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JohanV

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  1. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to navybsn in EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023   
    Fuck, how the hell did I fall behind the General's posting timeline. I thought I had until at least March or so....
    Anyway, my refined EOTY 23 closeout. Not much special you probably haven't seen already. GG probably covered everything of interest anyway. Didn't get much chance to dive to deep in 23.
    In no particular order:
    Demoncy - Black Star Gnosis - a glorious return for my fave BM band
    ASET - Astral Rape
    Dodheimsgard - Black Medium Current
    Faidra - Militant: Penitent: Triumphant
    Gravesend - Gowanus Death Stomp
    Lamp of Murmur - Saturnian Blood Storm
    Poison Ruin - Harvest
    Spirit Possession - Of the Sign
    ΣARΚ - Inumbris
    Ruim - Black Royal Spiritism
    Profane Order - One Nightmare to Another
    Circle of Ouroboros - Lumi Vaientaa Kysmykset
    Enslaved - Heimdal
    Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
    Woe - Legacies of Frailty
    Kreig - Ruiner
     
    Now to comb through the thread and see what I missed.
     
     
  2. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to GoatmasterGeneral in EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023   
    BLACK/DEATH  2023
    These are my top black/death albums, in absolutely no order whatsoever. Black/death would be my favorite sub-genre if I had to pick one. I listen to more black metal than anything else just because I come across more good black metal, and that's because there's a lot more of it being released. So this list will be a bit shorter than both my black metal and death metal lists. But nothing beats a top quality black/death album in my world. 
     

    Fossilization - Leprous Daylight, Brazil. I'd been looking forward to this one since it was announced, and it did not disappoint. Put this one first because if I absolutely had to pick a #1 black/death album for the year this would probably be it.
     

    Lysergic - Dimethyltryptikon, Calgary Alberta. I find it hard to write these blurbs for black/death. What does this record sound like? Sounds like black/death, it's fucking awesome.
     

    Ceremonial Bloodbath - Genesis of Malignant Entropy, Vancouver BC. A Sentient Ruin Labs band. Small label based in SF that's releasing a lot of good shit in the black/death and brutal death vein. This is their second full length.
     

    Disimperium - Grand Insurgence Upon Despotic Altars, Portland Oregon. Another Sentient Ruin band. I'll call this one war metal. 


    Profane Order - One Nightmare Unto Another, I'm quite fond of these dudes from Montreal. This is their second full length, I'll admit to liking the first one better, but this is still easily making my list.
     

    Demonic Incarnate - Abyssal Sermons of Devastation, slow and doomy sections punctuate this black/death album from Germany. You could call it caverncore.
     

    Misanthropic War - Utter Human Annihilation, Germany. Album title says it all really.
     

    Kriegszittern - Flamethrower, more war metal from Germany with slow doomy parts to break up the wall of noise. 
     
     

    Cult ov Black Blood - Apocalyptic Banner ov Abaddon, war metal from Poland. Doc will hate this because of their use of of the dreaded "ov" and because they might have gone just a little overboard on the reverb. But I love it because it destroys.
     

    Sangre Impura - Ravaged Fortitude of Foul Existence, Brownsville TX
     

    Satanism - Lycanthropic Legion, Detroit. Same dude that put out two killer EP's that I was raving about in 2021 now brings the full length. 
     
     
    Invultation - Feral Legion, Columbus Ohio. Third album from this dude, he's on Sentient Ruin now as well. Good album although being honest I think I like his second one the best.
     

    Demoncy - Black Star Gnosis, originally from North Carolina but JT chased them away so they moved out west to Seattle. I'll assume anyone reading this list will know who Demoncy is. First album in 8 years. I'm sure most would consider them black metal, and they're not wrong, they are black metal. But for the purposes of this list I'll call them black/death because they're not your typical second wave tremolo clones and I already had too many albums on my black metal list. 
     

    Scáth na Déithe - Virulent Providence, Ireland. Third album from these Irishmen, I discovered them on their second album in 2020. Their songwriting is maybe a little more nuanced than some of the entries on this list, their mission isn't simply to pulverize the listener, although they certainly don't hold anything back.
     

    Morbid Sacrifice - Ceremonial Blood Worship, Italy. Less cavernous (and less reverb) and a bit more primitive sounding than most on this list, they didn't opt for the wall of noise production. I'm hearing some Autopsy here.
     

