Requiem

You're quoting the very first post. I know this because I've memorised the entire thread. Requiem's Top 5 1. Mayhem 2. Katatonia 3. Cradle of Filth 4. Septicflesh 5. Marduk

I had a huge garden job last weekend, and while my legs are still suffering due to the lactic acid that came from them being basically immobile for most of my adult life, the front grounds of Castle R actually look pretty good for a change. We had a tree company come around and remove about 5 large and deadish trees, including two out the front. So it's looking a bit healthier. I also got up on this precarious ladders-with-plank contraption and painstakingly trimmed that huge hedge that you can see behind True Belief (lord and king) and me in the photos thread. After I struggled with that for a few hours, we decided to hire the actually tree pruners who came along the next week and cut the hedge down another metre, rendering the hedge excellent and my efforts from a few days earlier completely obsolete. Still, I got some exercise. More interestingly, the Countess of Eternal Eroticism has fled to her parents' beach house with our two vampire children, foolishly leaving me alone in the Castle for the long weekend (Queen's Birthday - hail Her Majesty, long may she reign over us and her dominions), intoxicated, energised and with a sinister sparkle in my immoral eyes. Bring your daughter to the slaughter.

Was: Paradise Lost - 'Obsidian' Is: Eternal Valley - 'The Falling Light' Great band. I really love the 'Melancholie2' album more than 'Autumn', which I find a little too post-black at times. I probably need to hear it a bit more, as I can't remember 'Autumn Shade' at all, so I'll check it out a few times and see how it goes. Love the first album though. Very intense.

Just arrived: Can Bardd - 'The Last Rain' digipak limited to 999 copies. Yet another amazing atmospheric black metal album of high emotion and Tolkien moods. Check out track 2 'Celestial Horizon' for an amazing time. You know the label: Northern Silence Productions. Hail.

Fuck yeah! Say what? I didn't realise there was a documentary about Death? That's great, I'll have to check it out. Where did you see it? NP: Paradise Lost - 'Obsidian' This album is amazing!

Amazing band, and I'm sad that more people aren't into their melodic and emotional tunes. Just listening to the amazing 'Triestitaliana' from 'The Blue', and the final part just sticks with me forever. Just amazing, and reminds me of the beautiful country, Italy.

Eternal Valley - 'The Falling Light' Epic atmospheric black metal for the ages.

I'm sure I could make a gothic girl very happy... she could be my cinnamon girl.

Did your skills in alchemy help to turn these books into pure reading gold?

Paradise Lost - 'Obsidian' The first three songs are definitely the best, and I'm wondering whether there might not be a touch of filler towards the back end. More listens are required. Loving it so far though.

If I had a gun to my head I'd take a stab in the dark and suggest that no noose is good noose for those who fail to note the most-art of Requiem. I didn't want to leave you hanging, so shot through my poisonous reply like a speeding bullet. Quite frankly, with an axe to grind and plenty of time to kill, I knocked them dead with my lyrical post that all agree is to die for and the silver bullet you need .

I like Salmonotherclowncake's taste in music. NP: As We Die for Paradise Lost - Holy Records Paradise Lost Tribute from 1998. A very interesting release, for sure. I bought a copy that I think is second hand but looks absolutely mint for about 6 bucks. Considering Paradise Lost were only about 8 or 9 years old when it came out, it would be like a tribute album for a band that first produced an album in 2011. Pretty hard to imagine these days. Amazing how time has sped up in the 21st century. 9 years when I was young meant 6 or 7 albums from a band. Today it means maybe 3.

I've submerged myself back into Middle-Earth and am nearly finished 'The Fellowship of the Ring'. It's the first time I've read 'The Lord of the Rings' since my very early 20s, so it's been about 17 or 18 years, and unfortunately a lot of my understanding of the books are actually of the films. While I obviously know the basic plot, the details of the novel had really escaped me, and I'm enjoying it more than ever. What an amazing, beautiful, work it is. Far, far better than the films. There is already a heap of material that I had completely forgotten about, and it's a little like reading the text for the first time. The other thing is, when I was 21 and I read it, I got it, I loved it and it's great. Now that I'm 40, it suddenly takes on a whole new essence, and little things that didn't seem important to me 20 years ago are now of profound significance. Not a very original post for a metal forum, but a true reflection on my current circumstances. A hot chocolate in bed with 'The Lord of the Rings' is pretty hard to beat in this crazy modern life of ours.

