The general Metal discussion thread

[injectcandy 67]

Yea I've listened to Gwar a little bit, but I always had a soft spot for them because of their wicked get-ups. 

Still really shocked to hear about Dave's passing though...

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Totally excited for the upcoming Mayhem album (and single beforehand featuring one non-album B-side)! Some details:

 

Esoteric Warfare

(June 6 / June 10)

01. Watchers

02. Psywar

03. Trinity

04. Pandaemon

05. MYLAB

06. VI.Sec.

07. Throne of Time

08. Corpse of Care

09. Posthuman

10. Aion Suntelia

11. Into the Lifeless [collector's box vinyl bonus track]

 

Wicked cover art too by Zbigniew M. Bielak who did artwork for Behemoth and Watain, among others. According to official sources the album is "based on a concept dealing with the esoteric experimentations of the nuclear powers during the cold war" - sounds cool!

[Bear 1817]

I'm gonna check it out, but I am not stoked. Interested, yes, but I've got no expectations whatsoever.

 

 

After the legendary Hole in the Sky festival held their last festival a few years back, Beyond the Gates started right after that. In a few years they've gained some what of a cult status and people don't even miss Hole in the Sky. That's impressive as Hole in the Sky was concidered one of the best metal festivals in the world. I'm thinking about my first Beyond the Gates and Bergen trip later this year. The line up is looking so good at the moment!

 

GRAVE MIASMA
IRKALLIAN ORACLE
JESS AND THE ANCIENT ONES
NIFELHEIM
PRIMORDIAL
PURSON
SATAN
SINMARA
SONNE ADAM
THE RUINS OF BEVERAST

 

There's only one band there I wouldn't want to see right now and that is because I haven't actually heard 'em. That's Sinmara. The rest I really want to see. Primordial, Satan's Satyrs, Jess and the Ancient Ones, Nifelheim, Satan, The Ruins of Beverast and and so on. Goooood damn! And there's still a billion bands left to be announced.

 

 

Been dreaming of seeing this band live for close to 10 years now. Jesus. A.A. Nemtheanga are, judging from the DVD and other live clips, the very best frontman in the world at the moment, and so he's been fo many years now. That presence, man. Feeling the presence just from the DVD is insane. The charisma. Unlike anyone!

[Jigsaw9 6783]

The new Animals as Leaders album is excellent! All dat jazz(metal & progressive & whatnot).

 

[Jigsaw9 6783]

New 1349 track... kinda by-the-numbers but not bad.

 

[Bear 1817]

This years Inferno Festival is over and I am back home. What a great fucking festival this is, and what a brilliant year! Their best ever.

 

Wednesday (aka club day); I saw Infant Death and it was OK, but we left after that. Didn't bother. Great evening as a whole, though.

 

Thursday: Impiety started off the day for us, and it was cool, but the triggered drums ruined a lot of the experience. The bass drums was awful. Typical type writer shit. But the geat riffs and amazing frontman Shyaithan made this a worthy gig anyway. Not amazing, but enjoyable.

Fleshgod Apocalypse was awful. Saw a couple of songs and regret it. Waste of time. Shite band.

Dimmu Borgir was another band I was looking forward to. They were to play an album from begining to the end and we didn't know which one until the gig started. It was Deathcult Armageddon, my favourite Dimmu Borgir album. I was excited as fuck until they started to play. The drums were awful, the vocals were awful and Shagrath is a horrible frontman. Unlike Impiety, who also had a poor drum sound, these guys didn't have anything to make up for that. Ended up a horrible gig.

Mystifier was one of the bands I was looking forward to the most, and they didn't disappoint. What a gig, man! This brazilians know how to CRUSH! One of the best gigs at the festival. It was amazing!

 

Friday: We started off the day with a boat ride around in the fjors of Oslo, and later one Church of Misery played on the boat. It was a small boat with about 100 paying audiences. I went there with some great people, had great weather and it was all amazing. By far one of my best concert experiences ever. 10/10

Mgla was next out and one of the bands I was really looking forward to, and they did not disappoint. Brilliant gig by a brilliant band. Superb!

Tristania was boring. Saw a few songs and left. They sounded like a cover band to be honest. A big meh.

Hatebreed was awesome. Pissed off metalcore with the right attitude. Jesus christ, when they played I WIll Be Heard, man. Awesome!

Necros Christos did sound great and delivered a great gig, but they did look a bit tired. But it was a good gig, and rumors says probably their last one.

Blasphemy was pure brutality from begining to end. It was almost too brutal. It was almost ridiculous. But it was a badass gig. Brutality in its purest form!

 

Saturday: Sigh was amazong and the winners along with Church of Misery and Mystifier. Brilliant gig!

Gehenna did sound very professional, but it looked uninspired. Left after a few songs.

Tulus was pretty boring, but Inskripsjon etter Jordferd and that made me feel good. Awesome song!