    Burial Hordes - Ruins, Greece. Been a huge fan of these Greeks since their third album Incendium in 2014. Nothing they do will ever top that one for me, but this 5th album is still damn good. Even Chocka Doc likes it.
     

    Teke - Beginning of the End, Türkiye. Another one I diverted from my black metal list to the black/death list because of the vocals which seem more death-like to me. I played this album a lot last year, it's probably the most musical and melodic thing on this list.
     

    Blood Serpent - Bestial Extermination, Vietnam. Amazing album, you need this.
     

    Pharmakeia - Maenadic Ecstasy, from parts unknown. Hate when these bands feel the need to keep their whereabouts a big mystery. But the record is good, if maybe a little unhinged, so on the list it goes.
     

    Death of a King - Antimatter, another band that keeps their personal info on a need to know only basis, and I guess they figure the fans don't need to know. Love this album cover. This one might be just a touch more refined and a tad less punishing than some of these others, it might even have some dynamics. So if that's what you're looking for look no further. 
     
     

    Miasma of Occvlt Limbs - Occvlta Caerimonia Putridvm, Chile. Filthy and evil. Chile has such a great scene.
     

    Cthonica - Of Spiritual Contraction & Sphere Dehydration, Venezuela. Now this one is punishing. But I guess you could say that about most of these. 
     

    Atomic Goatcrime - Atomic Goat Exterminium! Bestial war metal from Ecuador. Wanted to end the list on a high note.
  3. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to GoatmasterGeneral in EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023   
    2023 BLACK METAL
    I'll start with my top 10, these are the ones I consider to be the best of the best. I didn't even bother to number these, they're all stone cold killers so put 'em in any order you want. Pretty amazing year for black metal, I could have easily done a top 50 black metal list this year, but I will spare you and limit it to 35. You know I separate my lists by sub-genre so everyone gets a chance to be heard, but black metal is the most important list. Had shit to do today too, but I said fuck it, lemme get this black metal list done and dusted so Chocka Doc can stop whinging about it. I'm sure there's shit I've missed that I'll discover in the days and weeks to come but it's January 13th already so I can't worry about that now. 
     
     

    Verminous Serpent - The Malign Covenant, atmospheric black metal from Ireland. This was my AOTY from the very first listen 10 months ago. Everything you could ever want from an atmospheric bm album, hauntingly memorable riffs. Was quite surprised to learn this was the same vocalist from well known Irish black metal band Primordial. Pulling bass duties here as well as vox, as this is like 1,000 times better than Primordial could ever hope to be. My buddy Doc hates this album as it's not "refined" enough for him I suppose, no progressiveness or wankery or post-metal overtones here to appeal to him. But that's exactly why I love it so much. I hope Alan continues with this project after he goes back to Primordial. It would really suck if this album turns out to be a one and done.
     

    Olde Throne - In the Land of Ghosts, this Nordic styled melancholy black metal is almost too good to be from New Zealand. They must have pommie roots as all their album themes are based in the British Isles. Listened to this one a ton last year, could have easily been my #1. Get it in you as Chocka Doc would say.
     

    Nattverd - I Helvetes Forakt, true Norwegian black metal. An amazing riff-fest, they really stepped up their game with this, their fourth album. Could have easily been my #1. This kind of ride is basically what I'm hoping for every time I click on a new black metal album. Listening to this now I'm wondering if I should've put it higher on my list. 
     

    Kaevum - Kultur, this was the other massively awesome bm album from Norway last year. Could have easily been my #1 or #2. Most years I'd expect to have 7 or more Finnish albums in my top 30 but I've switched things up this year, 7 Norwegian bands, only 4 each from Finland, Poland, and the USA. An emotional outpouring and a black metal masterpiece, this their second record came as quite a big surprise as their first album was way back in 2011. This got a lot of spins late in the year, seems it came out Memorial day weekend (May 27) but I only noticed it in the fall. I'm now eagerly awaiting their third album, let's hope it doesn't take them another 12 years to get it out.
     

    Kommodus - Wreath of Bleeding Snowfall, "rugged" black metal from down under. I don't think it usually snows too much in Australia, and this doesn't have the typical Nordic "icy cold forest" feel to it anyway, so this was a strange title he chose. But whatever he wants to call it this is some killer one-man primitive black metal. First album was good, this one's better, I'm definitely looking forward to lots more records from this dude.
     

    Demonic Being - Invocations from the Ancient Path, real authentic Nordic sounding black metal from Mexico of all places. Couldn't even tell you how many times I played this one last year, such a great album, could easily have been my #1.
     
