Requiem

Gorgoroth - 'Instinctus Bestialis' 
I really didn't vibe with this album when it was first released, but now I consider it an emotive and impeccable album. I even love those down and deep growled vocals that everyone complains about. 

Bathory - 'The Return'
Obviously well known as an inspirational black metal album, but did you know that Gorgoroth's 'A Sorcery Written in Blood' demo title is taken from the first line in the track 'The Return of Darkness and Evil', and that Marduk's 'Infernal Eternal' live album title is taken from a line in the song 'The Right of Darkness'. Well now you do.
Hail Bathory, thou influential beast, thou. 

Septicflesh - The Great Mass

Finally got my hands on: 
King Diamond - 'Abigail' (2020 Metal Hammer re-release)
Just a lazy 33 years after initial release. Better late than never. 

That sounds awesome.
Enjoy the freedom and independence. 
Sipping white wine here and listening to the last couple of Kreator albums which are amazing. I've been missing out! 

Drudkh - 'Blood in Our Wells'
This is amazing. Not sure why I ever thought this was a let down from the glory days of 'Autumn Aurora'. I have number 390 of 1000 of the elongated cover version, in case anyone was wondering. What a magical album. 

King Diamond - 'Abigail'

I'll do anything to make you
post more from this album. 
Can Bardd - 'The Last Rain'
Amazing Tolkien/Summoning influenced epic metal. 

Drudkh - 'Blood in Our Wells'
This is amazing. Not sure why I ever thought this was a let down from the glory days of 'Autumn Aurora'. I have number 390 of 1000 of the elongated cover version, in case anyone was wondering. What a magical album. 

Drudkh - 'Blood in Our Wells'
This is amazing. Not sure why I ever thought this was a let down from the glory days of 'Autumn Aurora'. I have number 390 of 1000 of the elongated cover version, in case anyone was wondering. What a magical album. 

Type O Negative - Be My Druidess

Drudkh - 'Blood in Our Wells'
This is amazing. Not sure why I ever thought this was a let down from the glory days of 'Autumn Aurora'. I have number 390 of 1000 of the elongated cover version, in case anyone was wondering. What a magical album. 

Kampfar - 'Ofidians Manifest'
A modern black metal album packed full of of highlights and grandstanding. Get on board and feel the energy. 
 

Just google 'Cult Never Dies' and you're good. 

Here's a really good lyric video with a nice approach, although it's still very 'flicky'. I love the idea that the lyrics are being typed out on an old typewriter, as if a story is being written - which it more or less is. Our focus is being directed to the lyrics, but I think in this case it works because the lyrics are important to the tune. 
 
Also, I tend not to enjoy music videos at all as I find them too distracting from the song - hence I think I don't like Behemoth until I actually listen to 'The Satanist' without any videos whatsoever and I realise that it's a pretty happening album!
Here's an example of a video that works really well for me as it reminds me of my trip through Norway but also because it's got that real rock n roll freedom vibe:
 

A few of the latest arrivals: 
Mercyful Fate - 'Don't Break the Oath'
Got the 2020 Metal Blade vinyl replica release. It's a beautiful package. 
Satanic Warmaster - 'Opferblut'
Been meaning to pick this up for ages, so finally pulled the trigger. Atmospheric, unpretentious, yet emotional and moving. 
Emyn Muil - 'Elenion Ancalima'
A flat out rip-off of Summoning, but enjoyable nonetheless. It's Summoning basically. 
Panopticon - 'Roads to the North'
Everyone has been raving about this band, so I bought this without having heard them. What a cool album. Kind of hipster black metal mixed with bluegrass Kentucky music. Amazing one man band musicianship. I feel very inferior listening to this. 
Gehenna - 'First Spell'
This is the 2014 re-release with no fewer than 10 bonus tracks in the form of demos etc. I just need this for the collection more than any great urge to listen to Gehenna's keyboard heavy black metal. 

Requiem it's pretty decent when you find fall upon an album that you missed the release date for. Glad you enjoyed dark throne I completely missed leaden light by illimitable dolor but got it the other day.  Seems a good album. Probably not groundbreaking for atmospheric death/doom but I like it and it beats being weather beaten by storm Ciara although exodus had a worse time in the same storm in Finland. ?

Watain - Lawless Darkness

Septic Flesh - The Great Mass

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. 

Paradise Lost - 'Obsidian'
First three tracks are amazing. The rest is also very good. 

Paradise Lost - 'Obsidian'
First three tracks are amazing. The rest is also very good. 

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. 

