Bear

You should check out their debut, Roads to Judah, instead/first IMO. Better songs, better production, better vocals and no annoying fillers.

Sounds interesting.

Home Alone - Just as good at it always have been. Hilarious film with plenty of charm and feeling, and Joe Pesci's brilliant!

 

Gremlins - I haven't seen this for years, but it's as brilliant as I remembered it. Great christmas horror!

Joe Dante is such an underrated director.

 

Die Hard - This IS action! Enough said.

I prefer the one that's best. Usually it's the studio recoding, but I can mention a handful og songs that's way better live.

What, no Ghostface Killah or Czarface?

^ Damn, that seems like it's gonna be awesome! Gotta luv Lovecraft.

 

I'm not too familiar with his written works to be honest. I've seen plenty of films based on Lovecraft stories, but never read one. Wasn't big on reading until lately. So I am very much looking forward to start reading it in a couple of days.

 

Should be a very enjoyable read.

Most people are are willing to overlook imperfection live as long as they have a good time. I, as most of you, have been at plenty of concerts, but the only time I've had problems with vocalists not hitting the notes, smaller fuck-ups or bands not being tight is when I've been bored and felt that the band sucked. This goes for pretty much every single human being I know as well.

 

And when it comes to expressing themself, Kyo isn't unique that way. Pretty much every single musician, be it a vocalists, guitarist, drummer or whatever, does that. But everyone does it in different ways. Sometimes it can be harder to notice, but still.

In Bruges - As good as always. Fantastic dialogue, great humour and Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes all delivers on the acting side. The brothers McDonagh has something really exciting going on. I hope they will make something together sooner or later.

Bad Santa - As hilarious as ever, and Billy Bob Thornton is just great in this one. This one ain't too far behind Superbad, and one of the better comedies since the 80's. Brilliant.

Shiet, that is blasphemous. It's a great film, but Halloween is way better. Eviler, meaner and better.

^ City of the Living Dead and The Beyond are amazing! They have such "thick" atmosphere, it's great.

 

Yeah, that's true. Same with Carpenter's The Fog. Brilliant stuff. The films just drags you into their universe and doesn't let you go until they're finished.

I'm surprised to see the praise of Boris' "Präparat". By far their weakest work to date IMO, and, surprisingly enough, a really poor album. I'm a massive Boris fan, but "Präparat" just sounds unfocused. It's like they realised they had plenty of leftover riffs from the very begining of the band and decided to just put everything together no matter what genre, and then decided to release it. There's not a red thread in here or anything. Nothing flows naturally. Meh, this is the only Boris release I would not like to own.

The Fog - Great John Carpenter-flick with a brilliant atmosphere. Great acting (Adrienne Barbeau!!!), a brilliant soundtrack by the man himsef and typical early Carpenter magic. The mood is set early in the film and it just gets better with each scene. Lovely!

Village of the Damned - Great, atmospheric sci-fi/horror from the early 60's. The most creepy kids ever. Jesus fucking christ! Horrible kids.

City of the Living Dead - The first entry in Lucio Fulci's unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy, and a great one it is. Great atmosphere, insane special effects, AMAZING soundtrack by the one and only Fabio Frizzi and, well, just great. It's got some of the most memorable scenes ever caught on film (vomit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and if you're a fan of gore you won't get let down by this. Amazing!

The Beyond - Second film in the Gates of Hell trilogy. This is, believe it or not, even better than the first one. Better atmosphere, meaner and more evil. The goe is, once again, insane, even though no scenes are as momorable as the special one in CotLD. But it's another great film. Mean and evil! Fabio Frizzi was once again in charge of the soundtrack, and once again it's an amazing one. God! Both of them!

The House by the Cemetery - The third and last entry in the Gates of Hell trilogy. This is slower, less atmosheric and less gory (you'll still get gore, though, and it's brilliantly done!) than the others, and sadly, not as good. It's an enjoyable film, just not as good as the two others. The most disappointing thing about this film is the soundtrack. Fabio Frizzi's gone and Walter Rizzati's in. It's a good soundtrack for sure, but Walter just isn't Fabio. A shame.

Catriona MacColl's got the lead role in all the films (different roles each time), and she's amazing. She's as good at acting as she's beautiful.

Love Actually Great romantic comedy set around christmas. Really fucking funny. Bill Nighy steals the show in this one. Amazing performance!

Black Christmas - This is one of the first, if not THE first, modern slasher films ever made. This didn't only set the layout for the modern slasher films, but also the standard. It's a brilliant piece of film making, this. This isn't my favourite slasher film (top 10, sure. Maybe even top 5), but this IS slasher. This is what slashers are about! Brilliant!

And if there's any doubt at all, the films I have seen are the originals, not the remakes.

Intouchables - Great film with a huge amount of great humor. I love how they make you laugh with the disabled, and not of them. The chemistry between Omar Sy and François Cluzet are brilliant, and Omar Sy is just great in this. Hands down.

