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Benjaminc81

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Posts posted by Benjaminc81

  1. I have no problem listening to NSBM bands. I listen to music for one reason... and that's music itself! If a band has far right views then so be it. Politics and music are two totally seperate entities in my opinion, but i can see people taking offence at certain bands that openly preach certain views. As for my own political views, i'd rather keep them to myself since these political discussions always seem to escalate sooner or later. And besides they are just that, my personal views and probably should stay that way.

     

    Grand Belial's Key - Mocking the Philanthropist

    Some damn tasty riffing for a USBM band, one of the few American bands i really dig besides Panopticon.

  2. I just recently went 4K and i must say it really blew me away, even though i didn't expected a big improvement over blu ray. But even older stuff like "Alien" or "Suspiria" look significantly better now. So i guess i'll be upgrading a lot of titles once again (some for the third or fourth time). 

    But there is no denying that the older formats like VHS and cassettes have a big nostalgic factor for me personally. For example i prefer watching "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" or "Night of the Living Dead" on VHS simply cause those movies benefit of that gritty lo-fi look which give them that grindhouse feeling.

    "A Blade in the Dark"is pretty underrated IMO, certainly one of Lamberto Bava's better movies and one of the last worthwhile giallo's. Love that creepy piano soundtrack the guy is working on in the movie. Most of these Italian horror movies have a pretty unique atmosphere, probably the reason why i enjoy them so much. They feel so different compared to most American horror movies of that time. The soundtracks, the cinematography and plot lines are just so outrageous and wild when compared to most American counter parts.

     I did see the "Suspiria" remake recently and to be honest i didn't hate it as much as i thought i would. There were one or two cool scenes (the ballet body twisting) and Dakota Johnson was a pretty good Susie. I also liked how they didn't try to emulate the look of the original since that would have been impossible anyway. But the plot felt somewhat convoluted with the whole political angle and the ending left me somewhat confused. Overall it wasn't too bad, but i'll always prefer the original for it's colorful look and fairytale-like story.

    Like most remakes it left me wondering if a remake was really necessary when the original is almost perfect. Most of these remakes stick either too close to the original and don't do anything innovative or they stray too far away from the original and end up feeling like something totally different. It's the whole "you'll be damned if you do, you'll be damned if you don't" thing.

  3. If it's horror or horror related i'll (basically) watch it. I've been a huge horror nerd ever since i was like 7 years old. I remember watching stuff like "Dawn of the Dead" and "Phantasm" with my older brother on his super 8 projector back in the day. Ever since then i'm hooked and i've been watching everything from early 20's German expressionist movies like "Das Kabinett Des Doktor Caligari" to European horror movies and numerous 80's slasher movies. 

    Unlike most people i'm still stuck in the age of phsyical media. I still buy super 8, 16mm, VHS, blu ray's and 4K discs on a regular basis. The counter should be somewhere around 2500 movies at the moment. I just recently converted my basement into a man cave so i can fit all my movies and movie related stuff in one place.

    Don't ask me to name my favorite movie or genre cause there is so much stuff i love. Although i do have serious weak spot for the early Universal Horror movies (Frankenstein, Wolfman, Mummy, etc), Hammer horror films and European horror cinema in general (Spanish and Italian movies mainly). If i had to choose an all time favorite it would probably be the Blind Dead movies by Amando De Ossorio or Fulci's Hell trilogy (City of the Living Dead, House by the Cemetery and The Beyond).

  4. Deströyer666 - To The Devil His Due

    What a fucking awesome compilation of most of their "7 inch releases. Especially the early stuff is really brutal and dirty sounding. Glad i finally got the chance to see them a few weeks ago when they toured with Mayhem over here in Europe.

  5. Well like i said i never got further then their "Best of" album which sounded okay to my ears. Although the length of their songs and albums in general are somewhat of a turn off for me. If an album runs longer then 45 min. then there is probably some filler material on their or my attention span is just very short. But to be fair like i said i never took the effort to listen to one of their albums as a whole. But judging from your comments the first two records is where i should start?!?

  6. I only own a best of album of Type O Negative so glad to hear one of their more obscure song for a change. Really digging the slow doomy passages which are interrupted by these almost punk-like sounding fast passages. Also nice use of some subtle synth´s here and there. I can see myself listening to this more often. A solid 8/10.

     

  7. Megadeth - The World Needs a Hero

    Not as bad as i remember it to be honest. Certainly an improvement after the disasterous "Risk" but still missing a little bit of bite. You can hear that they are still playing it somewhat safe on this album. But overall an enjoyable listening session.

  8. Trouble was never my favorite doom metal band, but this track is not bad at all, some nice riffs and atmosphere. Not really digging the vocals though. But otherwise solid track. 6,5/10

     

    Probably only tolerable if you like lo-fi dirty black metal, but still curious what others think.

     

  9. 20 hours ago, Balor said:

    Really?  I always though Hetfield's vocals were one of the highlights of Metallica.

