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As it goes - opinions are like assholes, everyone has a shitty one... Most of what I would consider "perfect" or "unskippable" I'm sure would fall out of your wheelhouse and most likely the opposite is true. NBD. Fortunately, we both passed the metalhead certification test years ago. Enslaved - Mardraum

Blasphemathory - War, Blasphemy & Divine Destruction Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal Sentient Divide - Haunted By Cruelty

Finally saw a metal show again, first time since we moved last summer. Local show in a really tiny venue an hour and a half away in Burlington. None of it is stuff I would listen to at home, but it was super fun to just be in a room with loud music and people jumping around.

Just a small sample of what will be playing here today on my most favorite day of the year. King Diamond - Halloween Misfits - Halloween 1 & 2 Helloween - Halloween Candlemass - Bewitched American Werewolves - American Werewolves The Spookshow - Here Come The Zombies Blitzkid - Pretty In A Casket Samhain - November Coming Fire

Bathory - Hammerheart (1990) Each time I tell myself I am done with Bathory and Quothorn's shit singing capability that he somehow relentlessly hacked away at showing a resilience that far outweighed his vocal capacity, I put on Hammerheart and soon find myself completely enamoured with them for an hour or so. The heavy Viking metal aesthetic helps no ends of course, it sort of excuses all the roughness present on the record. This and Under the Sign of the Black Mark should get more plays I have decided.

Well, got the word today that I got a significant promotion. Moving up to the Deputy Nurse Exec for my healthcare system. I'm not sure what they've done putting a dirty hesher in a position like that, but they're about to find out. Huge step up in responsibility and worst of all, I will now have to wear a suit or sport coat to work every day. Where's our resident fashionista @markm when I need him? Not sure about a step up in pay just yet, but I'm going to need something to stock the closet with something other than Archgoat and Vomitor shirts...

Saw the Max & Igorr show last night. Decent show. Both bands were tight and delivered the goods. All of Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions. Encore was Escape to the Void (Schizophrenia), Refuse/Resist & Territory (Chaos AD), and Troops of Doom. So I'm on a Sepultura kick this morning. Sepultura - Bestial Devastation Sepultura - Morbid Visions Sepultura - Beneath The Remains Sepultura - Arise Nailbomb - Point Blank

Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade Morbid Angel - Gateways To Annihilation Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy Nifelheim - Servants of Darkness Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons - Kings of the Asylum Possessed - Seven Churches Extremely bitterly disappointed this is not a broadcast of an actual Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan Interim Report for 1979. The bit I listened to was fine musically but nothing about project design brief, community consultation processes, enivornmental impact statement let alone a financial update. I mean where the fuck is the risk management strategy?!? Talk about misleading! And I will bet there is no Final Report either!

Age old question. Some say we may never know. Scientists claim we have only begun to scratch the surface and have only as yet been able to explore maybe 10% of the existing prog rock in the universe. Recently an observatory listening post in New Mexico has detected messages from outer space that have been decribed by astronomers as coming in such odd time signatures and polyrythyms that it could only be described as prog rock. An anonymous consortium of billionaire benefactors headed by Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk has put together a 5-man dream team of progonauts to launch a space mission into the outer galaxies in search of extra-terrestrial prog rock. This will be a strategic alliance joint venture between NASA and SpaceX. The $34 billion dollar solar powered vehicle will be mannned by: Colin Marston, Steven Wilson, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Chris DeGarmo. Robert Fripp wanted to be a part of this mission but was deemd to be too old to handle the rigors of space flight, so he has been grounded. John Petrucci wanted to go as well but was said to be too fat and smelly, no one wanted him in there with them. There will also be two as yet unnamed NASA dweebs onboard to do some scientific experiments once their destination has been reached and two Air Force test pilots will be enlisted to fly this sucker until it breaks free from the Earth's gravitational pull at which time they will board a lifeboat shuttlecraft and be jettisoned from the main spacecraft to return back down to Earth. The spacecraft will then be navigated and piloted from the ground by Elon's crack team of space nerds. The progonaut team will be cryogenically frozen and sealed into pods, kept alive intravenously and their vitals monitored closely by computer for the 540 year journey to the Andromeda galaxy where the messages are thought to have originated. Then the onboard computer will reawaken them in 2562 in hopes they will be able to make contact with the alien prog rockers. NASA has no plan to re-freeze them and bring them back safely (if there'd even be anything left on Earth to come back to in 1080 years) but when asked for comment a spokesman for the SpaceX company has reportedly said: "Hey listen, we can't think of everything man."