Zatoichi's Pilgrimage - The fourteenth entry in the film series about Zatoichi, the blind swordsman. The thirteen films before this one are all amazing, and so is this. The only weakness in the series is that it does renew itself much from film to film, but I don't care about that. It's top ntoch, and Shintaro Katsu is as great as always. It's another amazing entry in the series about Zatoichi. Bloody great!

On the other foras where I hang, yeah. Especially the first half of the season.

Not films, but I will post it here anyway since I finished the seasons:

 

 

Breaking Bad, season 3 - I've seen this before and I thought it was even more enjoyable now. I love how gritty and dark everything becomes. It's just great. I don't get why this season gets so much hate. It's on par with both of the other seasons. I've seen season 4 as well, but not yet seen season 5. It would be nice if people didn't spoil anything.

 

 

Ripper Street, season 1 - It's a shame this got canceled, because this was good. It lacks the final touch to make if one of the great ones, but still a very enjoyable series. Dark, violent and gritty. The atmosphere is just great, the actors are mostly very good and the sets are beutiful, it's visually fantastic, and the last two eisodes were amazing Even better than the first, which was really good. Esecially the last one were top notch. Not much less than brilliant to be honest. Starting on season 2 soon enough, and it's the last season. I hope they found a way to finish it all up in a nice way. Anyway, recommended if you like gritty crime dramas or things set to the Victorian era.

Rosenfeld - B/Crows in Black

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAqT-KHO7Ro

 

X Japan - Blue Blood

 

Pretty similar, isn't it? They were both active around the same time in the 80's, both being early VK and stuff so I wouldn't be surprised if X Japan heard Rosenfeld first, and either intentionally or unintentionally wrote a very similar riff. It's a great riff and I would written the same if I could.

Paysage d'Hiver are the masters of lo-fi in my eyes. A lot of people consider lo-fi productions a wekness, but I beg to differ. Lo-fi productions can sound just as good as "good" (in lack of a better word) productions, it's all about the context. What the band sounds like, what they are trying to create and all that. And in Paysage d'Hiver's case the production is just as important, if not more important, than the music itself. And because of that I don't think Paysage d'Hiver will ever go past the demo phase, something I find very interesting. Ten demos and two splits are where he's at right now. But I tend to call them demo albums, though, because unlike most demos these aren't a preview sent to record companies to get a good deal or anything. These are their actual albums, just in demo form. I think he will keep on released demo albums with a lo-fi sound until he quits. Paysage d'Hiver is all about the atmosphere, and the lo-fo production helps creating the atmosphere Wintherr's looking for. It's a massive and cruel winter blizzard in the form of music. And every release, both the black metal and ambient, are top, top notch! It's not lo-fi for the sake of being lo-fi and cult or anything, but because it adds a lot to the actual atmosphere he's looking for.

 

This song is from Paysage d'Hiver's fourth demo album, Paysage d'Hiver.

 

 

But to keep it a bit on topic:

 

Sabbat - Bloody Countess

Bloody Countess were Sabbat's second release, but their first demo and has got a worse sound than their debut EP, Sabbat. Fast, thrashing black metal with Gezol's trademark vocals and a great, raw guitar tone. As for the production, I think it's badass. It's honest and are filled with plenty of charm. It's just easy to like. But that guitar tone's amazing. I love it!

 

Ah, I vaguely remember watching this movie and that it was kinda okay-ish but nothing more... I don't think I even finished it. XD Might give it a second try in the future tho, when I'm more in the mood for it, cuz it seemed fun enough.

 

I don't know your taste in films very well, but if you don't mind slow, different films then you certainly should. Dellamorte Dellamore is a great piece of film making.

Huh. I wasn't aware that Vàli had a new album out. I'll need to check that out. The demo is amazing, so I am looking forward to this. And I hope this means Vàli will go back to creating a new Skumring album soon. Almost 9 years is a long wait for a new album so it's about time now.

Dellamorte Dellamore - This is a great mix of black comedy, zombie horror and art house film. Original and a really nice touch on the zombie genre. Very good visually as well. And I mean, very, very good. Classic film that gets better with each view. And 20 years after its release there still ain't no film quite like it.

 

From Hell - Great, underrated horror/thriller based on the even better comic by Alan Moore. Dark, gloomy and gritty, as well as a pleasure to the eyes. As previously said; underated!

Oh no no, I'm not talking about pre2000 stuff from the 90s, 80s and so forth. There's plenty of bands that had blended folk into their music but they were still considered whatever respective genre they originated from. I'm mostly referring to after the term Folk Metal was coined and the bands labeled purely as folk feel like it's just the same stuff I've heard already from the big names. Oh another song about being a viking and coming back from battle and now you and your lads are gonna get crunk on some mead and hail odin banjo banjo flute flute.

 

I definitely agree the real gems seem to lie with black metal bands using folk elements in their music because I suppose they're not trying to fit that Folk Metal mold so they can get a deal with a label. 

 

My post weren't a response to yours. I just thought it would be cool to talk bout hidden gems, no matter when they're from, and shed some light upon them. Doesn't matter if they're demos, EPs or albums or whatever. However, I do agree with you, though.

