Jump to content

Benjaminc81

Members
  • Posts

    99
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

Everything posted by Benjaminc81

  1. Gave "Damned in Black" a spin today and somehow this album always get´s a bad rep in the Immortal discography. It certainly isn´t their most exciting release but there are still plenty of killer riffs and songs on that album, Wrath from Above, My Dimension and In Our Mystic Visions Blest being the stand outs. The modern sterile productions takes away some of the atmosphere but all in all not a bad record. Certainly not as bad as some fans may want you to believe.
  2. Anyone enjoying the newly remastered release of "Cruelty and the Beast" as much as i am? It´s huge improvement of the original release since they finally fixed those annoying typewriter drums from the original recording and added some much needed oomph to the whole recording. I mostly prefer the original recordings whenever possible but in this case (and Nattens Madrigal) the tweaking is more then welcome. It´s still not perfect since Sarah Jezebel vocals still sound somewhat muffled and at times the guitars threaten to drown out some of the keyboard sequences. But overall this newly remastered version make the album way more enjoyable. Now let´s see what Dani and the boys come up with next. I was never a huge Cradle fan but i have to admit that their last two records really grabbed me. If they can keep this up then i might have to become a fan after all ?
  3. Whoredome Rife - Dommedagskvad Really hope to catch these guys live someday. One of the few new Norwegian bands who keep the black flame burning bright.
  4. With The Dead- With The Dead Incredible how Lee Dorrian hasn't lost a step in all those years since Cathedral. He still manages to deliver some of the most heavy soul crushing doom metal anyone could wish for, so dark and bleak sounding. Every track is just pure excellence and Mark Greening's drumming is just as punishing as it was on EW's "Dopethrone" album. When it comes to doom metal it doesn't get much better then this!
  5. You are right, i still have it somewhere in my pile of Cd's. I got it from a friend as a gift because he knew i liked metal...? The irony somehow wasn't lost on me.
  6. Slayer is without a doubt no.1 for me personally. They always had the edge because of their more agressive sound, which i prefer, and the fact they stayed true to their roots most of their career. Even their later albums are still worth listening to and besides Diabolus in Musica they never really released a bad album, and even that one is tolerable. That being said i glad they are calling it quits before they turn in some kind of parody band with old men screaming about satan and being angry about society, etc. Second would be Megadeth. As most people i´m not a fan of their late 90´s material. But the early stuff is just excellent and Mustaine´s guitar skills are really second to none. Also everything they did after "The System has Failed" has been mostly up to par with "Dystopia" being the most solid records they did in years, i still listen to that one regularly. I know Mustaine always thinks he lives in Metallica´s shadow but in many way he surpassed them years ago. Metallica in third position. I can be short about this one, like everyone else i think the first 4 records are absolute killer but after that i couldn´t be bothered. Death Magnetic was an okay attempt at returning to their roots but the horrible production kind of ruins the album and Hardwired would have been cool if it had been one disc instead of a bloated 2 disc album with too much filler. These guys are clearly riding this one out on the strength of their name nowadays. And who can blame them? But i think Metallica just got lucky that they got their foot in the door first before any of the other bands. Anthrax comes last for me. Not because they suck but they are just too inconsistent. Too many line up changes, long breaks and at time directionless. Can´t say i´m too big on the John Bush era but all the other stuff with Joey is solid. "Worship Music" was a really cool comeback though and showed that Anthrax still has some juice left.
  7. Somebody is on a role here ?Never heard of Old Tower but going to give them a spin. Really liking Catamcombs Enshadows though, would be the perfect soundtrack for some old school vampire flick. Conjures up images of old Romanian castles and Nosferatu-like creatures. Will be keeping an eye on your blog for further recommendations!
  8. No problem I hope you enjoy some of the stuff i linked here. Although from the sounds of your description it seems you are more into ambient black metal stuff then the real dungeon synth material. At least as i understand you are looking for the more spooky, ritualistic sounding stuff along the lines of Darkness Enshroud and Aghast?
  9. Well it´s pretty safe to say their would be no dungeon synth genre with Mortiis. Especially the first four albums are just magnificent. After that he went into a more industrial direction and i quickly lost interest. Lately he seems to be returning to his old sound though and a new album is coming out in January which is some sort continuation of his classic album "Ånden som gjorde opprør". So that sounds pretty promising! That guy from Drowning Light also did a cool side project called Apparition which is basically a soundtrack for a fictional movie. Recently a compilation by the greek group Lamentation was released which contains all three demo´s from the mid 90´s. Real proper creepy dungeon synth sounds for late at night. Too bad they never released anything else. Azrael Abaddon of Black Funeral also has a pretty cool dungeon synth side project called Darkness Enshroud Leviathan´s album "A Silhouette in Splinters" is also magnificent piece of ambient music, but mostly devout of your usual dungeon synth elements. But i urge everbody to put this album on while sitting in the dark. Guaranteed to blow your mind. And of course listen to Wrests other side project Lurker of Chalice which is almost equally unnerving to listen to. Pure bliss for your dark soul The ladies of Aghast are also an absolute must. They only released one album but it's an instant classic with some of the most spooky shit i've ever heard. Some of the music was even used in the horror movie "Sinister" which fit the mood of the movie perfectly. I know a lot of people might laugh at this one, but i thought Phil Anselmo and his wife did some pretty cool dungeon synth-like shit on the last two Viking Crown albums. It's sounds pretty cheesy at times but so does most dungeon synth stuff so who cares. Definitely underrated in my book. Les Legion Noires had multiple ambient projects but Amaka Hahina might the best of them. Gods knows how many demo's/releases there are. Like with most of the LLN projects there only seem to be a few songs or demo's at most. Old Sorcery is a dungeon synth project i just recently discovered myself. Really been listening al lot the new album. Reminds a little bit of the early Burzum ambient projects when he was in jail.
  10. Benjaminc81

