomsters haven't even listened to it. This is not exactly without reason, as it is nowhere near as accomplished as the sophomore and is more of an example of a band learning their trade and honing both their technical and songwriting skills than it is a band emerging fully-formed and proficient.

One of the distinctive features of Watching From A Distance is the emotional and heartfelt vocal performance of Patrick Walker and that is a major factor in it being considered (certainly by me anyway) to be one of the most affecting metal albums ever committed to record. Yet here, a mere seven years earlier, Patrick's singing is, to put it kindly, not the best. The performance is weak and he really seems to be struggling to stay in tune at times. The difference between these two performances is striking and is testament to how hard Patrick must have worked on his singing between the two releases. Secondly, the production isn't particulary good for a doom metal release, being little better than decent demo quality, robbing the riffs of a lot of their depth and heft, leaving it lacking the crushing and smothering weight that great doom metal thrives on.

It's not all bad news though, drummer Stuart Springthorpe still sounds exceedingly authoritative throughout the album, with his fill-heavy style working just as well here as on the later release and there are some pretty decent Reverend Bizarre-like riffs, especially on my favourite track, How Can It Happen, which is a track I would really like to have heard re-recorded or maybe even played live, because I rate it very highly as a straight-up doom anthem. In fact, I think the whole album would sound massively different with the technical improvements and production of the later album, because this is actually a solid set of songs.

I think Strength To Dream would always have struggled to escape the shadow of it's more illustrious younger sibling, but the glaring deficiencies in both production and PW's vocal performance exacerbate the situation, leaving it gaining a reputation, with more than a little justification, as nothing more than a warm-up for the main event of Warning's career. It's worth a listen because you can hear the germ of what would later be a classic album, but it is also an object lesson in patience and illustrates that sometimes a band needs to work on perfecting their craft before committing to releasing their best material.

3.5/5

My suggestions for December, Daniel:

Agoraphobic Nosebleed - "Cloved in Twain" (from "Honky Reduction", 1998)
Dehumanized - "Drawn by Blood" (from "Prophecies Foretold", 1998)
Immolation - "No Jesus, No Beast" (from "Failures for Gods", 1999)
Morbid Angel - "Invocation of the Continual One" (from "Formulas Fatal to the Flesh", 1998)
Nasum - "No Sign of Improvement" from "Inhale/Exhale", 1998)
Runemagick - "The Supreme Force" (from "The Supreme Force of Eternity", 1998)

Hey Vinny, my suggestions for December are:

Flotsam and Jetsam - "Doomsday for the Deceiver" (from "Doomsday for the Deceiver", 1986)

Megadeth - "Good Mourning/Black Friday" (from "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?", 1986)

Slaughtbbath - "Tyranny From Sodom" (from "Contempt, War and Damnation", 2017)

Slaughter Lord - "Slaughter Lord" (from "Thrash 'Til Death", 1998)

Trastorned - "Witch Hunt" (from "Into the Void", 2023)