There are a plethora of metal classics released in 1990, many that I am unfortunately not an authority on or that don't gel with me personally. I'm getting deja vu writing this list and may have done it elsewhere before. Anyway, here are ten that I feel some degree of affection for. 
Requiem's Top 10 Albums of 1990
10. Entombed - 'Left Hand Path'
This is another one of those time and place type of albums. It just represents the dawn of a pretty significant movement in the Swedish death metal scene, and the sound of that guitar pedal has a lot to answer for. I'm not getting this tattooed on me, but it's a good listen and I respect it as much as admire the tunes. Nice old school album cover. 
9. Pantera - 'Cowboys from Hell'
This is a pretty happening album, and the first major label foray for these formally spandex bandits. The title track and 'Cemetery Gates' are classics. Nice riffing and drums, of course. Awesome album cover, and I remember as a 12 year old being pretty impressed with the bar room scene. Still am. 
8. Slayer - 'Seasons in the Abyss'
I like this more melodic version of Slayer. I can't say I listen to this very often - I don't even actually own it - but I nod my head appreciatively when it comes on somewhere. 'War Ensemble' and 'Dead Skin Mask' are killer songs. Album cover is a bit shit, but I guess it's now part of the landscape so it's ok. 
7. Paradise Lost - 'Lost Paradise'
Am I really being objective about my love for this album? Possibly. The Paradise Lost name and the guys who play on this album are like a warm comfort blanket, so before I've even heard the riffs I like this album. There are definitely great moments here and the birth of the Peaceville doom sound is taking place. Wacky album cover. 
6. Iron Maiden - 'No Prayer for the Dying'
This album is awesome and it tends to get a hard time from some people. I think it still has some really killer songs like 'Hooks in You' and 'Mother Russia' and each song has something to offer me personally and it's just a good-time Maiden album. The album cover's awesome with Eddie emerging from a grave (again). 
5. Warrant - 'Cherry Pie'
Shut up, this is metal. A cracking album from the talented Jani Lane, with some of hair metal's greatest songs - yes, including the title track. Attractive album cover with Lane's future wife Bobbi Brown. Warrant 4 lyf. 
4. Judas Priest - 'Painkiller'
I still don't own this, but I'm at the cusp of making the purchase. I've never been the biggest Priest fan, and in fact I've never actually owned a full album from these guys, which seems really odd. This is a great album though, obviously. I need it explore it more and become one with it. Man and CD. United in glory. 
3. Black Sabbath - 'Tyr'
Smashing album. Tony Martin's vocals here are brilliant, with Iommi's riffs fat and juicy with a great 80s vibe lingering across the glossy product. Opening track 'Anno Mundi' is a masterpiece. Hail Tony Martin. Hail Tony Iommi. Brilliant viking themed album cover. 
2. Bathory - 'Hammerheart'
Speaking of which. 'Hammerheart' is a milestone and the first true viking metal album. This is where it all comes together best for Quorthon, with 'One Rode to Asa Bay' and 'Father to Son' raising the hair on the back of my northern European neck. Brilliant vocals. Brilliant atmosphere, and one of the greatest metal album covers of all time. 
1. Megadeth - 'Rust in Peace'
As much as I love 'Hammerheart', I just can't go past this. This is a freakish album. Let's list the masterpieces within: 'Holy Wars', 'Hangar 18, 'Tornado of Souls', 'Rust in Peace... Polaris'. I also can't get enough of the original production and mix (fuck the remixes) that just sounds so great. Excellent alien conspiracy album cover. Every song is a classic. Easily the best album of 1990 for me. 

Well, I'm not sure if anyone here has seen this yet, but the Wintersun crowdfunding saga is far from over. 
A few years ago Wintersun ran a crowdfunding campaign which raised about $524,000US, for the express purpose of building an entirely new studio with sleeping quaters and all of the frills. Obviously, this raised a few eyebrows at the time, as Jari was claiming that he can't make the Wintersun albums he wants without a proper studio.
Anyway, apparently we were wrong about the plan, because now the story goes that they can't build the studio yet, and that they've always had a plan to run three (3) different crowdfunding campaigns. I've just checked the original video, and yes, they did claim that they were going to do three campaigns until they made 750,000 euros! 
And yes, they've now started a Patreon page as well, with a monthly subscription fee to watch live videos and behind the scenes footage. 
 https://vimeo.com/407298479/ddff87cefc? ... &utm_term=
No new album. No new nothing. Just another crowdfunding campaign and now a patreon page. This is just too funny. The whole saga was a joke back when 'Time 2' was supposed to be out fifteen years ago, and it never eventuated.
Notice in the vimeo video that it's stated that the first crowdfunding campaign allowed 'The Forest Seasons' to be recorded and released. "Thanks to your huge support we released 'The Four Seasons' album". I double-checked the footage. Well, the fact is that 'The Forest Seasons' was already recorded and it was released initially to those who contributed to the campaign as a thank you! It wasn't recorded with the funds the campaign raised. The original crowdfunding price was 50 euros, with 'The Forest Seasons' being the big drawcard, then they went ahead and released it on CD anyway for about fifteen bucks hahaha. 
Apparently all they've been able to do is set up a temporary studio, which "part" of the first campaign contributed to. Where did the rest of the cash go? Yet they say in their original video that with heaps of cash they could make all their albums faster. Well, nothing has been released since 'The Forest Seasons' back in 2017, and yet they made over half a million US dollars. 
Here's the original crowdfunding info: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wintersun-crowdfunding--3#/
Just an incredible, embarrassing, scenario, although it's reminded me about how good 'The Forest Seasons' actually is, and I'm now blasting it. Great album, and great band. Just sad to see them morph into this sad used-car marketing entity.