     

    Ondfødt - Det Österbottniska Mörkret, the best of this year's Finnish entries, savage, riffy and melodic, this exemplifies why Finnish black metal will always be my favorite flavor. 
     

    Old - Dawn of Darkness, one of only two German entries this year, this one's more of a straight-forward punky affair, quite catchy as well. Somewhere between punky black metal and punky black/thrash. This is their second album, coming just 17 years after the first, but this one blows that 2006 effort out of the water. Don't own this as there's no digital and I'm waiting for the CD to come to a US distro. Youtube video has 37k views, I bet 1,000 of those are from me. Didn't realize how many second albums I had on my list 'til just now.
     

    Urfaust - Untergang, avant-garde or what I'll call "out of the ordinary" black metal from the Netherlands. Doesn't sound anything like any of my other favorite black metal bands, the crazy clean vocals are actually what I love most about this band. This album has made such an impression on me it's caused me to go back and listen to all their older albums quite a bit the last few months as well. M-A has them listed as split-up so I guess this will be their swan song after 20 years, at least they went out on a high note.
     

    Obsidian Grave - Blood of the Night, black metal from Chicagoland. Had a hard time deciding which album to round out my top 10 with, there were several I thought were absolutely worthy. But I listened to this one so many times toward the end of the year, I knew it had to be the one. 
     
     
    Alright that was my top 10, and now I give you the next 25, presented to you unranked as it just takes me too long to rank them. I just end up moving them up and down and back and forth endlessly getting nowhere and who has time for that shit? These are all great albums to me, put 'em in any order you like. 
     

    Perdition Winds - Burning Spiritual Crypts, Finland. Their third album of Finnish savagery, you know what you're gonna get with these guys. If you're into the Finnish sound this one's a must have.
     

    Actum Inferni - Uzurpator Niebiańskiego Tronu, Poland. Never heard of these guys before, like Kaevum this was a sophomore album coming 12 years after the debut. Played the absolute shit out of this one all year long, I should probably have made a spot for it in my top 10 as that's the main criteria I use when making my list, what did I play the most.
     

    Malum - In Nauseam, pretty typical Norwegian black metal, but very well done. 
     

    Eclipsus - Sullen. Euphoria, Norfolk Virginia has a big naval base but it's not what I generally think of as a black metal town. Nevertheless this album is fucking incredible. Listening again now I'm not sure why this wasn't in my top 10 (maybe because they're from Norfolk VA?) but I don't feel like changing it now. Unbelieveable year for black metal (I know I say that every year) 
     

    Mystic Spear - Outer Darkness USBM. This was a late entry on my list, just found this one in late December. Don't even know where they're from other than here in the USA, but this is a killer demo, I'll be keeping my eye out for more from these two dudes.
     

    Arnaut Pavle - Transylvanian Glare, Finland. A worthy follow-up to their excellent 2019 debut, this was one of the first albums I bought in 2023. Thought it would have ended up higher on my list for sure but it was quite a year for black metal.
     
     
    Kvad - So Old, another end of year discovery by a band I'd never heard of, and another second album, this Norwegian black metal album might even placed higher if I'd have had a chance to spend more time with it. Killer shit.
     

    KYY : Apotheosis - The Light of All Lights, Finland. Went back and forth on this one, first I loved it, then I wasn't sure how I felt about it, then I went back to really digging it again. Was playing it quite a bit though for awhile this fall so here it is in my top 20. 
     

    Faidra - Militant : Penitent : Triumphant, the only Swedish black metal album on my entire 82 album short list. Their first album Voices Inside 2020 was pure atmospheric trancelike Burzum worship that got a million spins. This one was not as immediate for me, took me 4 or 5 spins to really get all the way into it, but turned out it's every bit as addictive and habit forming as the debut.  
     

    Óreiða - The Eternal, doesn't sound like your run of the mill Icelandic black metal, it's more atmospheric in nature. Listened to this one a ton earlier last year, thought for sure it would make my top 10 but the competition was just too damn stiff, like fucking rigor mortis. Still if you're into atmo-black you can't go wrong with this one.
     

    Krigstjørn - Mod Guders Svig (Against God's Betrayal) Denmark. I posted this one last summer then totally forgot about it 'til Surge reminded me by posting it a couple of weeks ago. Exactly the kind of fuzzy atmo-black I've come to associate with Surge over the last several years, I don't own it as I think it might be cassette only, but still this is some good shit.
     