    Cloak

    Doesn´t sound too bad. Reminds a little of Tribulation or In Solitude (minus the growls). Digging the more gothic metal influenced sound, they have potential if they manage to develop their sound a little more. Might be interesting to keep an eye on these guys.
  11. Benjaminc81

    Mayhem

    Been listening to the new album for a few days now, but i´m guess in the minority here. It sounds okay but nowhere near as exciting as previous releases. I guess i got used to Mayhem switching up their style every other album. To my ears this one just sound a little plain and pedestrian with no real standout moments so far. De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas already exists so why rehash that particular style? On the other hand it´s commendable that they chose to keep it simple for once instead of going nuts like they did on Grand Declaration of War or Ordo Ad Chao. I don´t know, guess i´m still somewhat torn about the new album. I hope it will start to click after a few more spins. And if not i can still enjoy their previous ouput, no love lost.
  12. Bloodbath - Resurrection though Carnage It´s swedish death metal in it´s purest form, simple as that. Hard to believe Akerfeldt actually was the vocalist for Bloodbath considering the 70´s hippie crap he´s putting out nowadays. But his delivery here is second to none that much is clear. Bloodbath certainly didn´t reinvent the wheel with their debut album but it´s an solid effort overall. You have that trademark boss HM-2 guitar sound which cuts through everything and there are plenty of memorable hooks. Not else much to say about this damn solid album. Djevel - Ormer til armer, maane til hode To be honest i kind of got tired of Djevel with the last two albums. Sure, they have that traditional Norwegian BM sound down to a T. But the last two efforts felt a little bloated and uninspired in my opinion and contained some overly long tracks that went nowhere. Luckily they seem to have recovered somewhat with their latest effort. They still stick to that old school Norwegian sound but offer a little more varation here. Although some songs still feel way too long. I´ve only given it 3 spins so far but it's a pretty solid effort for the most part. It´s mostly more of the same but with just enough new tweaks to keep things interesting for a minute. Mortem - Ravnsvart After 30+ years Mortem finally decided to drop their debut album. Gone are all the death metal influences of their demo. Instead we are treated to cold black norwegian metal with symphonic elements. This may be a disappoinment to some but i'm enjoying every second of it. It sounds like these guys were frozen in ice back in 93' and just woke up again not knowing it's 2019. If i would have to compare this album with another one i'd say Arcturus' debut album or early Emperor. The all star line up of the band actually reflects in the music. It's all been done before but it's satisfying to see Mortem fill in the slot that was left by other bands (looking at you Emperor). Certainly a must buy album if you dig previously mentioned bands.
  13. Immortal's discography is long overdue for a review. I never really dug their campy vibe but i do enjoy some of their albums with "At Heart of Winter" being my absolute favorite. I never really understood why the older albums are held in such high esteem though since they are so messy sounding. But like i said i really should give their discography a thorough chronological review. The new album without Abbath was okay but sounded pretty dated like it could have been recorded back in the late '90's. Normally i would consider that a compliment but in this case it just sounded tired and uninspired. At least the two solo albums by Abbath sound a little more lively and diverse, especially the last one. So for now i'm with team Abbath even though he turned into the black metal version of KISS.
  14. I'm one of those collector nerd type guys. I almost always end up buying the whole discography of a band when i like one or two releases. It's just the completist in me and it drives me crazy at times. Plus Dark Funeral had this CD spine gimmick thing where the spines of all their albums form this inverted cross when lined up. But other then that i don't have a good reason.? But on a serious note i have been contemplating selling a part of my CD collection because of this ridiculous habit. I just have so many filler albums in my collection that take up way too much place. But on the other hand i doubt i'll be even able to sell them unless i give them away. I can't imagine getting more then 2 or 3 euro's for a CD nowadays.
  15. I´ve given them plenty of tries in the past and for some reason i do own all their albums. But i can safely say Dark Funeral just isn´t for me with the exception of "Where Shadows Reign Forever". I don´t know if they got lucky with that one or if they finally released that speed and agression isn´t everything. Their sound in general is just way to monotonous for me. Like i said it´s all speed and agression but they have zero feeling for melodies or atmosphere. Plus their image is just a little too much with their medieval armors and stuff. They just strike me as a pretty juvenile band at this point. I can stomach one or two songs but they are definitely not my cup of tea. I´d rank the albums but that would be a pretty useless since i only really like their last and first album. Everything in between is just filler for me.
