Requiem

Sacramentum - 'Far Away from the Sun'

Here I am stuck drinking lemon lime and bitters...

I'm definitely voting second wave, but only based on my taste for the music rather than any labelling dispute. The early material from the likes of Emperor and Satyricon remains for me very special. Not to mention Mayhem, Dissection, Burzum, Darkthrone. Then there are bands like Shining, Drudkh, and Marduk.

I feel like I'm stalking you but I assure you this isn't the case. I've noticed this phenomenon too, particularly on the internet regarding Varg the racist vs Varg the murderer. It's almost as if murder is kind of a fantastical event, whereas racism is an uncomfortable reality that resonates more easily with us? I don't know. I recommend reading Metalion's Slayer Mag Diaries - the autobiographical portions - to get a sense of how Metalion really regrets his own response to Euronymous's death and how he recognises the damage this has done to him psychologically. Same with Necrobutcher but to a slightly lesser extent. Metalion is really articulate about how he and the others should have taken it more seriously, because they lacked a lot of closure regarding his loss and it's really only as they get older that they realise how significantly it's affected them. It's a great read, check it out. Same with Dead's suicide - for instance Necro was the only member to go to his funeral.

Ok now we're at T. Tuonela - Amorphis

The artwork for 'Dusk and Her Embrace' is amazing. The cover, obviously, but also those photos you're referring to in the booklet/tray etc. Just so beautiful. I think Simon Marsden died a couple of years ago. Agree regarding 'Darkly'. The actual booklet artwork of 'Godspeed' is pretty cool in a different sort of way - hardly gothic - but still pretty cool. The front cover is so bad though, I just don't understand how they could green-light it. Luckily I've got a version that has a generic leather looking cover that saves the eyes. I've never really liked the 'Bitter Suites' cover of that girl sitting cross-legged. It looks very school-project. I can't say I'm the biggest fan of the 'Cryptoriana' cover though. I think I previously described those two blokes in at as resembling theatre restaurant employees rather than Victorian British gentlemen. Anyway, I'll wait to see what it looks like when I'm holding it in my hands.

I had a feeling you were going to choose animation. I'd rather be a cyclops for sure. The minotaur is stuck in the labyrinth which would suck. Would you rather be Zeus or Odin?

hahaha, nice one. I haven't had cause to play that album in a couple of weeks, strangely enough.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Aleah Stanbridge here yet either. She was the vocalist for the single album Trees of Eternity did (members of Swallow the Sun, ex Katatonia and Nightwish). She was seriously one of the most beautiful looking women I have ever seen in my life and her voice was utterly incredible. She died of an illness just last year. Here's the demo version of this song because it also shows her picture. The album has a better production of course. Damn, what a talented singer.

Just on this, I wouldn't put it past @True Belief to go to this. If he doesn't reply here I'll text him to find out. If you and he are both going then I'll go too. Truey and I are watching the MacGregor/Mayweather fight next weekend at a pub which should be fun. After the fight we're going to duke it out in the parking lot to see who's the toughest.

Sacramentum - 'Far Away from the Sun'

Alright, let's go there. Firstly, Varg was imprisoned in a country with one of the most progressive justice systems in the world. The reason he got the maximum sentence was because he didn't just murder someone in cold blood (and I'll examine this in a minute), he was discovered with weapons and explosives (!) in his home and was also convicted for the burning of Fantoft Church, an 800 year old national treasure. This guy was totally unhinged and was a total threat to society. On top of that he was completely unrepentant for his crimes. As for the "element of self-defense involved", you have to be kidding, Thrashy. Varg turns up at Euronymous's apartment at 2am in the morning, knocks on the door, Euro opens it and is standing there in his underwear and Varg let's loose, chases him down the stairwell and stabs him dozens of times in the back including once through the skull. Then he and the coward Snorre Ruch get back in the car and drive home to Bergen. It was completely premeditated, with their lame "returning videos" and "atm card" alibis coming completely unstuck by even the most pedestrian of police work. Then once Euro was dead and unable to defend his reputation, Varg goes on about how he thought Euro was planning on killing him so he got in first. The guy is totally insane. Put all this together and that's why he got the maximum sentence in Norway, the softest place in the world for jail time. And now he's been out of prison for years and is living the life he wants to lead, putting out albums, raising a family, while Euronymous is gone forever. It's a real tragedy. I still really love Burzum's music, but let's not call his treatment "unfair".

Yep, agreed. Cradle of Filth is a great case in point. Their 'photo' based cover designs look so much better than their computer graphics/drawings in my humble opinion. Brilliant: 'Principle...', 'V Empire', 'Dusk', 'Cruelty', 'Nymphetamine', 'Hammer'. Lame: 'Bitter Suites', 'Godspeed', 'Darkly Darkly Venus Aversa' etc. The difference is huge.