    Don´t get me wrong they are not bad or intolerable. It´s just i personally find them totally bland and your stereo typical metal barking stuff. But i always gravitate to the more unique voices like Mustaine, Baloff, Jello Biafra, King Diamond, Schmier just to name a few.

  10. Easily Megadeth for me. I like some of the earlier Metallica stuff but i always preferred the intricate and insane guitar wizardry of Dave Mustaine and his punky sounding vocals. The only Megadeth albums i really dislike are "Risk" and "The Worlds Needs a Hero" but otherwise their output is solid as a rock. I would consider their first four albums to be the holy bible of thrash metal, but that´s just me.

    With Metallica i only reall enjoy the first three albums and everything after that is mostly wasted on me with the exception of a song or two. Hate Kirk´s over reliance on wah pedals and James Hetfield´s voice isn´t my cup of tea either. Just middel of the road thrash for me.

  11. Three (kind of) new bands i stumbled on recently. First one is called Tyranni from Sweden. Great melodic 90´s sounding black metal with lot´s of grand passages, i possibly noticed some early Emperor influences here and there? Great stuff!

     

    Second one is called Hovmod from Norway who just released their debut album. Sound a little like Khold but with an extra little kick of speed. Really digging this one so far ?

     

    Mortem isn´t exactly new considering they have been around since the late 80´s, but this is their first full length album. Great line up with member of Arcturus, Mayhem and 1349. Well worth the long wait, sounds like a lost early Arcturus album.

     

     

  12. Aura Noir - Aura Noire

    Still gutted that these guys called it quits earlier this year ? Gonna miss hearing Blasphemer´s shredding, although we still have Vltimas i guess. But hey, at least they left on a high note with this album. "Out to Die" was a little disappointing but this one sounded like old school Aura Noir all over again.

  13. 17 hours ago, Natassja said:

    Necrophagia - The Divine Art of Torture

    Hail Killjoy! Was recently listening to Necrophagia again and realized how much i miss Killjoy and his band. By far my no. 1 death metal band of all times.

    Electric  Wizard- Wizard Bloody Wizard

    This one took some time to grow on me, and now i can appreciate it for what it is. But it´s still the weakest album by EW right after "We Live". The riffs just feel lazy at times and the whole things feels somewhat uninspired. They probably shouldn´t have dumped Mark Greening (again). His influence on "Time to Die" was very noticeable and is missing here.

  14. 10. Dead Witches - The Final Exorcism

    I've been following Mark Greening ever since he left Electric Wizard and enjoyed his previous band Ramesses immensly. With Dead Witches he opted for a more classic approach to doom metal although with female vocals this time. With the second album The Final Exorcism they tick all the boxes for me when it comes to doom metal. Fuzzy and heavy guitars and groovy riffs? Check. Lush and loose drumming? Check. Distorted vocals and occult lyrics? Check. Dead Witches hardly reinvented the (doom) wheel here, but they do what they do so perfectly that you don't mind. If you were disappointed with Electric Wizard's recent output you might want to check out Dead Witches instead.

     

    9. Mayhem -Daemon

    After years of more experimental musical pathways the original bad boys from Norway return to their roots and go for a simple and straight forward approach. And for the most part it actually works out pretty well. The production and songs sound like they could have come straight out of '94. Also love the subtle use of keyboards on some tracks and there are some juicy riffs which sound somewhat Thorns inspired at times. Another unexpected comeback from a band that was somewhat forgotten these last few years.

     

    8. Mork - Det Svarte Juv

    This man doesn't seem to slow down and with his latest album he lands another touchdown. I love the mid paced approach and the way this band sounds like they were frozen in '93 and just came out of cryogenic stasis and continued like nothing has changed. This is traditional Norwegian black metal at it's finest and purest form. If Mork can keep up this level of quality then we have a lot to look forward to.

     

    7. Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen

    This one caught me really off guard since Vindsal pretty much abanonded his old school roots a long time ago, except for the occasional Memoria Vetusta album. But on this album we are treated to some truely superb songs with tons of infectious riffs and melodies. If you close your eyes you'd almost swear you are hearing the first two albums only with a much more refined sound. If this is the future for Blut Aus Nord then i look forward to hearing more!

     

    6. Strigoi - Abandon all Faith

    Another suprise release, this time by Greg Mackintosh of Paradise Lost fame. I never really warmed up to Vallenfyre but with Strigoi Mackintosch manages to hit the spot exactly. A fine mixture of death, black, doom and crust elements which come together like a perfect storm. Also props for Waltteri Väyrynen for putting down some deadly drums on this release. This album contains something for everyone, wether it be fast tracks like Noctural Vermin or the doomy and epic Carved into the Skin. A most pleasant experience from beginning to end.

     

    5. Abigail Williams - Walk Beyond the Dark

    The road of Abigail Williams has been a long and rocky one. From being labelled deathcore in the beginning to Dimmu Borgir clones later on. Luckily with the last few releases Abigail Wiliams has finally carved a path for themselves in the USBM scene. The latest release Walk Beyond the Dark is the culmination of all that hard work. Ken Sorceron brings us a perfectly balanced album with the harsher black metal elements merging perfectly with the softer and more relaxed passages that were missing on previous releases. In essence this is all you can wish from a black metal band in my opinion. There is diversity and plenty of elements for everyone to enjoy.

