The general Metal discussion thread

[Bear 1817]

I'd recommend trying the two other Portrait albums, especially the debut. It's an album that could've had the Mercyful Fate logo, and the only thing anyone would ask is if Kind Diamond had a cold at the time of recording.

 

And I forgot Oz. Fire in the Brain and Turn the Cross Upside Down are must haves for anyone into heavy metal. They had Quorthon as a cover desinger, and the hand on Fire in the Brain is none other than the hand of Quorthon himself.

 

I guess you already know Angel Witch, but they're worth a shout anyway. Classic band. Their two first albums and the stuff before the debut are amazing.

 

Witchfynde's debut is really good, too.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Thanks for the further recc's! I've never actually listened to Angel Witch, oops. I think I'm okay with those heaps of bands to check out for now.  

[applesorbet 1]

Didn't see this band being posted here, great balance between scream and clean vocals:

 

[Jigsaw9 6783]

16 hours ago, Bear said:

I guess you already know Angel Witch, but they're worth a shout anyway. Classic band. Their two first albums and the stuff before the debut are amazing.

 

I just couldn't let it slip, and been listening to their stuff since yesterday night, haha. So far the first album and the other random stuff around that era are my favorite by far. Excellent pure heavy metal joy. The 2nd album has its moments too, but I couldn't get into it much (I found the production to be kinda messy and overly noisy too, but maybe that's just the rip I managed to track down). Same for the 3rd one, only that one is actually downright boring at parts. Haven't checked out their 2012 album yet, but hoping it will kick my ass more than their mid-'80s stuff.

 

Also, I didn't find Amulet as amazing as I thought I would, but they're still solid. I liked the demo a bit better than the album. But extra shout-out to "The Flight" - so cool '80s feeling synth interlude! (rarely does a random interlude catch my attention this much on a metal record, lol)  

Edited March 12, 2017 by Jigsaw9

[Bear 1817]

Angel Witch's reunion album from 2012 is very good, though far from classic. But it's worth checking out for sure.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Good to hear!  Gonna check it today or tomorrow.

 

Till then, a totally random find on YT. You probably know them already too, but that opening gave me a kick I needed~

 

 

I'm just listening to their 2nd album, awesome stuff. Gonna keep this 3rd one for last, sounds like this one's quite the energy-bomb.

Edited March 12, 2017 by Jigsaw9

[Bear 1817]

Liege Lord rules. Classic USPM! I gotta say that the USPM scene from the 80's are very underrated. So many good bands from that time and era. Attacker's Battle at Helm's Deep, Savage Grace's Master of Disguise, Helstar's Nosferatu, Jag Panzer's Ample Destruction, Griffin's Flight of the Griffin and Protectors of the Lair, Dark Age's Dark Age, Omen's Battle Cry, Manilla Road's Crystal Logic (and the majority of albums they released between 83-05), Medieval Steel's Medieval Steel, Abattoir's Vicious Attack, Iron Cross' Iron Cross, Brocas Helm's Into Battle and Black Death, *Crimson Glory's Crimson Glory and Transcendence, *Fates Warning's Night on Bröcken, The Spectre Within and Awaken the Guardian, *Warlord's And the Cannons of Destruction Have Begun...., *Savatage's Hall of the Mountain King and so on. Yeah, I think I'll stop now, but I could go on forever here. I love this scene to death.

 

*The majority of these bands are what we nerds refer to as "blue collar" bands, which is much dirtier and grittier sounding than the traditional European PM bands of that time, but the bands marked with * are what we call white collar bands. They're often much more progressive and melodic than the blue, and a bit flashy at times.

[Visutox 188]

 

 

Two more tracks form the upcoming solo album of Nergal have been unveiled, I can dig the new one. I think my favorite so far is the first one, aka My Church Is Black (and I didn't like the polish version). Interesting sound though, will check out the album but I'm not a huge fan of his clean vocals. 

----------------------

 

Also, I checked out the new Havok album and I really like how good this sounds. Made me wanna spin it again and again!

The first thing that got my attention is the bass play on the first track of the album (F.P.C.), fucking phenomenal. The album length is also superior to its predecessors and that didn't bother me at all. They're getting more technical and Vektor-ish and you know what? That's really awesome.

 

 

Edited March 14, 2017 by Visutox

[Bear 1817]

Never really understood the thing about Havok. I was really into the whole "retro thrash wave" and I am still into a shitload of the retro thrash metal bands that formed around 02-05 or something, but Havok never managed to stand out in my eyes. Just one out of an incredible amount of bland bands with no identity or anything going for them at all. Havok, Evile, Bonded by Blood, Lich King, Warbringer, Fueled by Fire, Thrash or Die, Gama Bomb, Terrordome, Suicidal Angels, and so on. The majority of these bands are just living off old riffs packed in a disgusting production that sounds so artifical and plastic. The production just doesn't fit the music at all.

