Requiem

Car anthems of the past week: Ex Deo - 'The Immortal Wars' Children of Bodom - 'Halo of Blood' Warrant - 'Best of' Septicflesh - 'Titan' Rotting Christ - 'Rituals'

Jyrki 69 from The 69 Eyes has his debut solo album coming out today called 'Helsinki Vampire'. The first track released 'Bloodlust' is really boring, and this one below sounds like it's taken from the 69 Eyes rejection pile... but I'll still check the album out because I'm sure there'll be some good stuff on there. Right? Right??

Wow, what an admission. I respect that. For me, 'Nightside' is so good that I can't really listen to it without going a little crazy, like I want to run out into the woods or immediately quit my job. It's like a taste of what real life should be - or the potential for what it could be. Oh man even typing this is getting me amped so I'm going ahead and hitting Submit Reply before I put the house up for sale...

I was having a shower with my itunes on shuffle and it went from Poison's 'Every Rose has its Thorn' to Emperor's 'Ancient Queen'. As I stood there amidst the steamy torrent, I thought 'What a contrast'.

I don't really see how this is a Vs thread, but here are some of my favourite replacement vocalists: The best replacement singer of all time is obviously Tomi Joutsen who replaced Pasi Koskinen in Amorphis. We also have: Vincent Cavanagh who replaced Darren White in Anathema. Maniac who replaced Attila in Mayhem (I'm not saying he's better, but I am saying he is awesome) Can't think of any more personal ones for me without going into Bruce Dickinson territory which I don't want to do.

Where do I start with this eclectic and engaging post!? Firstly, I've never been excited by goat either but I've probably only had it once or twice, and only when I couldn't courteously get out of it. Secondly, studying cadavers! Sounds a bit Carcass to me... Thirdly, yes duck is great. I asked my mother-in-law the other day why you never see goose around, when all the mythology of Christmas includes roast goose, and all the movies show flocks of geese walking around medieval market squares and we have idiomatic expressions like "my goose is cooked", "the goose that lays the golden egg" and "wild goose chase". What happened to all the geese is what I want to know. She couldn't answer me. I would really like to try goose. Fourthly, that deer anecdote is creepy in the extreme. The reference to your neighbour's broken English lent a sinister element to the whole sorry saga.

What did you end up doing? I've got a quirky Budapest story. It was back when Heathrow's Terminal 5 was opening - the very day it was opening - and the Mistress of the Dark and I were due to fly from London to Budapest: she for business, I for pleasure. Anyway, we were there early in the morning, went through ok, and as I turned on the BBC in our Budapest suite all across the news was the revelation that the conveyer belts for the baggage had all broken down causing chaos in Terminal 5. We had missed the carnage by probably just a few minutes! Oh how we laughed as we sipped Hungarian beer and ate goulash as we gazed out at the mighty Danube.

It's a moot point from an Australian perspective as they won't be coming here. I'm with Parker on this, I love the original mini-LP, 'Nightside' and 'Anthems' and am much less interested in 'Nein, Unequilibrium'. 'Prometheus' was an improvement. Anyway, I'd love to see them live as I never have before, but the point remains moot. Moot. These reunion/album shows are nice little earners for the classic bands these days!

I agree, and I think Fleshgod should really look at expanding their palate a bit further. It just seems to lack that emotional push of the Septics somehow.

You're not into lamb? I love lamb. Whether it's a Greek gyros/souvlaki style or roasted with vegetables and gravy, lamb is one of my favourite meats. I've posted about a lamb pizza at this decent restaurant near my place and the thought of it drives me wild, even now at 8am in the morning, far more than any lascivious sexual encounter. To be honest, I think most Australians like to pretend they eat and enjoy Kangaroo more than they do, because while it's available it's hardly very prevalent. It's ok and fun to try I guess, but it's not very exciting to me personally. We also joke that we eat our national animal/emblem which I guess is pretty funny (and a very Australian thing to do). You tend to see goat curries in Indian/Nepalese/Afghan restaurants but very seldom elsewhere. I've certainly never seen Bison on a menu, although Buffalo mozzarella is all the rage amongst the bourgeoisie. Tonight we're having this Peking duck feast, and Peking duck (I guess any sort of duck) is really popular not just in Chinese restaurants (and god we have a lot of those in Melbourne) but also in what we call 'modern Australian' restaurants. So duck's a thing here, and I, for one, am glad of it.