Check out 'II The Mephisto Waltzes' for sure. The quality is stunning. The songwriting is so tasteful and clever and the production is amazing. 'Hitchcock Blonde' is my favourite song right now (although beware the lame video for it that will just distract you from the actual track hahaha. It's not good). I haven't heard the podcast you mention. I've been slow to get onto podcasts. Maybe I'll check it out. I'm turning 38 in a couple of months and got into proper metal around 1993-4 I guess after the usual gateway bands from about 1990. That's why most of my best of lists tend to be 90s heavy due to the impact that decade had on my virgin ears.

Good old Burzum. Well, I first heard Burzum's music in 1995 or 1996 when the heat was on regarding the crimes and everyone was going stark raving mad for it. In the small country town in Australia where I grew up these events in Norway were about as exotic and foreign as things could get, and I was transfixed, like most people I knew. I still sort of look on Mayhem today the way kids looked at Kiss in the 70s - larger than life. So I can still sense that feeling I had back then with Burzum. Regarding the music, certainly the first four albums are all genre classics and some of my personal favourites. 'Filosofem' is close to my favourite due to the almighty 'Dunkelheit', although the 'Hvis Lyset Tar Oss' album is also close. Varg's vocals were simply astounding. I also bought 'Daudi Baldrs' when it came out, and I really like that keyboard album too. The atmosphere and cheapness sounds great to my ears. As for the post-prison albums, 'Belus' was really good, but 'Fallen' and 'Umskiptar' aren't great, especially the latter which is actually annoying to listen to. I haven't bothered with anything after that - I think there's an album or two out including the foolishly titled 'The Ways of Yore'. I also really like the one man band approach, which in the context of the Norwegian scene at the time was fresh and cool.

One of the better songs off this otherwise disappointing album. 7/10.

The artwork of 'Extinct' was a real misfire for Moonspell. They should have used something much more subtle and appropriate. 'Extinct' looks more like a tech death cover or something. Seth Siro Anton from Septicflesh is responsible, and the new Septicflesh cover also over does it in my opinion. Everything the does these days has to be some kind of mecha-alien freak of nature and quite frankly it's stupid. Love Septicflesh though - love them.

Firstly let me just say how awesome it is to have someone like you on this forum. I feel a kindred (undead) spirit here. I agree with all of this (with the obvious exception of the 'Damnation...' comments). By the way, I went back and deleted my reference to your list resembling the order of release, because it really doesn't actually do that. 1. I agree that Lindsay's voice is amazing. Are you into Devilment, Dani's other band? The female singer there is phenomenal too and way better than past women. 2. I know exactly what you mean regarding Dani's vocals, especially on the pre-'Hammer of the Witches' albums. There's definitely a pattern of mediocrity there. Again, I feel there's some freshness in 'Hammer of the Witches'. And again, check out the new Devilment album 'II Mephisto Waltzes' if you haven't (but I bet you have as you seem pretty across everything). The opportunity for Dani to write and sing differently I think has given him a new level of excitement and freshness. 3. I agree 100% on the stale and generic computer orchestras. 100%. I would love to hear a more keyboard/organ sound, and again I get (a bit of ) that feeling on 'Hammer...'.

My intial impression on that was that I wasn't overjoyed, but then when I thought about the fact that I already have about ten Moonspell albums sung (primarily) in English, so a Portuguese language album is fine. The album artwork is stunning! I can't wait to get this - so many great bands putting out albums this year!

I listened my way through at least half of every song here and while I genuinely enjoyed all of them on some level, I struggled to get very excited by most of it. I really enjoyed Skagos though - wow that was cool. I also really liked Spite Extreme Wing. Sarke was pretty disappointing and I much prefer Khold. Sometimes when I hear riffs like the main one from that Sarke track (and most of the riffs from Darkthrone's 'Arctic Thunder' for instance) I just wonder, 'why'? What are they adding to the world of music by this? Why start a solo project with good old Nocturno Culto and then have it sound as bland as that? Anyway, that's just my impression. It's good to get a sense of what's out there in the vastness of the modern (and not so modern) musical landscape.

If they squeeze four bands' sets between 8:30 and midnight I'll buy everyone there a beer... I just don't understand why doors are so late. Doors always seem to open at 8pm meaning the first shitty support act often doesn't start until 8:15-8:30. Here's how the Napalm show should go: Doors 7pm Black Rheno: 7:20-7:50 Lock-Up: 8:10-9:00 Brujeria: 9:20-10:20 Napalm Death: 10:40-12.10am Starting a gig of this length at around 8:20pm makes no sense.