 

 

This is what retro thrash should sound like in my eyes. Not only do they have the riffs, but they have the raw production and that raw, uncontrolled feeling of it as well. It just sounds so pure and real. No gimmicks, just pure thrash.

 

 

[Visutox 188]

Yeah, never managed to get into their music before but strangely this new album actually did hit me well. Production wise it's polished af but that doesn't really bother me, even tho I always prefer my thrash to be as raw as possible (that Terrifier album did great in this aspect). 

 

Deathhammer are fucking huge, need to get back to them asap. <3

[Bear 1817]

 

 

Checking out some asian metal with folk influences, and my newest discovery is Taiwain's Bloody Tyrant who plays a form of melodic black metal with lots of traditional folk influences, as well as touches of symphonic black metal. I've only checked out this album, but this sounds really good after one listen. It's hard to talk about a band like this without mentioning other Chinese bands like Chthonic, Deep Mountains and Anthelion, and even South-Korean melodic black/death metallers Oathean could be mentioned.

 

Looking forward to hearing the other albums. Really appreciating the folk influences on this album.

Edited March 20, 2017 by Bear

[Bear 1817]

 

https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/dread-sovereign-resurrect-the-cult-of-true-doom-with-for-doom-the-bell-tolls?utm_source=noiseyfbgus

 

New Dread Sovereign is very welcome, and this sounds good as expected. For those who doesn't know, Dread Sovereign is a doom metal band consisting of A.A. Nemtheanga of Primordial, Johnny King of Altars of Plauge and some guy I'm not familiar with. Sol Dubh of Primordial used to be in the band as well. Fairly traditional doom with yet another strong performance by A.A. Nemtheanga who don't know how to do anything but sing amazing.

[Visutox 188]

^ this album is on my list and I'll definitely have a few words with it. The line-up is quite interesting, can't wait to check it out.

 

Listened the new Pallbearer album yesterday and had another session with it an hour ago and I have to say it's brilliant stuff, the vocals are beautiful and the music is unreal. I already know that I'll have to find the album a spot in my top 10 albums of this year.

 

Also, finally listened that album from Jake Dreyer's and Joseph Michael's band 'Witherfall', it's as good as it gets. Those guitars are killing me, they're delicious.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCJMqfVcUW8

Edited March 21, 2017 by Visutox

[Lestat 2167]

 

This is about as crunchy as death / doom can get. Comes from an amazing album, never heard of this band until now but I am so honestly glad that I discovered them. 

[Bear 1817]

The fuck happened to these guys? Their debut album is a decent Mourning Beloveth-esque death/doom album, but this new song was godawful. Will not check out any further.

[Lestat 2167]

Always nice to read your ever so positive insight on others' tastes in here, Bear. 

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

God forbid someone says what they think about music.

[Bear 1817]

But I haven't made a single comment on your taste though, have I? Like I said, I like their debut and thought this might be cool. But I was really disappointed and thought it was shit, and I don't get why I shouldn't be allowed to say that or why you feel offended by that?

[Visutox 188]

10 hours ago, Lestat said:

 

This is about as crunchy as death / doom can get. Comes from an amazing album, never heard of this band until now but I am so honestly glad that I discovered them. 

Never heard of them but this sounds sick as fuck, and those vocals are fucking diabolical. I love it, will check out the album as soon as I can. Hellish stuff.

[Bear 1817]

Some good and bad news. We'll start with the bad, sad and awful ones:
 

Quote

With great grief in our souls, we inform you that our friend and colleague, Gabriel “Negru” Mafa, passed today, March 21st 2017, aged 42.
We deeply regret the death of the man who founded and maintained Negură Bunget and who dedicated his life to the sacred side of our culture, bringing it to life through music and transmitting it to various generations from all over the world.
We hope that his legacy will continue to enchant and console those whom he left behind.
With regret and sadness, we offer our condolences to his family and to those who knew and cherished him in this life.

 

 

Heart attack at the age of only 42 years old. Damn. Negura Bunget in their prime years (02-06) were amazing. Some of the most honest and spritual black metal you'll find, with Om as the absolute highlight. But their early, more straight-forward black metal stuff and the symphonic black metal of Wiccan Rede are great as well, and some of their later stuff, like Măiestrit and Vîrstele pămîntului are good. But with Vîrstele pămîntului, the first one without Hupogrammos and Sol Faur, you could already sense that a huge part of the band was gone. A huge step down in quality. So the loss of Hupogrammos and Sol Faur just didn't do this band good at all as they manage to continue the sound of Negura Bunget much better in Dordeduh than what Negru did with Negura Bunget.