This. As pointed out in my Top 10 History Metal post in the 'Top 10 of Any Given Genre' thread (check it out), what metal offers me personally is something much more than music, and even something more than a great atmosphere. It's often a connection with an existing interest I have, like history, or partying, girls, or philosophy. That's why the lyrics of any given album/band are important to me too because they reinforce this vibe. As far as places and music going together - big time. I've been lucky to travel around a bit (I've been the wild rover for many a-year, and I spent all me money on whisky and beer). Highlights include listening to Norwegian black metal while on a boat in the Norwegian fjords; walking around the streets of Oporto and Lisbon listening to Moonspell (The 'Sin/Pecado' album is exclusively good for this with its strong exotic feel), and climbing the ancient Israeli fortress Masada (besieged and eventually conquered by the Romans) before the dawn listening to Fleshgod Apocalypse's 'Labrynth' album - something I'll never forget. Metal sounds great by itself, but it really complements 'life' as well.

Top 5 Bands of the last 6 months Katatonia Septicflesh Rotting Christ Eldamar Warrant

Finally the weekend. Early rising with my two vampiria infanta for miscellaneous children's television shows, but at least I get my coffee and I'll check out the forum's latest. Tonight we're having a real actual grown-ups dinner with another couple and none of our children (!) then tomorrow night the Woman of Dark Desires and I are going to the (Australian) football with some corporate tickets she siphoned gratis with her medusa charms infernale. Out on the town - the lights, the glamour, the blood!