Mentioning Overkill @GoatmasterGeneral, I saw them last Friday with Heathen and Exhorder. Never been a huge fan, but 1 2 Fuck You they were great. Blitz was definitely working (he's not young anymore) but sounded spot on.

Sepultura - Arise (1991)

Exodus - Tempo of the Damned (2004)

Show wrapped last night. Would've posted a small summary, but I was well past my limit of cheap beer. I think the appropriate term is piss drunk. Regardless, day 3 was the best of the week. Highlights - Sodom, Demolition Hammer, and Rotting Christ. Darvaza was pretty decent too. Didn't get excited about Tank, though the rest of the fest seemed to enjoy them quite a bit. Also didn't get much for Forbidden, mainly because they only have 1 song I even remember and secondly because who the fuck can follow DH after they level the place. Surprise of the day was Rotting Christ. Never seen them or listened to them much. Pretty freaking great. Overall show highlights aside from the above - Queensryche (the early stuff kills live and after seeing them both I think I prefer LaTorre to Tate), Lamp of Murmur (pulled it off live), Candlemass, Sumerlands, Savage Oath, and Autopsy. 6th year here and it just keeps getting bigger. Some growing pains and capacity issues at the venue, but they have always been good at working those things out between years. Up there with MDF for quality run organized festival by good people. If you're shopping for a fest to hit next year, can recommend.

Huoripukki - Ikuinen Kamppailu Destruction - Sentence of Death Dead Congregation - Promulgation of the Fall

WFH day, so massive playlist incoming. I would throw in some Anti-Cimex, Discharge, or Wolfbrigade in honor of our dear leafy green vegetable, but I've already done the work to put the playlist together. Akercocke - Choronzon - FA and I both thinking about getting some 'cocke today Akercocke - Renaissance in Extremis Hulder - Verses in Oath Inquisition - Veneration Inquisition - Black Mass Marduk - Panzer Division Marduk DHG - Black Medium Current The Antichrist Imperium - Vol 2: Every Tongue Shall Praise Satan Black Angel - The Black Truth Judas Iscariot - Heaven Shall Burn Horna - Vuohipaimen

I agree, there’s not really a weak point, however this resonates with me more at the moment than black mass did, that could just be recency bias though. NP:Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade

Travelling by train this morning to Paris. List of albums listened to : Incantation - Diabolical Conquest (1998) Hell - Human Remains (2011) ADX - Suprématie (1987) Xoth - Exogalactic (2023) Cosmic Jaguar - The Legacy of the Aztecs (2023)

Fuck, how the hell did I fall behind the General's posting timeline. I thought I had until at least March or so.... Anyway, my refined EOTY 23 closeout. Not much special you probably haven't seen already. GG probably covered everything of interest anyway. Didn't get much chance to dive to deep in 23. In no particular order: Demoncy - Black Star Gnosis - a glorious return for my fave BM band ASET - Astral Rape Dodheimsgard - Black Medium Current Faidra - Militant: Penitent: Triumphant Gravesend - Gowanus Death Stomp Lamp of Murmur - Saturnian Blood Storm Poison Ruin - Harvest Spirit Possession - Of the Sign ΣARΚ - Inumbris Ruim - Black Royal Spiritism Profane Order - One Nightmare to Another Circle of Ouroboros - Lumi Vaientaa Kysmykset Enslaved - Heimdal Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite Woe - Legacies of Frailty Kreig - Ruiner Now to comb through the thread and see what I missed.

Best wishes TG for a quick recovery. Pneumonia is scary. Get well soon! I'm not as much of a Grinch as some of ye ole bastards. The short days and holidays depress me to a certain extent, but I'm at a pretty good place in my life and my health, knock on wood, seems to be good. Self care is important. I've been trying to eat right and exercise. I teach a high school program at a community college and have access to the health and wellness facilities. I've been strength training for the first time in earnest since Covid and swimming at the pool-fuck it, it's free. I've worked up to about 20 laps in a non Olympic pool at about 25 yards per link works out to be about half a mile. I've been kayaking more than usual on the Potomac here in DC as we've had a lot of rain in December after having a brootal drought, so the whitewater is higher than it's been, which means it's rock and roll time on the water, and we've had a warm December with temps often approaching and even exceeding 50 degree fareinheight or 10 Celsius, Now the water is in the 40's and freaking cold, but with a dry suit and good layering and skill to stay in your boat is totally doable. I find exercise, and time outside get me through the winter. I'm a staunch critic of organized religion and think Christianity on a literal level is non sensical, yet somehow, feel the symbolic message of Christmas of hope and peace is positive. That said, hail Satan haha. My Christmas present to myself is an onslaught of 2023 metal purchases. I'm off work unit January 3. Bills are paid, my kid's out of college, working as a nurse and has a dude who seems like he's in love with her and they're happy together, so, I don't hate this Christmas at all except my lifelong feeling that belief in virgin birth and savior figures is beyond stupid. Happy Holidays grouches!