     

    4. Kampfar - Ofidians Manifest

    Kampfar came back in a big way with their latest album. They have been on steady rise ever since Mare and with this album they hit their peak once again. Like on previous releases Dolk manages to infuse the black metal sound with just enough folk elements to give it a unique and grand sound unlike any other black metal band i know. I think i prefer Profan slightly over this release, but still this a very valiant effort by Kampfar after quite a long period of uncertainty and they have proven their worth once again. Black metal wouldn't be the same without this band.

     

    3. Abbath - Outstrider

    For a man who has to endure so much shit on a professional and personal level you have to commend Abbath for delivering such an incredible sophomore album. Expectations were pretty low after the mediocre debut album but he's proven the doubters wrong with Outsider. Taking a more old school first wave black metal approach Abbath creates some of his most memorable tunes. If you had doubts about the man his musical capabilites then Outstrider will prove you wrong. Tracks like Harvest Pyre like Calm In Ire of Hurricane grab you by the throat and won't let you go. I'll have some more of this, please!

     

    2. Borknagar - True North

    Just when you thought they couldn't top their previous album Winter Thrice these boys prove you wrong again. Where i almost wrote them off a few years ago i can now only stand in awe of their latest accomplishment. ICS Vortex effortlessly takes over Vindsal's position as the lead singer and manages to sound just as grandiose. Once again we are treated to some epic anthems like only Borknagar can create. Especially the track Voices has grown on me and shows the huge diversity of this band. Without a doubt the crowning achievement of their career so far. Words can't do this album enough justice. You just have to experience it yourself.

     

    1. Sarke - Gastwerso

    It's truely astonishing to see the growth of Sarke in the last few years. Where as the first few releases were somewhat straight forward black 'n roll release they somehow went through some kind of growth spurth with their last three releases. Gone is the basic black 'n roll sound and instead we are introduced to some of the most unique and diverse sounds within black metal, if you can even call it that. No two tracks sound the same and it's been a long time since Nocturno Culto's vocals sounded so good. If this the way that Sarke is going to continue then i can't wait to see what's next. For me this has been the release of the year without a doubt. 

  15. Asagraum - Dawn of Infinite Fire 

    I guess one of the few Dutch female fronted black metal bands around? I thought their debut album was okay and this follow up is a definitive improvement on all fronts. Songs don´t drag as much as on the debut album and this album is paced somewhat more evenly which make for a more pleasant listening experience. There a few stand out songs but also quite some fillers in my opinion. It´s nothing you haven´t heard before in black metal except it´s done by a bunch of women. They are heading in the right direction but do they deserve the heap of praise they get from the underground? I have my doubt so far.

    Beastcraft - Into The Burning Pit of Hell

    Listening to this album reminds me how much Trondr Nefas is missed in the Norwegian black metal scene. Of course Urgehal was his main band but Beastcraft (cheesey name aside) is every bit as good as Urgehal. I love their dirty DIY production on this debut album. Most songs are fast and furious and the Trondr´s raspy vocals sound like a demon screeching from the bottoms of hell. Songs rarely run longer then 3 minutes so they never overstay their welcome and pack lot´s of beefy riffs. This is everything you would expect from black metal and more. Listen to the track Unholy Blood Ritual and tell me it doesn´t kick serious ass.

  16. Boy, i actually envy you since you have all the good stuff still ahead of you because you certainly started with the worst. I´ve listened to Ministry for quite some years but the last few albums were a big turn off plus Al Jourgensen increasingly idiotic left wing behaviour. The last album i really enjoyed was "From Beer to Eternity" since it was the last album with Mike Scaccia on guitar and i liked how the brought back some the electronic elements on that one. 

    But AmeriKKKant was definitely the nail in the coffin for me personally. I´d rather remember them for their classic albums instead of supporting the drivel Jourgensen puts out nowadays. I really wish i could listen to "Land of Rape and Honey" or "Rio Grande Blood`` with fresh ears once again. Those albums left such a huge impression on me back then. Curious to see which album will turn out to be your favorite. I know "Filth Pig" is one of their most hated albums but i think it´s a brilliant sludge album, just not what you expect from Ministry after "Psalm 69".

  17. Who cares?

    17 hours ago, RelentlessOblivion said:

    I'm starting to think it's a bit too cliché to base so many of my lyrics off horror movies and stories, but then again what lyrical content isn't cliché in metal these days?

    Who cares? If you like writing about that stuff then stick to your guns, brother. Besides horror and metal go together like bacon and eggs. And considering how many horror movies exist there is probably always an obscure horror movie you could base your lyrics on. Besides like you said it´s not like there many original lyrical ideas left in metal.

    And i must say i never tire of listening to Necrophagia who´s lyrics were based solely on horror movies. I even seek out specific bands that concentrate on horror movies based lyrics or image. I really love stuff like Necrophagia, Hooded Menace, Fulci and The Misfits.

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