Requiem's Top 10 History Metal Albums I'm a history fanatic, especially European history, and I've accrued some masterpiece albums over the years that are based around a particular era or culture. Here is a list of the best of the best from the Requiem archives. To qualify, albums must have a clear and consistent historical theme, concept or lyrics. 10a. Eluveitie - 'Slania' (2008) Theme: Gaulish resistance against Roman invasion. This album appears in quite a few of my lists due to the high quality of its melodic metal meets Irish jig stylings. Great emotional approach that champions European pagan lifestyle and laments Roman occupation. One of those 'die for your clan' type deals, and I'm ready to sign up to fight the cursed Romans. One of my all time favourite covers of the little blonde girl holding the sword. Amazing. 10b. Ex Deo - 'Romulus' (2009) Theme: The foundation of Rome. And here's the flipside! The whole concept here is brilliant and the title track is one for the ages. Fist-pumping anthems to Roman might in a mid-paced melodic metal meets pagan style. The artwork and booklet of this and the other Ex Deo albums are part of the allure. This makes me want to join the legions and invade Gaul! I never could make up my mind... 9. Marduk - 'Panzer Division Marduk' (1999) Theme: WWII and the German Army. Ride with Marduk on a panzer as it enters the black metal blitzkrieg of blastbeats, screaming incoming bombs and the beauty and glory of hellish destruction. Short, fast, brutal and effective. The original edition has a brilliant cover, looking down the barrel of a panzer. 8. Enslaved - 'Eld' (1997) Theme: Vikings. This includes probably the greatest viking metal track of all time in the epic '793 The Battle of Lindisfarne'. The atmosphere of this blackened viking metal is palpable. You can practically smell the salt air and feel the camaraderie. Great cover too of Grutle looking all viking king on this throne. 7. Turisas - 'The Varangian Way' (2008) Theme: Viking journey to Constantinople to join the Varangian guard. This could be too cartoonish for the denim and leather set, but the quality and professionalism of this release is amazing. The epic choirs, the accordion and violin, the cinematic vocals of Warlord Nygard. This was the band's peak because they couldn't get any more epic. Lyrics follow a narrative from the far north to Constantinople. 6. Bathory - 'Hammerheart' (1990) Theme: Viking/pagan life. The album that started a genre, this is epic, atmospheric and a lot of fun. The clean vocals of Quorthon are amazing. 'One Road to Asa Bay' is a great little narrative about the christianization of Sweden (and one man's resistance!). If I had a son I would pass this from 'Father to Son'... too bad I don't. 5. Amorphis - 'Tales from the Thousand Lakes' (1994) Theme: Pre-christian Finnish folk life. Amazing lyrics from the Finnish epic the 'Kalevala', this is one of metal's all time classics. Great melodies, great atmosphere. There are few albums that have such a palpable sense of history. When I put this on I'm transported the second the piano intro 'Thousand Lakes' begins. What a genius moment in time. Lyrics tell stories and tales from this era in Finland. 4. Moonsorrow - 'Kivenkantaja' (2003) Theme: Pre-christian Scandinavian life. This album floored me when I first heard it upon release. The quality of this pagan metal was so far beyond most other viking/pagan bands in ambition and pure quality. This is my favourite Moonsorrow album. 3. Tyr - 'Eric the Red' (2003) Theme: Viking Eric the Red's voyage to the New World. Can't believe this also came out in 2003. The first album with guitarist Heri on vocals, this blew my friends and I apart. Amazing vocals, amazing songwriting. Lyrics in English and the Faroese language. Listen to 'Regin Smidur' for, again, a palpable sense of history. It just feels so real. I'm proud to say that I had a copy of this on CD before they signed to Napalm and re-released it. That makes me kvlt. 2a. Cradle of Filth - 'Cruelty and the Beast' (1998) Theme: Countess Bathory and late 16th century Hungary. Yes, a Cradle of Filth album. But oh what an album. This is one of metal's all time classics with its blend of gothic horror, Maidenesque twin guitars, Hammer-horror keyboards and Dani Filth at the peak of his vocal and lyrical skills. The stunningly written narrative traces the moral descent of Elizabeth Bathory, and the atmosphere here is untouchable. 2b. Theatre of Tragedy - 'Velvet Darkness They Fear' (1996) Theme: Late 16th century love affairs. Similar era to the album above, yet this actually sounds goddamn Elizabethan. Harpsichord, Early Modern English lyrics, waltzes, this is the metal Shakespeare would have listened to. That's why it comes in at 2b or not 2b. That, and it's a masterpiece. 1. Amorphis - 'Elegy' (1996) Theme: Pre-christian Finnish life. The follow-up to 'Tales from the Thousand Lakes' is one of the greatest things to happen to metal. New vocalist Pasi Koskinen brings the ancient lyrics from the 'Kalevala' and the 'Kanteletar' to life, this time mixing with Tomi Koivusaari's growls. Genius keyboard melodies. Check out 'Better Unborn' and the glorious and sad 'The Orphan'. A masterpiece and the best history metal album every produced.

Youthanasia is better than Countdown!

Ranch dressing isn't really a thing here in Australia, but one hears about it from time to time. Tonight I had roast chicken, potatoes, pumpkin, carrot with gravy (on everything dammit). For dessert I had a bowl of custard which felt like it needed something else with it, but oh well. Just then my wife walked in and picked up my tall glass of lemon lime and bitters with ice and full drank half of it. I was like, "Oi!". About kangaroo, I find it's mostly best when its marinated. Cooked on the bbq it's pretty good but like Restless pointed out, over-cooked it isn't very good at all. I usually avoid it because it's not English enough.

Ex Deo - 'The Immortal Wars' Oh my god yes. Fist pumping epic Roman metal is back. This band is amazing. Great booklet/lyrics/artwork as usual too. What a pleasure this is.

Venison is awesome and I've just realised that you hardly see it on menus these days. About ten years ago it was really trendy.