'Cryptoriana' is being released later in September, so I'm going to wait until I have it in my hands and can read the lyrics before I go ahead and try to hear it. I'm with you on most of these choices, but I'm surprised to see 'Hammer of the Witches' so low in your estimation. I can't get over how great it is, as you can probably tell from my own list. As for 'Damnation and a Day', I just don't see it. I guess I made it pretty clear in my analysis on the last page regarding what I didn't like about it. Overall, I find it a very big miss. And I love the idea/theme and the lyrics, but gosh it's a flat pancake album, which makes it all the more disappointing given the orchestra/choirs. Check out my Top 10 Orchestra/Choir albums list to see how much of a fan I am of that style of music too, so for me 'DaaD' was a real disappointment. I'm glad to hear there are plenty out there who do dig it though.

Requiem's Top 10 Debut Metal Albums Here are the debut albums held in highest esteem at Castle Requiem (a foolish enterprise given the number of bands that exist). Excluded are those that fall in the hard rock/hair metal category, solo albums, as well as EPs that are basically full-lengths (so 'Wrath of the Tyrant' and 'Deathcrush' do not appear, even though I technically see them as Emperor and Mayhem's debut albums). Personal preference only, 'classic' status in metal be damned. 10. Tristania - 'Widow's Weeds' (1998) This really is a monolithic classic in gothic metal. That great not-too-produced production, the choirs, the atmosphere. A stunning debut, and when I'm being absolutely honest with myself (which I rarely am), I have to acknowledge that I prefer it over 'As the Flower Withers', 'Lost Paradise', 'Dance of December Souls', 'The Karelian Isthmus', 'The Principle of Evil Made Flesh', 'Vikinglgr Veldi', 'Dark Medieval Times', 'Greatest Love Songs Vol 666' etc. 9. Black Sabbath - 'Black Sabbath' (1970) This would probably sit at number 1 if I was making a list of most influential or most original albums, but I ain't doing that. This is nevertheless a fantastic album as we all know. Great vibes from the historical context, too. 8. Burzum - Burzum (1992) A mysterious journey down untrodden pathways of forest darkness, this isn't the smoothest album Varg will ever make, but it's got the magic. 7. Tyr - 'How Far to Asgaard' (2002) Amazing viking metal album from these Faeroe Island lads. Featuring Pol Arni Holm in his one and only appearance as vocalist for Tyr, this just has authentic written all over it. It's a pretty unique album and something that I can't ever see being produced again, largely thanks to the fantastic vocalist. Damn this band sucks nowadays though... 6. Moonsorrow - 'Suden Uni' (2001) Moonsorrow's debut was, and is, phenomenal in all ways. In fact, it's close to being my favourite Moonsorrow album. It sounds so epic and atmospheric in a way that left other pagan/folk/viking bands behind. The true northern spirit right here. 5. Moonspell - 'Wolfheart' (1995) A gothic metal classic, tracks like 'Love Crimes' and 'Alma Mater' are all time favourites. Great mix of atmosphere with really catchy songs. This album has it all as a genre piece. 4. Anathema - 'Serenades' (1993) For me, My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost didn't really hit my soul with their debuts - as much as I love them - having been released a few years earlier, but Anathema did. In 93 MDB put out 'Turn Loose the Swans' and PL did 'Icon', which both beat this album, but as far as a debut release goes, this is it. The atmosphere is next level, especially the slow/interlude style songs. Darren White's vocals are great, if unconventional. He isn't really a natural born singer, but his lyrics are brilliant and he emotes like no other. Everything about this is cool in my book. 3. Dissection - 'The Somberlain' (1993) While the two bands below actually released c30 minute EPs prior to these albums, thereby making their claim to debut status dubious, this is a genuine first release (demos notwithstanding). What a fantastic album of blackened melodic death. The riffs. The atmosphere. The glory. 2. Mayhem - 'De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas' (1994) Ok sure, let's call this a debut album. Everyone else does. Close to untouchable black metal release and is ultimately interchangeable at number one with... 1. Emperor - 'In the Nightside Eclipse' (1994) I have a hard time calling this their debut, but the planet wants me to believe this, so fine. This isn't a collection of songs so much as an exploration of our dark hearts, the nightsky and the vast forests of our dreams. Every time I hear that intro the hairs on the back of my neck spring up like little hirsute erections. The best debut full length album I've ever heard.

Arrived the other day, Sacramentum - 'Far Away from the Sun'. What an awesome release.

Mostly these days it's in the car while on my 40-45 minute commute each way. The days of listening to metal once I get home are on hold due to the raising of eternally thirsty vampire children. Occasionally I'll listen to music in the evening once they've gone to bed but often I can't be bothered. I'm actually really glad I have this drive each day because I get through a hell of a lot more music than I would if I worked next door. Even now, in the early morning (for a Saturday!) the vampiria infanta are watching t.v so rather than plug earphones in I tend to watch/hang out with them because I'm such a great dad.