  16. Can't imagine listening to a live album of Judas Iscariot since his studio recordings already sound like they were recorded in a wet cardboard box under the bridge with pots and pans and a out of tune guitar. But maybe i should give it a chance, after all i can't be that much worse. I'm always skeptical when it comes to live albums but i have been pleasantly suprised in the past. Maybe i'll give the last two Dimmu albums a respin sometime in the future. But i just remember them being overlong and overblown. Very tiring to the ears and just a drag to get through. Shagrath should really dial it down a little when it comes to those symphonic element. Thought the new Bloodbath was alright although "Grand Morbid Funeral" still rules supreme in my opinion. The new album sounds cool but also a little like a band that is going through the motions at time. It's nothing too special but it should do nicely until the next album. "Where Shadows Forever Reign" is without a doubt my favorite album by Dark Funeral. Finally they discovered it's not all about furious non stop blast beats and tremolo's. They finally opened up the songs and let them breathe a little and weren't afraid to inject some actual melodies. The slowest track "As I Ascend" is probably my favorite of that album. Only problem is that i detest the older albums even more now, now that i know what they are capable of. Although "The Secrets of the Black Arts" is still tolerable in small doses. I missed the whole Mgla hype train so maybe i should give them a spin sometime. Although can't say i'm in a hurry with so much albums by respected bands (Mayhem, 1349, Borknagar, Blut aus Nord, Abigail Williams) coming this and next month
  17. Me personally... I´d say start with "Ultima Thulee" and all three Memoria Vetusta albums. Those albums are most the straight forward black metal sounding albums by Blut aus Nord and also my favorites for earlier mentioned reason. I thought "The Work Which Transforms God" was also quite an interesting experiment but not really my cup of tea and after that they lost me completely. The 777 trilogy was pretty enjoyable though, especially the last chapter "Cosmosophy" which had a real cool industrial, almost movie soundtrack-like soundscape. Don't know about the more recent stuff since i haven't followed the band since then. The new single sounds great though and reminds me a bit of his earliest stuff although more refined of course. I guess this could be the first Blut aus Nord album i would consider buying again. https://www.loudersound.com/features/blut-aus-nord-debut-trippy-new-track-taken-from-their-forthcoming-album-hallucinogen
  18. I was a rabid Rob Zombie fan in the late 90's and through his music and interviews i really got into weird stuff like serial killers, the satanic panic era and all that dark, twisted stuff. I always was fascinated with the darker side of things but ever since i had discovered Rob Zombie my interest really peaked regarding those themes. I know this sound utterly fucking nerdy but i was still an easily impressible teenager back then and i worshipped the man like a god at the time and i thought it was so cool and evil. I make myself cringe thinking back to those times. To this day i'm still pretty into everything with a satanic or pagan background or things regarding serial killers. Like you i used to regularly search youtube for documentaries or clips about these subjects. Nowadays things have cooled down somewhat. Mainly because i noticed along the way that a lot of people find it a turn off when you all do is watch, talk and read about fucked up things. ? And secondly i burnt myself out a little after all these years. I feel i've read and seen so much that i probably have covered the most interesting cases by now. But it still remains a fun hobby and i still regularly buy books, documentaries, etc. regarding the subjects. But as i said nowadays i keep it more to myself. Some of my favorite cases are those of Adolfo Costanzo, an mexican drug lord who practiced black magic. Of course there is also the infamous Ricky Kasso case and that of satanic serial killer Richard Ramirez. And the mystery surrounding the death of Jeannette DePalma is just utterly fascinating read. One of the more recent fascinating cases is that of an Italian group called Beasts of Satan who commited multiple brutal murders in the late 90's/early 2000's. I guess these things got often hand in hand with listening to metal. It sounds like a big cliché but for me personally it rings true. I like horror, metal and have an interest in unusual, dark subject.
  19. The guys of Borknagar are preparing to drop their new album "True North" at the end of this month. The perfect opportunity to show these guys some love since they are underrated as hell in my opinion. Through the years some of black metal most beloved members have played in this band from Infernus and Grimm, Ivar Bjornson to Kristoffer Rygg and ICS Vortex. They had a really strong start with their classic self titled album which followed by the equally stunnning "The Olden Domain". Afer that some of the more well known members like Kristoffer Rygg left and people like ICS Vortex took over the reigns but with Øystein Brun always being the driving force behind the band. Mind you i'm also not a fan of all their work though. Around 2000 they lost me a little when they went all proggy on albums like "Empiricsm" and "Epic". They abandoned their black metal roots a little too much for my personal taste. Although they have redeemed themselves quite nicely these last few years with albums like "Urd" and "Winter Thrice" which are somewhat a return to their roots with even Kristoffer Rygg making a guest appereance on the last album. Vintersorg who helmed the band these last few years unfortunately had to step down as their vocalist due to health related issues and now ICS Vortex is back on the lead vocals for the upcoming album which is either good or bad depending on your tolerance for epic vocals. Anyway i would love to hear your opinion on this band. I know some people find them underwhelming, thinking their albums are mostly sub-par considering the talent involved while others praise them as Norway's best kept secret. So let's hear it. Also here are the two new songs from their upcoming album "True North". Enjoy!