@RelentlessOblivion your ratings average about a 3.5/10 over the last two pages. I'm glad I never had you as a teacher grading my work. And I hope you're never on a jury when I'm the defendant- I'll be going to the scaffold. *makes note to self to stop committing crimes in South Australia*

Requiem's Top 10 Albums that feature both a Male and Female Vocalist No single song guest appearances, both male and female singers must sing in at least 60% of the songs on the album. 10. Lacuna Coil - 'In a Reverie' (1999) The era for classic male/female vocalist albums is more or less gone, but there was a time when they were ruling the turntable (well.. CD player) at Castle Requiem. The first full length from these Italian wannabes is a classic gothic metal album with those hints of pop metal adding flavour rather than flatness. Sure Cristina Scabbia overshadows poor old Andrea Ferro, but with songs like 'Circle', 'Honeymoon Suite' and 'My Wings' this album is killer. 9. Battlelore - 'The Last Alliance' (2008) Such an underrated band, although signed to Napalm records they did/do have their fans. This, their fifth album(!), is their best. The Tolkien inspired songs blend a sort of pagan metal approach with symphonic metal, creating juicy slabs of melodic metal steak. The winner is the female vocalist, Kaisa Jouhki, who has one of those beautiful Finnish voices that you can just listen to all night long. 8. Nightwish - 'Dark Passion Play' (2007) I keep bouncing between this one and 'Once' as my favourite, but I have to face facts and stick with this one. Look at the tracklist. Listen to the orchestra and choir. New vocalist Anette Olzon does a sterling job here, accompanied by good old Marco Hietala, but with songwriting this good from Tuomas Holopainen my mother in law could have done a decent job here. 7. Draconian - 'The Burning Halo' (2006) Technically a compilation album, this is nevertheless a real landmark. In fact, while I own a lot of Draconian albums, this is the only one that gives me chills. It's head and shoulders their best work. Anders Jacobsson and Lisa Johansson growl and soprano (it can be used as a verb, right?) their way through about the best gothic metal since the late 90s (see below). 6. Eluveitie - 'Slania' (2008) Like a lot of the albums on this list, it is the particular quality of the female vocalist that really elevates these songs, and here it is none other than Anna Murphy. What an amazing tone she has. Yes, Chrigel Glanzmann screams about the invading Romans a lot, but their two voices add flavour and balance to this amazing collection of fiddle and jig led pagan metal. Quality. 5. Tristania - 'Beyond the Veil' (1999) Now we're into the realm of the classics. My boi Morten Veland is basically at his peak here, contributing awesome vocals to Vibeke Stene's elegant gothic laments. Stene just has this great tone to her voice. Throw in a third, clean, male voice and you've got a gothic metal masterpiece. 4. Tristania - 'Widow's Weeds' (1998) Everything I said above except with a more simplistic and darker approach. You know this is on before you hit play because it stinks of classic the minute you walk in the room. 3. Theatre of Tragedy - 'Velvet Darkness They Fear' (1996) I would argue that the first Theatre of Tragedy album (their self-titled one before this) was the birth of gothic metal's beauty and the beast style vocals, and it is here that they are perfected. Liv Kristine's voice has to be heard to be believed. What the hell. And to have her singing those Elizabethan odes to lost love along with Raymond Rohonyi's growled voice - where they are often singing at the same time but completely different lines with different phrasing - is one of music's enduring pleasures. 2. Shape of Despair - 'Angels of Distress' (2001) I hesitated about including this because while Pasi Koskinen is all over this like mustard on my hotdog, his wife Natalie tends to use her voice more melodiously, almost like it's part of the music. She is singing constantly though, like a ghostly maiden through the midnight fog in the grounds of the manor house under moonlight, and it's magnificent. 1. Theatre of Tragedy - 'Aegis' (1998) There's something going on here with this album that hits me on a new level. Raymond has moved on to an exclusively spoken word type of delivery, and he and Liv Kristine tend to vocalise at different parts of the song rather than in tandem like the old days. This is much more stripped back, downbeat, repetitious and haunting than 'Velvet Darkness...', and this is my favourite album of all time that features an equal measure of male and female vocals.

Hi Ajay. Nice to see you . Welcome to the forum! The first two Lacuna Coil albums are fantastic. I'm also a (pretty) big fan of Amon Amarth.

Life's full of tragedies isn't it... I recently purchased tickets to Primordial next month and Paradise Lost in December. Once the credit card ticks over next month I'll buy a ticket to Sebastian Bach who I think is here in October.

This certificate doesn't even have my name on it! Weak!

One of you is the immortal Skull Kollector, but who's the other geezer?

Trees of Eternity - 'Hour of the Nightingale' The first song 'My Requiem' (great title by the way...) is amazing.