Rotting Christ was boring, but The Sign of Evil Existence with guest vocals from Mirai was good fun. But why the fuck didn't they play Fgmenth, Thy Gift? That song IS Rotting Christ. Disappointing.

Black Witchery was crushing! not as brutal as Blasphemy, but not too far away. Awesome concert!

Watain was übershite. Clowns!

 

Missed Deathhammer and Vemod. They played too early and we had too much fun drinking. Shame they played so early, wanted to see them.

 

Anyway, best Inferno ever. It'll be hard topping this.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

It was nice to read your 'report', even though I only know/listen to a small fraction of those bands. Forever jelly about that Church of Misery gig, must've been divine! They are truly great performers, no matter the venue anyway. Mgla I haven't seen myself, but I know and respect their music, good stuff. Hatebreed should be killer live too.

 

Bit off-topic compared to this but: just listening to Triptykon's new album Melana Chasmata (great title btw!) and enjoying it thoroughly so far, around mid-way. This is my first time listening to them (and don't have any experience with Celtic Frost either except for some hilariously bad looking old YT footage I quickly closed) and it's quite the trip. Nice, dark and just depressive enough.

[Bear 1817]

I'm not a fan of Triptykon meself, but you should check out Celtic Frost's last album. Triptykon is more or less a continuation of that one, just a bit more gothic. If you like Triptykon I am sure you'll like that.

 

I love old Celtic Frost though. 85-85 were fabolous, and I even like the avant-garde album Into the Pandemonium, even though it was a huge step down from the previous albums. After that they wanted to become famous and rich and went on to lay glam. They didn't make it. Awful. And the demo they did in 2002, Prototype, are one of the worst things I've ever heard. So bad I have to listen to it now and then.

 

I love love the "pre-Celtic Frost" band Hellhammer. Fantastic band. Rotten to the core and so on.

 

I can't find it now, but I saw an old flyer from back in the mid 80's where Celtic Frost searched a musician. And they actually lived of playing rotten, ugly black metal and if you got picked, you'd live there for free and shit. That's pretty insane considering how it is today. You can't play anything ugly or rotten today if you want to live off your music. But back then. Funny.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Ah I think I have heard some Hellhammer long ago, they were more to my liking.

 

Anyway, thx for the suggestions! Will try them out sometime.

 

edit: ooh~ just saw Church of Misery link a full show on their Facebook - quite good quality too!

 

[Bear 1817]

Not sure if there's any fans of Sigh around here at all, but a demo version of Out of the Grave can be heard here

 

 

Incredible! Imense! Massive! Amazing! Awesome! Jesus, what a song!

[Visutox 188]

Not sure if there's any fans of Sigh around here at all, but a demo version of Out of the Grave can be heard here

 

 

Incredible! Imense! Massive! Amazing! Awesome! Jesus, what a song!

 

Indeed. I really like it.

I've never heard about Sigh, but I think I'll give a listen to their discography. Really interesting. 

 

I would go back to Fallen (Sorry for the delay btw). I listened to "A Tragedy's Bitter End" and the only thing I have to say is : Oh, My, God. I can't describe how much this album is stunning, awesome. And if I try to find more adjectives I think I'll spend all the day here, ahead of my computer. I'm simply amazed by its awesomeness. I wasn't expecting that. Anyway, I'll try the other bands that you suggested me as soon as I can. 

 

Lately, I listen to some ambient black metal bands. Particularly to Summoning and Caladan Brood. I listened to the complete discography of Summoning and they directly became one of my prefered bands. They don't make music, they make masterpieces.

 

 

And concerning Caladan Brood, they released only one album titled "Echoes Of Battle" and it's very similar to Summoning but they have their own style and they're awesome too. I only listened once to that album, and I should make more listens, cause they have such a marvelous universe.

 

[Bear 1817]

Yeah, you do that. Though, emember that every single Sigh album is very different from the previous one. They've always managed to sound Sigh, but still every album is very different from the last one. Started out as a black metal band and moved through avant-garde black metal and then progressive/psychedelic black metal to heavy metal to symphonic blak metal and then avant-garde again. Unique and superb band!

 

 

As for Summoning, massive band! I don't like their debut, but everything since then has been good. Some albums better than others, but all are worth getting.

 

 

Caladan Brood is also great. Not Summoning level great, but great. They sound a lot like later Summoning, and they do it well.

Another band woth checking out is Kinstrife & Blood. Another Summining clone, but unlike Caladan Brood these guys sounds alot more like earlier Summoning, and they're even better than Caladan Brood IMO.

[Visutox 188]

Yeah, you do that. Though, emember that every single Sigh album is very different from the previous one. They've always managed to sound Sigh, but still every album is very different from the last one. Started out as a black metal band and moved through avant-garde black metal and then progressive/psychedelic black metal to heavy metal to symphonic blak metal and then avant-garde again. Unique and superb band!