  20. Your typical happy go lucky Nintendo tune that immediatley get's stuck in your head. I never was a big Nintendo fan but when it came to video game soundtracks these guys knew their shit. I haven't played most of their games but i've heard plenty of classic Nintendo tunes in my lifetime and they are infectious as hell. That said i never was a fan of their happy go lucky sound but i can't the deny the catchiness. of it 7,5 out of 10
  21. I'm not big on death metal but for Krisiun i'll gladly make an exception. These Brazilian guys really have a crushing sound and mix things up enough to keep the listeners interested. They love their blast beats but also know when to switch gears. The Great Execution is probably also the best album they releases in my opinion. I'd give it a solid 8 out of 10.
  22. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon Hm, it's better then i remember so far but the whole symphonic elements are almost too overpowering on this one. Sometimes less is better...
  23. Judas Iscariot - To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding I always had a soft spot for this shitty band. Because let's face it, it's basically a Darkthrone clone and not even a really good one at that. But somehow i keep returning to Judas Iscariot every few months. I must be said that with this album he probably came closest to producing what i would consider a decent album. The drumming is actually tolerable and the songs progress nicely. It's certainly one of the better Judas Iscariot album, although the "Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten" EP might be his real crowning achievement. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli I've been re-discovering the Dimmu Borgir discography these last few weeks. And this album is probably my favorite one so far. Hellhammer's drumming is superb as always and they still had Mustis and ICS Vortex in the band which made all the difference for their sound. The balance of keyboards and guitar's is just right on this album and ICS Vortex his clean vocals help to keep things interesting and fresh. It's only after these two men left that Dimmu really went downhill. Dimmu probably should have called it quits after this one but instead they keep pushing delivering one tired album after another. ICS Vortex - Stormseeker After leaving Dimmu Borgir ICS Vortex decided to do a solo album and it's really a breath of of fresh air. If your are looking for true Norwegian black metal then keep looking. There a few light black metal influences on this album but for the most part each song sounds wildly different and unique ranging from straight up metal song to almost proggy or industrial tracks.. His vocals here sound as good as ever and the mish mash of different styles help to keep things interesting all the way through. Not every song is a certified banger but i would love to see another solo album by this man. But until then we can always enjoy his work in Borknagar now that he's back as their lead vocalist.
  24. Pig Destroyer - Head Cage - Totally missed that these guys released a new album last year. At the core it's still the same chaotic grindcore sound that i love, although this time they incorporated some more groove elements. Not that it sounds like Pantera but this is easily their most accessible album so far. I like they built upon their sound but i hope they don't stray too far from ther roots. - Cattle Decapitation - The Anthropocene Extinction - With the new album being announced recently i decided to revisit their last album. These guys keep amazing me by showing enormous growth within the last few albums. Normally i'm not a big fan of tech death metal but these guys really nail it. Their previous album "Monolith of Inhumanity" is still their undisputed masterpiece. With this follow up they opted to slow down things a little and play around some more with the clean vocals. Great effort but at times it feels like they copy their previous album a little too much. - Order of the Ebon Hand - VII: The Chariot - Freakin' 14 years later these greeks finally decide to release their new album. Their previous album was a pretty big surprise for me at the time so i really had high hopes for this follow up. Unfortunately i must say it's somewhat of a dissapointment. I like the more thrashy influences that creep up on tracks like "Dreadnaught" or the hammond organ passages which add a little texture to some songs. But the straight up black metal tracks sound pretty generic and the production is way too clean for my taste. I guess my expectations were just too high after 14 years. But still it's somewhat dissapointing this is all they came up with after their last fabulous album.
×
×
  • Create New...