Oh hohoho, what do we have here... Young Vampyrique has raised his (severed) head to grace us with his (ghostly) presence. Pistols at dawn, sir! I feel it's my honour to defend Mother England. Obviously I'll be loading my flintlock with silver shot, and I guess it won't be at dawn. Pistols at midnight, sir! Albion lives!

I've bought quite a bit of supreme immortal art lately. Here's what's arrived in the last month or so and is sitting in front of me: Eternal Valley - 'The Falling Light' digipak limited to 500 copies, which is my album of the month/year. US Atmospheric black metal. Northern Silence Productions. Belenos - 'Kornog' A5 digipak limited to 1000 copies. Beautiful piece of viking black art. Northern Silence Productions. Paradise Lost - 'Obsidian', albeit the stupid jewel case version which in Australia doesn't have the two bonus tracks - one of which is actually my favourite song on the album 'Hear the Night'. So I've had to order the digipak from the overseas. Nuclear Blast (never heard of them - must be a new company...) Glaciation - 'Ultime Eclat'. The vocalist from Anorexia Nervosa, amazing singer, has done this album, all in French. Post black metal really, with plenty of atmosphere. Osmose Productions. Kreator - 'Gods of Violence'. Bought this on a whim really and was surprised at how damn melodic and commercial Kreator are these days hahaha. Good fun. 'Satan is Real' is an amazing song. Nuclear Blast (never heard of them). Batushka - 'Litourgiya'. Pretty (in)famous album by now, and I really love it. I love the merging of the Orthodox Christian service with black metal. Who would have thought it would work so well hahaha. Metal Blade re-release. Bathory - 'The Return...'. Finally got this in on CD in a proper lyrics and all version from Black Mark. Black Mark. Hail Quorthon. Hail Boss.

I'm deeply disturbed to hear this from an Englishman.

What's on that bad boy? Any bangers?

Pretty sure writers, musicians and artists can address topics that are outside their own immediate cultural circles, last time I checked. As a guy with grandparents from Mexico @MattDan, it sounds very much like your own culture anyway. Not sure if this post was a joke, spam or what. I smell a bit of a rat, especially as this was your one and only post.

Eternal Valley - 'The Falling Light' Amazing epic atmospheric black metal album. So moving and emotional.

It's such a good album. The highlights are brilliant, including this amazing song. I'm still getting to know the deeper cuts, so I'll write a full analysis once I ingest it all properly. Glad to discover they made a full recovery after the very flaccid 'Medusa' album (in my opinion).

We've got a couple of rats (at least) probably lurking within the bowels of Castle Requiem. One or two of them run along the top of a fence, and occasionally we see them, the bold little fukkers. The other night I ran outside after one of them. I ran down the side of the chateau along the fence line, couldn't see it, and boom, it ran right past my head. I fair near shat myself. I've cunningly planted poison, but they still roam today, unaffected, imperious, triumphant. But I'll get them yet. They haven't seen the last of Count Requiem. You mark my words. Oh yes, their time will come.

Eternal Valley - 'The Falling Light' Another amazing release on Northern Silence. This is one of the greatest albums I've heard in years. Atmospheric black metal with doom elements. God, the grandeur.

Paradise Lost - 'Obsidian' Very good album. A great album? It's heading that way. Belenos - 'Kornog' I bought the A5 digipak version on a whim, and I'm glad I did. Yet another brilliant release from Northern Silence Productions, who are quickly becoming my favourite label. Grand and complex pagan black metal anthems to Armorica and Brittany. Hail our Celtic brothers.

Paradise Lost - 'Obsidian' They're back!

Alright, let's do this: 1. Sabaton - 'A Ghost in the Trenches' from 'The Great War' 2. To/Die/For - 'Chaotic Me' from 'IV' 3. Bathory - 'Holocaust' from 'Blood Fire Death' 4. Marduk - 'Wartheland' from 'Frontschwein' (hail) 5. Darkthrone - 'Kathaarian Life Code' from 'A Blaze in the Northern Sky' 6. Falkenbach - 'Laeknishendr' from 'En Their Medh Riki Fara' 7. The Clancy Brothers - 'The Rising of the Moon' from 'Irish Folk and St Patrick's Classics' 8. Cradle of Filth - 'The Graveyard by Moonlight' from 'Dusk and Her Embrace' (fuck yeah, what a classic) 9. Dark Funeral - 'The Eternal Eclipse' from 'Where Shadows Forever Reign' 10. Cradle of Filth (what, twice??) - 'Absinthe With Faust' from 'Nymphetamine'