The general Metal discussion thread

[Bear 1817]

 

I expected this album to be great, and it really is. It's way too early to say if it is better than 1994 or not, but the thing I do know for sure is that the album is devilish good, just as you'd expected from a band consisting of Neige, Winterhalter, RMS Hreidmarr and Indria.

[Bear 1817]

 

1. The Black Gates
2. Harps of the Ancient Temples
3. Titans
4. River of Woe
5. B.O.D.D.
6. Blood Rite Tree
7. Opaline Eye of Death
8. Andromeda

 

 

I read about this release (Nocternity - Harps of the Ancient Temples) a long time ago, but I thought it was a re-release of the EP by the same name, but I just found out we're getting a full album. 3 previously released songs (2-4), and the rest is new. It's been 12 years since last full lenght, so this is exciting news. Brilliant band, and among the best greek metal bands ever. Love the band's imagery as well.

 

[Pretsy 1343]

Ghost Bath just made their "Moonlover" streamable through bandcamp and so on:

 

http://ghostbath.bandcamp.com/

 

The album is not bad fosho - kinda tamer than their previous album, but still neat

[Bear 1817]

 

 

I recently rediscovered Gates of Ishtar, and this have to be one of the best melodic death metal albums ever. The whole album's like a mix of mid-era At the Gates, old In Flames, Unanimated and Dissection, but with their very own touch to the mix. Great production as well.

 

Edit: The W.A.S.P. cover is awful, though.  Should never have been a part of the album, but aside from that it's bloody brilliant.

[Bear 1817]

I'm finally checking out Thulcandra properly, and so far I am most impressed. Dissection worship at its finest, with hints of Unanimated, Vinterland and Sacramentum, which all belonged to the mid 90-s swedish melodic black/death metal scene. The band even covered Dissection on their debut and Unanimated for their second album. I'm still on the debut album, but Fallen Angel's Dominion sounds like the album Dissection would've released in 1997 had Jon Nödtveidt not been sent to prison at that time.

 

The band even got Necrolord to fix their cover art, so even their cover art screams of Dissection as he made the cover art for most Dissection albums as well.

 

 

 

 

Highly recommended for fans of Dissection, or melodic black/death metal in general. Sure, not quit as good as its influences, but still more than good enough to be worthy of your time.

[Bear 1817]

The entire Macabre Omen album is up for steaming: http://macabreomen.bandcamp.com/

 

Sounds fantastic after one spin. A perfect mixture of traditional greek black metal in the vein of old Rotting Christ, Kawir and Varathron, mixed with the epic viking touch of Bathory and Hades. I had massive expectations to this album as I adore everything the band has released up till now, with their debut being nothing short of perfect, and this seems to live up to my massive expectations... as expected.

 

 

 

New track from the original Death tribute band. Sounds great! Love the vocals which reminds me of early Death, Obituary and so on.

[Visutox 188]

 

1. The Black Gates

2. Harps of the Ancient Temples

3. Titans

4. River of Woe

5. B.O.D.D.

6. Blood Rite Tree

7. Opaline Eye of Death

8. Andromeda

So fucking hyped for this one. it's going to be great, no doubt about that. 17 April seems so far away.

 

I'm listening to Glaciation's new album and it's outstanding. I'm loving it so far, the three first tracks are awesome.

 

Also came across this today, it's awesome. https://onryo.bandcamp.com/releases

 

 

Originally from the UK now based in Japan, Onryō is supernatural atmospheric black metal with various influences. A deeply personal project.

[Bear 1817]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZH-5QQ_r1k

 

Damn! That's quite something.

[Visutox 188]

Yeah, so fuckin' great! Btw, I love the album artwork. Another week of waiting and we will be able to try the new record!

[Bear 1817]

I'm not too impressed by the cover art myself, but the music is top notch. It's fresh and original, but it sounds like Dødheimsgard and is just really good. The proper black metal riffing they've got going in these two new songs really give me an old Abigor feeling. Love it.