 

Anyway, fantastic, creative drummer.

 

 

This song, this album. Holy shit! Perfection.

 

 

 

But the good news are that Peste Noire are on their way to record the new album.

 

Quote

"On the road to record the 7th KPN album with the sound engineer of "L'Ordure à l'état pur" (the best one we ever worked with - you never change a winning team)."

 

Fuck yes!

[Visutox 188]

His passing is really sad, especially knowing how young he was. A heart-attack at 42... Ouch. 

 

And I'm so fucking stoked for that new Peste Noire album!! La Chaise-Dyable was really great and L'Ordure à l'état pur is incredible. Can't wait!

[Bear 1817]

Seeing Ram-Zet live today. Ram-Zet isn't a band I listen to anymore, but back in the day I was a massive fan. They're from the same area as me, one of the first band I saw live and I sitll have my old Ram-Zet tshirt, bought at a hippiestore with tons of posters with Bob Marley and cannabis and whatnot. I think the tshirt must be something like 12-13 years old not. I haven't really tried to get into their last two albums, but I've heard them a few times. Much more avant-garde and playful than their earlier, schizophrenic stuff. But I am excited anyway. It's a small scene with the capacity of 150 people, and even 150 is pushing it a lot. 50-80 of those will have a terrible view of the scene. So yeah, we're talking a real intimate concert here. Hopefully they'll just go full retard with the theatrics, because I am expecting something theatrical and over the top here.

 

Also, I am sure I would still enjoy at least their three first albums if I play them again. A mixture of avant-garde black and goth metal with focus on atmosphere rather than riffs. I always liked the schizophrenic feeling of their music. It's weird.

 

 

[Bear 1817]

 

 

Sounds neat! After hearing two tracks this album is already better than their debut album and EP. Way ahead of both! I'm surprised by how epic this song sounds, but it still sounds like it's from the same album as the first, more Nifelheim'esque track. Diggin' this, and the cover art is just beyond rad.

[Bear 1817]

 

 

So Heretoir just released a new album. I kinda thought they had split up to be honest. I was really into this band back when they released their debut album back in 2011, but since then they only released a compilation back in 2012. I can't say I have listened to Heretoir a lot since 2012-13, though. Probably not a single time. While the debut album was good musically, the production is just way off. But back then I was really into the whole black metal/depressive rock scene with bands like Amesoeurs, Lantlos, Lifelover, Apati, Dopamine, Dernier Martyr and so on, and the vast majority of these type of bands really pleased me.

 

Anyway, with their new album, The Circle, Heretoir seems to have really found themself. The production is miles ahead of the debut album, and they seem to have much more control over what they are doing. They seem to know exactly where they want to go with their music, unlike with their debut which is a bit all over the place. It has a lot bigger focus on the black metal-side of things, and the black metal sounds a lot better. It's not original or anything, but it's good. Clearly draws a lot of inspiration from Alcest, Amesoeurs and Lantlos, and I am also tempted to say Les Discrets. Will be playing this a lot in the time to come.

 

Beautiful artwork by Fursy Teyssier and brilliant vocals by Neige on Laniakea Dances (Soleils Couchants), which is by far the most Alcest-esque song on the album. It also happens to be the best song of the album after one listen.

[Bear 1817]

Some exciting news for fans of good music:

 

Triumvir Foul - Spiritual Bloodshed

Their demo is a masterpiece and one of my favourite death metal releases in recent time, and while the debut album didn't quite manage to deliver the same magic, it's still excellent. Dark, mean and filthy death metal with hints of classic american death metal (Autopsy, Necrovore), as well as classic Swedish death metal (Nihilist, Dismember), as well as recent stuff like Teitanblood, Swallowed and The Haunting Presence.  Bith members also delivers quality music in Ash Borer, Serum Dreg, Urzeit and Uškumgallu.

 

Dødsengel - Interequinox

Dødsengel have manage to create quite the name for themself in the underground, and with releases like Mirium Occultum, Alongside Choronzon, Ecstatic Horror and two and a half hour long masterpiece Imperator it's easy to understand why. We're talking black metal much in the vein of Hetroertzen, Nightbringer and Saligia, but with their own twist to it all.

 

Evil - Rites of Evil

This Japanese horde plays mean and evil black/speed/thrash metal in the vein of old Sodom, Bulldozer, Abigail, Sarcofago and Vulcano.

 

Aek Gwi - Hideous Dreams

Dark and eerie South-Korean black/ambient. Very horror-esque atmosphere, a bit like early Pyha. Top quality band!

 

Really looking forward to all these. Should be goooood!!