 

Very interesting, I should try then. I like bands that diversify their music and above all, bands that know how to do it. I'll grab their discography as soon as possible and I'll give it a listen.

 

Really ? Personally, I like their debut, albums like Minas Morgul, Dol Guldur or Stronghold are very pleasant to listen to. Their lyrics are also amazing, especially when you're a fan of the mythological world of Tolkien. Is there an album from them that you prefer ? Mine is Oath Bound. Such a masterpiece, I can't get tired of that album.

 

Oh, I don't know the band you mentioned. So, I should try if it's similar to Summoning. Thanks for that one. See ya!

[Bear 1817]

Yes. I think Luguburz is a poorly written black metal album. I love the artwork and the intro, but the rest is mediocre at best IMO. Yeah, this is how I'd rate Summoning's discography:

 

1. Stronghold (10/10)

2. Oath Bound (10/10)

3. Dol Guldur (10/10)

4. Old Mornings Dawn (9/10)

5. Minas Morgul (8/10)

6. Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame (8/10)

7. Lugburz (4/10)

 

So you could say I am quite the fan of Summoning.

 

And my Summoning worshipping/clones band list would look something like this:

 

1. Kinstrife & Blood - On Paths Long Forgotten... (9/10)

2. Caladan Brood - Echoes of Battle (8/10)

3. L'Ordre du Temple - In Hoc Signo Vinces (7/10)

4. Emyn Muil - Túrin Turambar Dagnir Glaurunga (6/10)

 

All these albums should be heard by fans of Summoning. Great stuff. The last one isn't as mediocre at the score suggests. It's just that I think the songs are way too short, something which ruins the whole experience a bit.

[Visutox 188]

Oh, so you were talking about the debut album. Sorry, I thought you were talking about all their 90's stuff. So in this case, yeah, I agree. But the most important thing is they knew how to improve in their genre. 

 

I would have rated same as you did, I think. Well, it's nice to see another Summoning fan here !

 

And concerning the very similar bands, there's only Caladan Brood that I know. I should try the others you mentioned. I only listen to Caladan Brood, Summoning and Blut aus Nord.
That last one is really interesting, I guess you know them already. I listen to this band for a few months now, and I loved their music.

 

 

777 - Cosmosophy is an awesome album. I've only listened to that one.

[Bear 1817]

Yeah, their debut album only. I love everything they've made after that album. Summoning is an incredible band.

 

As for Blut aus Nord, they're very hit and miss IMO. But I prefer their three first albums, with The Mystical Beast of Rebellion being my favourite. I think all those three albums ae very good. They were less avant-garde and experimental back then. They've released some good albums later too, but they don't grab me the same way. Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue with the Stars is my favourite after the three first albums. But yeah, it is the three first albums I listen to whenever I play ome Blut aus Nord.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

I gotta say, the new Aborted album The Necrotic Manifesto is just excellent! No-nonsense death metal with a killer aggressive & polished sound and awesome riffs. Their previous one (Global Flatline) is one of the peaks of their career imo, and this easily comes close as well.

 

 

The new Hour of Penance full-length Regicide is pretty sweet as well... those guys are totally crazy. Brutally precise, extremely professionally executed death assault.

 

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Checked out this band Vallenfyre today because I saw that their new album is out. Only listened through once (to both albums), but I'm certainly likin' what I'm hearin'. Nice rough old-school influenced doomy death metal with some faster bits sprinkled here and there. They're supposed to be a "supergroup" of sorts, I've heard - some dude from Paradise Lost is in it, I dunno (I don't listen to the 'Lost). Anyway, recommended for fans of gritty dark metal!

 

[Bear 1817]

Yeah, a supergroup they are. Scott from legendary crust punkers Doom, Adrian Erlandsson from legendary melodic death metallers At the Gates, Hamish Hamilton Glencross from legendary epic doom metallers Solstice and death/doomersMy Dying Bride and Gregor Mackintosh from legendary death/doomers Paradise Lost.

 

I was very disappoitned with Vallenfyre's debut album. It wasn't bad, but not very impressive either. I'll rather listen to billion of other, (new) doomy death metal bands that does it a lot better.

 

As for Paradise Lost, they're two first albums are amazing, as well as the demo compilation Drown in Darkness - The Early Demos. Their next two-three albums are allright as well, though nothing outstanding. Absolute worth checking out. I'm not too keen on the things released after that, but if one's into goth rock/metal there's absolute some things of quality to get there as well.

 

 

I have to bite your leg when you call it dark metal (yes, I know you meant it's dark metal, not as in the genre ). Not that dark metal is a real genre, but for some reason it always worked fine when talking about the good, ol' Bethlehem albums. One of them named Dark Metal as well. It's not exactly black metal, it's not death metal and it's not doom metal, but something inbetween all these genres. Bethlehem was a very unique band.