[Visutox 188]

 

Hope that someone has already heard of this band, namely Pantheion. A melodic/black metal band from Germany, and I don't find another thing to say except that they're true geniuses. They have released a few records before this one but seemingly they cannot be found on the internet. Whatever, The Faustian Disciplines is nothing but a fantastic album and pretty much every song on it are the epitome of perfection. The concept of the album, the cover art, the atmosphere...This album is highly recommended. I listened to this album many times now but I just can't get enough of it.

 

Here are two samples off the album, my fav ones. But as I said, every song on the album is worthy of your time.

 

 

 

These guys certainly have awesome references. And it's sad to see that such a good band goes unnoticed, they deserve more attention.

 

[Visutox 188]

Holy shit, new Dødheimsgard album sounds AMAZING. Left me speechless, superb album. 10/10

[Bear 1817]

Really looking forward to the album. Waiting for a better rip before I check it out. I saw people compare a part of one of the songs to Devil Doll. That gets my pants wet as I am a massive Devil Doll fan. This album can easily end up as one of the best albums of the year.

 

 

 

 

This band is recommended for fans of raw black metal. Some Vietnamese-american guy making amazing black metal. Reminds me of some of the early Moonblood material, just not quite as epic. Great, underrated band!

[Bear 1817]

 

Full album: https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/umbras-de-barbagia

 

 

Amazing atmospheric pagan black metal. The album is epic and beautiful, yet tormented and haunting. An amazing mix of different types of black metal that just flows into eachother without feeling weird or out of place. It's not very original per se, but I think he's got something of his own going on Highly recommended!

 

Apparently, the guy is just 18 years old as well.

[Bear 1817]

Ghost Bath just made their "Moonlover" streamable through bandcamp and so on:

 

http://ghostbath.bandcamp.com/

 

The album is not bad fosho - kinda tamer than their previous album, but still neat

 

Been playing this album lately and I am really enjoying it. Now that I've been listening to the album I think it sounds like a mixture of Austere, Grey Waters and Deafheaven.

 

A small article around the origins of the band as well:

From Velvet Cacoon to Ghost Bath: the Curious Anatomy of a Black Metal Hoax

[Jigsaw9 6783]

New album "Curse of the Skinless Bride" coming on April 10 from occult/horror death metallers The Grotesquery.

 

You can already stream a song here: https://cycloneempire.bandcamp.com/album/curse-of-the-skinless-bride

 

Sounds pretty cool as always. Their first 2 albums are recommended too, nice concept albums with a huge dose of old-horror/Lovecraftian vibes.

 

 

Conceptually and lyrically this album finalizes the "Coffin Born Trilogy" - and serves as a sequel to the first album: TALES OF THE COFFIN BORN, as well chronologically takes place before the events of the second album: THE FACTS AND TERRIFYING TESTAMENT OF MASON HAMILTON: TSATHOGGUA TALES - thus serving as a side story prequel to the that albums lyrical story concept.

Still taking influences heavily from the writings of H.P. Lovecraft and the style and moody dark haunting settings of E.A. Poe, this is a return to that dark haunted house upon the hill: the Ward estate, and the gloomy cemetery and tunnels beneath the cursed grounds first introduced in the debut album.

It takes place about 10 years after the events of the first album's story ends, and about 15 to 16 years before the beginning of the story arc of the second album's plot line.

You'll find out what happens to the character Matthew Ward - who was introduced on the first album, and get a bit more insight to the character Mason Hamilton who was the main protagonist on the second album, and learn of his true origin. 

Also introduced is a new character, a private detective by the name of Alexander Salem, and the main plot unfolds from his perspective, as well as from Matthew Wards point of view.

Really exploring the type of macabre mystery and classic gothic horror story telling of classic PULP FICTION novels of the early 20th century.