 

 

A few other bands that I feel are very overseen/forgotten (some more known than others, but still bands that never got as big as they probably deserved):

 

Hades, who later changed their sound and name to Hades Almighty, a viking/black metal band who owes a lot to Bathory among others. The demo was brilliant, and the debut was very good, but they never really made anything bellow par. A very solid band. The way he shouts/snarls "unholy congregation" just makes the hair on my neck stand. Each fucking time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXZE5yAlgzo

 

 

Melechesh, a black metal band with middle-eastern folk music influences. Is from Israel, but moved to Holland later on. One of the more original folk/black metal bands you'll find. You just won't find anything like it. Proscriptor McGovern of Absu used to be a drummer for these guys.

 

 

Empyrium, a dark metal/folk metal band that later evolved into a neofolk band. Great band with a unique sound. Beautiful and mesmerising. Haven't released anything new for ten years, but are comming out with a new song this year. Been playing live for some time now though, with live members such as Neige (Alcest), Fursy Teyssier (Les Discrets) and Eviga (Dornenreich).

 

Uaral, a folk/doom metal band from Chile. Their music contains beauty and sadness all in one, and often "portraits" despair and loneliness. That shines throught in the music.

 

Rivendell, a epic folky black metal in the vein of Falkenbach. Not original or anything, but if you like that kind of metal this should please you.

I have got a huge list of music that I've enjoyed so far, but I'll keep it at five albums of amazing, good and bad. And I can't remember all that I've heard so I will have to make a few changes here and there as soon as I find out this and that album's actually released in 2013, and some of these albums aren't much better than some of the others so that can change and depending on mood and feeling and so on. I'll also come back and add my thought on each album in a spoiler beneath each of them.

 

Amazing:

 

Ghostface Killah - Twelve Reasons to Die

While neither the beats or rapping match what's found on Run the Jewels, the production, lyrics and atmosphere certainly does. In fact, it's a shitload better. The beats are good and so are the rapping, but what makes this a stand out album are Adrian Younge's smooth and soulful production, the superb storytelling and the atmosphere, which reminds me a lot of those found in 60's and early 70's horror films, and as a massive vintage horror fan it's hard not to enjoy such. His best album to date, and one of my all time favourites within the genre. Massive!

Pest - The Crowning Horror

Pest is a band that, for a long time, was nothing but a mediocre Darkthrone clone. But in 04 they released the magnificent and highly unique Dauðafærð which was an epic, 20+ minute long black metal track, and in 08 they released the great Rest in Morbid Darkness, which was more of a Nifelheim clone, but with their own twist.

 

In 2013, five years after their last release, they're back with something new. But unlike before were they've gone from mediocre to amazing to mediocre again and to great, they managed to write a new, amazing album. It's nothing short of a masterpiece. Old school as fuck, yet original and different. At time I think of Venom, Hellhammer and Celtic Frost, and at other times I think of Mortuary Drape, Black Sabbath and Pagan Altar. Which is quite weird to be honest. But on top of this they've added a pinch of their own spice and made a hell of an original black metal album. Top notch!

 

They also released a new EP at the same time, called Black Oath c/w Morbid Revelation which is worth checking out. Sounds a bit more like Rest in Morbid Darkness, but it's a great one.

Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels

This doesn't quite have the songs, productions or lyrics that Twelve Reasons to Die have, but this one will give the beats and rapping. A bad-to-the-fucking-bone hip hop albums made by two of the most talented guys in the game at the moment. Doesn't need to say much more really.

Paysage d'Hiver - Das Tor

Aside from the more clean production and varied vocals, there's not much here that Wintherr hasn't done several times before. This is ice cold lo-fi black metal where the production is more important than the music itself. The production makes this, and all other Paysage d'Hiver albums what they are. Long, icy black metal songs with a heavy use of samles of winds blowing and such. Paysage d'Hiver is French for "Landscape of Winter" and the band sounds like a horrible blizzard in form of music. Really, it does.

 

Wintherr started Paysage d'Hiver back in 1997, and has kept this shit very, very real by not signing to any label or improved the production values to more listenable (for regulars). I resect that a lot.

Alucarda - D.F.F.L.

Alucarda is a new Danish doom metal/punk band that sounds like a doomier Satan's Satyrs and a punkier Electric Wizard. Great, catchy music with badass vocals and a good production, and this is topped off with a badass theme and aesthetics. I fucking love it! It doesn't quite have the amazing production of Satan's Satyrs debut album, Wild Beyond Belief!, (despite being a demo, D.F.F.L. has got a way more high-fi production than Wild Beyond Belief!, but I prefer Wild Beyond Belief! way more), the songs doesn't stand back to Satan's Satyrs, though. Not at all. Great!

 

Amazingesque:

 

Zemial - Nykta

Black Magick SS - Symbols Of Great Power

Summoning - Old Mornings Dawn

Inspectah Deck & 7L & Esoteric - Czarface

Framtid - Defeat Of Civilization

 

Bad:

 

Girugamesh - Monster

Devil - Gather the Sinners

The Gazette - Beautiful Deformity

Turisas - Turisas2013

Satyricon - Satyricon