 

Apcalyptic Dance, from Dark Metal

Schatten Aus Der Alexander Welt , from Dictius Te Necare

Teufelverrückt Gottdreizehn, from Sardonischer Untergang im Zeichen irreligiöser Darbietung (SUIZID)

 

Three great songs from the great, unique albums. The vocals on Dictius Te Necare, by Rainer Landfermann, is one of my all tiem favourite vocal performances. The vocals are extreme as fuck, tormenting, uncomforting, cold and insane. A bit like the vocals in Silencer, but unlike the Silencer dude Landfermann doesn't come off as a clown.

 

"Until "Dictius Te Necare", Bethlehem faced censorship and was even banned from playing in some German cities. It started when Matton gave one copy of their first demo to a 14 year-old boy. After a while his mother started to call the band, saying that because of their music, her son become aggressive and built a "Satanic altar" in his room. In cooperation with other parents, they started a crusade against Bethlehem and their "satanic" music (ironically, Bethlehem were never satanic)."

 

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Some random recent impressions of mine:

 

 - Killer Be Killed's album, despite the interesting lineup ("supergroup" yet again), is pretty underwhelming on first listen. It's not bad, it's not brilliant, it just is. The musical equivalent of tap water, as I like to say: you're not bothered by it but it doesn't leave any aftertaste whatsoever.

 

 - However, I checked out Sabaton's new album Heroes today as well, and I kinda enjoyed it. I'm usually not on good terms with "typical" heavy metal but this works somehow. Of course it has its boring bits, and is cheesy as all hell but still fun to listen to.

 

 - The latest Down EP is pretty solid. I liked the previous one too, and I think I might dig this one even more. Good job.

 

 - Eyehategod's long-awaited returning album isn't too bad either, tho not that memorable. If you know Eyehategod you know exactly what to expect, no surprises here at all. Not much staying power either tho.

 

 - Got into this random old-school worshipping death metal band called Skinfather recently. Their debut album None Will Mourn (released a month ago) is pretty cool, as is their previous stuff. Props for the scrummy but totally fitting production too. Nothing mindblowing but good to listen to.

[Bear 1817]

 

Damn, that was awesome! Respectable sound and picture. Great stuff!

[Bear 1817]

Any fans of Old Man's Child here? I've had a massive kick on this band/project lately. For those not familiar with the band, Old Man's Child is Galder's (of Dimmu Borgir fame) baby, which he started out with some friends in the late 80's under a different name. Old Man's Child is a melodic black metal band that at time have been flirting with the symphonic side of black metal, without getting to much into that. And unlike so many melodic black metal bands, these guys always manage to remain black metal at heart. While always being Galder's baby, Old Man's Child ahve had other members and session members such as Tjodalv (ex-Dimmu Borgir), Nicholas Barker (ex-Dimmu Borgir and ex-Cradle of Filth), Brynjard Tristan (ex-Dimmu Borgir), Gonde (Minas Thirith), Aldrahn (Dødheimsgard), Gene Hoglan (ex-Death and Death Angel) and others. So he's had some great musicians helping him out as well.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlnvncBA904

 

Superb band! It's a shame Galder uses all of his time with the inferior Dimmu Borgir nowadays. Rewally a shame.

[Bear 1817]

THe cover of the upcoming Electric Wizard album:

 

Not their best yet, but it's cool allright. Very cool.

 

New song: http://noisey.vice.com/de/blog/electric-wizard-i-am-nothing-listen

 

 

Awesome song, and they seem to have kept their word as well. They said they would go away from the 70's sound they've had on these last two albums and more back to Dopethrone territory, and so they've done. This is heavy as fuck. Sounds massive!

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Dat Electric Wizard track doesn't sound bad (never listened to them before btw). Which album would you recommend for a beginner?

[Bear 1817]

It depends on what you're looking for.

 

Their debut, Electric Wizard, is a straight forward trad. doom album in the vein of the classics.

 

Come My Fanatics... is slower, heavier and borrows a lot from sludge and stoner as well.

 

Dopethrone is often considered the band's best album. It's even slower and heavier than Come My Fanatics... and sounds way more massive and psychedelic.

 

Let Us Prey is a more experimental album, and their most experimental to date. Not saying much, though.

 

We Live is less experimental, and more back to basis. My second favourite just after Witchcult Today.

 

Witchcult Today  are my favourite ElWiz album. It is recorded with vintage audio equipment from the 1970s, and it is very easy to hear that because production-wise it's 100% 70's.

 

Black Masses is a continuation of Witchcult Today. A bit more mellow maybe?

 

Anyway, I'd rate 'em like this:

 

1. Witchcult Today

2. We Live

3. Black Masses

4. Dopethrone

5. Come My Fanatics...