Bolt Thrower - Mercenary (1998)

Blaze is the best of those in my opinion, I don’t know what it is, but Transylvanian hunger never clicked for me. NP: Hail of Bullets - …Of Frost and War Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal

Blaze in the northern sky (1992) - darkthrone Under a funeral moon (1993) - darkthrone Transylvanian hunger (1994) - darkthrone

Sepultura - Beneath the Remains (1989)

Built a reliable audiophile quality music server and purchased Roon. Significantly cut down what I was spending on vinyl. Cost around $1000-1200 total which seems a lot, but that's really only about 30 records. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the thousand or so I have, but price per record is just too high at the moment not to mention shipping from outside the US where most of what I like comes from. Now I have an easy to maintain and organized library available whenever I like, no cleaning routine and no getting up every 18 minutes to flip unless I'm in the mood.

in the sign of evil (1985) - Sodom

Darkthrone - Astral Passages (2022)

Celtic Frost - Into the Pandemonium, 1987 TMA - Beach Party 2000, NJ Punk 1987

Two days after surgery and I am finally hitting the sweet mix of codeine and paracetamol tablets that mean I can eat albeit in a semi-lucid state from the drowsiness off the back of the meds. Gonna take the down time to catch up on some music and spin some vinyl most of the weekend. Not going out, not answering my phone - just gonna sit in my armchair and drift in and out of consciousness until Sunday evening. Pairing back on the listening habits and trying to focus on the music I have in physical copy where possible. Still feel that the less music I have at my fingertips, the happier I am - just like when I was a broke ass teen in my bedroom at home (or "The Metal & Masturbation Years" as I would title any biography on that period).

Necrophobic - The Nocturnal Silence

Bolt Thrower - War Master (1991) The intro to What Dwells Within gives me chills every time! It's magical!

Listening to Loudwires top 50 thrash metal albums 49. Epidemic of violence (1992) - demolition hammer this album marked the beginning of the end of what I call the golden age of thrash (around 1983-1992) and unlike hair metal which had a slow painful death around the end of its golden age thrash went out on a year full of classics within the genre (the law - exhorder, beyond recognition - defiance, and will work for food - uncle slam being some good examples) and this album stands above all the rest. the only complaint i have is that this album wasn't higher on the list.

Mostly listening to megadeth Last rites demo (1984) Killing is my business and business is good (1985) Peace sells but whose buying (1986) So far so good so what (1988) also why Dave felt the need to rerecord the vocals and butcher the original mixes is beyond me.

Pestilence - Consuming Impulse (1989)

Entombed - Clandestine (1991)

Bathory - Bathory

Pestilence - Testimony of the Ancients (1991)

Hey folks. Just figured I would drop by and check in. I'm finishing up some work and some recording stuff, making plans to get everything moved, running errands, changing diapers. Somewhere in there, I pretty much stopped listening to any music over the past few months, and it's made me more conscious of how little I was actually processing anything I was hearing, when I was just involved in the constant churn. Somehow playing and writing music is more fun when I'm not keeping up with it all. I'm sure the pendulum will swing back the other way at some point. Anyway, I hope you're all well, miss you guys, maybe I can get back to regular posting here again later in the year.

"Below", 36x36, oil on canvas. Cover painting for the upcoming Rannoch album "Conflagrations". This is from two years ago, but I couldn't share it until now. Really happy for these guys - they recently signed with Willowtip and this album will see a proper release.

Anthrax - Spreading the Disease Judas Priest - Painkiller.

There you have it... even their fans admit the music puts them to sleep

Messiah - Christus Hypercubus Disgrace - Grey Misery Ripping Corpse - Unreleased 2nd Album

Ripping Corpse - Dreaming with the Dead (1991)

Swans - White Light From the Mouth of Infinity, 1991 Bauhaus - In the Flat Field, 1980

Bandcamp Friday New This Godless Endeavor by Nevermore New Leprous Daylight by Fossilization New "Luciferian Towers" by Godspeed You! Black Emperor Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada by Godspeed You Black Emperor! A Journey told through Fire by Sworn Some old and new. I liked the Scorn one although it veered into tech death territory sometimes the dilution of which a capricious blackened veteran wouldn't like.