[Bear 1817]

Holy shit, new Dødheimsgard album sounds AMAZING. Left me speechless, superb album. 10/10

 

I have to agree with this. I've only given the album 5-6 spins by now, and it's not everything that's working just now, but it's getting better with each listen and despite not being blown away by all elements, it's sniffing on the 10. Absolutely brilliant stuff. I like how innovative and original it feels. I mean, the riffs and stuff by themself aren't very original. I hear plenty of Satanic Art, Ved Buens Ende, Abigor and even Devil Doll here and there, but the way the songs are put together makes it feel so fresh. Superb stuff! Can't wait to see them live again. Should be proper good.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Tau Cross, the new project of Away (Voivod drummer) and Rob Miller (Amebix vocalist/bassist) is releasing their first album on May 18. Expected to have influences from their own bands, as well as goth music, industrial, prog-rock and old-school punk. Doesn't sound too bad so far.

 

 

Tracklist:

 

01. Lazarus

02. Fire In The Sky

03. Stonecracker

04. Midsummer

05. Hangmans Hyll

06. We Control The Fear

07. You People

08. Prison

09. Sons Of The Soil

10. The Lie

11. Our Day

12. The Devil Knows His Own

[Visutox 188]

Bring it on, I'm ready. 

 

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Randomly started listening to the new album of a band called Disgrace (album's called "True Enemy" btw)... and GODDAMN IT I'm only like 3 tracks in, but this is so sick/awesome/crushing, I gotta give them a mention here. Imagine filthy old-school caveman death metal having a baby with some hammer-to-the-head hardcore. Amazing sound. Oh, and Dan Seagrave artwork! (tho I feel he surely did better ones before, lol)

 

 

Also, it seems like there's a miriad of bands with this name, lol. The one I mean is the group from Los Angeles that formed in 2011.

 

edit: oh wow, looks like the vocalist is from Nails. #sweet

[Bear 1817]

Suddenly back on a symphonic black metal kick. Proper, dark symphonic black metal the way it was supossed to be. It's nice alright.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxWrKa8vC10

 

They don't make 'em like this anymore. Symphonic black metal is like a forgotten art nowadays.

[Visutox 188]

I know I'm late but I checked out the new Darkspace album and holy shit, it literally blew me away. Magisterial and majestic. 10/10

 

Favorite track: Dark 4.19

[Bear 1817]

Yeah, the album is great. Well, everything Darkspace is great.

 

 

 

First song off the new album. I really fucking like it. I'm quite surprised that I get plenty more The Sham Mirrors-vibes than Sideshow Symphonies-vibes from the song. Had expected a more Sideshow Symphoniesesque song. Really looking forward to seeing them live on Inferno in a week now.

[Bear 1817]

No love for Arcturus here? The production is off, and especially the drums as usual by Hellhammer, but the song itself is amazing IMO. Love it.

 

 

Also, Immortal is officially done and Abbath will continue under Abbath. looking forward to what he can do with a new "crew", but I do not have any big expectations at the moment. Hopefully he'll go in a different direction than what Immortal did. Something new and fresh. But don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of most Immortal albums and wouldn't mind that either. But still, something new would be cool. I am glad I got to see the band live a few times too. The last concert was amazing.

 

1. Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism (10/10)

2. Battles in the North (10/10)

3. Pure Holocaust (10/10)

4. At the Heart of Winter (9/10)

5. Blizzard Beasts (9/10)

6. Sons of Northern Darkness (810)

7. Damned In Black (8/10)

8. All Shall Fall (6/10) I never really gave this a proper chance, though. I was too disappointed. But I shall revisit it one day.

 

I also enjoy I's Between Two Worlds (8/10) a lot. Recent Immortal goes Motorhead. A nice, rocking album.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Never really liked Arcturus, sorry. This new track doesn't convince me either.

 

I do love me some Immortal tho, kinda sad but inevitable to hear about the news... Their albums kinda blend together for me, but there isn't much I don't like from them either. Sons of Northern Darkness might be my fave I guess, at least that's the one that has the most tracks I can recall from memory, haha (One by One is a beast!).