Heavy metal maniac (1983) - exciter Melissa (1983) - mercyful fate The beginning (1987) - mercyful fate

No one's suggesting it's a one to one parallel. Few analogies ever are. The theory has just been floated by our father (and I concur) that the fanatical way in which some of us have witnessed what I'll call the unwashed masses (for lack of a better phrase) embrace their sports teams. (or a solo athelete) They buy tickets to go see them perform, fly around the country to catch their games, wear their merch and live and die with them every time they win or lose, and stick with them no matter how bad they get. It's not completely unlike the way we've seen some of the unwashed masses embrace a rock or metal band and buy tickets to see them play, fly around the country to catch their concerts, wear their merch and buy their albums and support them no matter what they release, no matter how bad it gets. Some people obviously enjoy this fandom, whether it's a band or a team or a religious sect it makes little difference. They need something to get behind, something to stand for, and for many their favorite team or their favorite band can become a huge part of their identity. I don't mean people like us who usually crave a wider variety of music and don't want to hang our hats on just one or two specific bands. But outside these walls where the normies and casuals roam you will see people like this. There was this dude we knew 30 years ago when I was renting the downstairs of this house from '90 to '93, Joe. He was just some long haired kid who had no car so he'd walk the 1.5 miles into town daily to get food and whatever else he needed from the shops, and we just happened to live about halfway. He noticed as he walked by 4 times a day that some long haired dudes lived in our house, and so one day he thought he'd stop in and have a sit to catch his breath because he was asthmatic. So then every day when I'd get home from work he'd be sitting on my couch. Steve didn't work, he was my best friend since high school and at that time my full time live-in babysitter because I was a single dad of a widdle baby in the early 90's. So he and Joe became friends. We were 30-ish, Joe ws 20-ish. I used to call him Ugly Kid Joe. He wasn't ugly, but he said he liked that band one time which of course I had to give him shit for. He liked some metal but he wasn't interested in listening to a lot of different shit like we were, or the real heavy stuff (Paradise Lost Shades of God was too heavy for him) he just had a few certain bands he worshipped. I can't remember all of them, but Maiden, Nirvana and the Misfits were 3 of them. Nirvana could have been a passing phase, Nevermind had just broken them into the bigtime on MTV. We got him into Overkill too, this was when Horrorscope had just come out and he was head over heels for it, used to come give us lengthy monologues about how Horrscope was the most incredible metal album he'd ever heard and clearly the best Overkill album. I remember having lengthy stoned debates with Joe about Horrorscope vs Taking Over, Metallica vs Megastaine, and about Peace Sells vs Rust in Peace. Fast forward 30 years to 2023 Steve shows me a FB post of now 52 year old Joe's, he'd posted a pic showing off his new Misfits tattoo. I was like "The Fucking Misfits?!?" Steve says he still goes to see Maiden and gets all excited every time they come around. He doesn't work he gets a disability check, and he had subsisted on nothing but peanut butter sandwiches for 2 months just to afford tickets to see the MIsfits and to afford to get the tattoo in time for the show. He's still in thrall to the same handful of bands he was 30 years ago. These are his bands and he doesn't want or need any new bands. I think he thinks we're just playfully razzing him when we tell him Maiden and the Misfits can all suck each other's cocks for all we care. Doesn't make sense in his brain that anyone into metal or punk would not worship the same handful of bands he does. Can't find the tattoo pic but I found this one on Ugly Kid Joe's FB page of his pilgrimage to MSG to see the Misfits. Joe back in the 90's. The Monte was early 80's. From Steve's FB page this is me and Steve in 1985, I'm the one on the left who doesn't have his arm around the ugly girl. Steve holding my infant daughter 1990 Steve, me and my 6 month old son Valkan at my daughter's wedding 2014. Last time I wore a suit. Also from my daughter's wedding... My grandkids. Not the blonde kid in the Beast Mode shirt, just the other 3.

Perfectly understandable. My best guess with Anata is that it got shelved so that some of the members could continue their education. From what I understand they have a few fairly advanced music theory degrees under their belt, and death metal just doesn't pay the bills. NP: Cancer - Death Shall Rise

Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas Immortal - Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse Burzum - S/T I'm not saying these are the best albums by these bands (some are, some aren't), but these are the albums where 2nd wave black metal essentially started Bad reference point. Emperor were doing something a bit different from the others with their symphonic style of black metal. The two bands that really laid down the blueprint for the stereotypical Norsecore sound were probably Darkthrone and Mayhem. In other words, if it reminds you of Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas or Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky it's probably 2nd wave. ...and don't worry. Whitenoise will be along any minute now to provide you with a list of 300 albums you should listen to 😁

Brutal Truth - Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses (1992)