    Flammae - Ordo, Poland. I ran across several high quality black metal albums last year with strangely similar cover art. Black and white drawing of a haunted house/castle on a hill. Some with bats, some without. This was probably the best of the lot, I do like my Polish black metal. 
     

    Horda - Form, Poland. I think of this and Flammae as a pair, both Polish and I discovered them both right around the same time. So I put them together here as well. I couldn't even tell you which one I like better, I put Flammae on top just because I like the cover art more. But listening now this one's probably more savage in nature so it possibly should have been ranked higher. 
     

    Tsjuder - Helvegr, longstanding osbm band from Norway, I think this was their best album in 20 years since Desert Northern Hell way back in 2004. Not sure what happened to breathe new life into these old goats, I think they got a new drummer if I'm not mistaken, but whatever it is I'll take it, this slays. Their 2023 Bathory tribute EP slays as well. 
     

    Vorgfang - Viser Fra Ildens Enger, raw black metal from Norway. I don't know if I need to keep putting the "raw" descriptor on these albums anymore as it's almost become the norm for me, not the exception now. Another one that deserves to be higher on my list, totally savage.
     

    Altertum - Thunder from the Great Halls, Norway. This one just got demoted a few weeks ago when I started listening intently for the purposes of list making. This one had been considered top 10 for most of the year, but once I started listening to all of these other albums again, I couldn't justify it. It's still badass, but there's only so much killer shit a man can squeeze into a top 10. Don't own this one either as there doesn't seem to be a digital or physical release I can find. 
     

    Hell's Coronation - Transgression of a Necromantical Darkness, slow burnin' evil as fuck black metal from the depths of Poland. Been a big fan of these dudes for awhile now, no question their new one would be on my list.
     

    Signs of the Dying Summer - Promenada Ciszy, Poland. Never heard of these dudes before but this album got played a lot and made a big impression on me this year. After Finland and Norway, Poland has become my go-to country for killer black metal. Their first album, Oto Jest Pustka from 2021 is worth tracking down too.
     

    Miasmes - Répugnance, the only French band on my list, wish I could have put it higher. If you're still reading my list this far down then you know what kind of savage, caustic but riffy black metal I go for, and this is more of the same.
     

    Virulent Spectre - Satanic Territorial Moloch, more raw USBM. There was a time not too many years ago when I'd never have this many USBM albums on my list, but times have changed and I guess the Americans have finally figured out black metal's where its at and got good at it. This is the absolute rawest thing on my list so be forewarned.
     

    Primordial Serpent - Enlightenment Through Impurity, this is one prolific Canadian, dude put out 3 albums in 2023. Not sure which one is the best as they're all 3 very good and I like them all, so I just picked one at random to represent him. 
     
     

    Feral Spirit - Invoking Spirits of Ethereal Madness Part I, first and only release from what I suspect is a one-man Canadian black metal project. 
     

    Funeral Winds - Stigmata Mali, Netherlands. Dude's been making black metal records since the early 90's. He's apparently moved to Prague in the Czech Republic in recent years, but he's originally from Holland. Absolutely savage, why this one wasn't higher on my list, I am not knowing.
     
    Tarfania - Netherworld, Germany. Another haunted house (or church or whatever) on the hill cover, there were 4 or 5 of them this year, hard to keep them all straight. Sorry my blurbs weren't more interestng this year, but as FA always says all these bands/records I love are different shades of the same color. And even though it's obviously my favorite color, there's only so much one can say about savage riffy black metal before you're just endlessly repeating yourself. You can play a drinking game with my list though, every time I use the words savage or killer take a drink and you'll be shit faced in no time!
     

    Werewolf Bloodorder - The Rebirth of the Night and the Fog, Brazil. Another very late year discovery, but I had to slip it on the list as it's worthy. 
  4. Horns
    JohanV given a Damn from markm in who are you planning to see live in 2024   
    In my opinion it is right up there with Death Atlas and The Anthropocene Extinction and liked it a lot. Yet, the three after Monlith never really topped that album in particular. But that says nothing about these 3 albums but all about Monolith. I like the last 3 pretty much equally.
  5. Epic
    JohanV gave a Damn to FatherAlabaster in What Are You Listening To?   
    What do you think of this one? I'm really proud of that cover painting... and I think they did a great job on the music too  Apparently that album and cover are getting a spot in Heavy Music Artwork's 2023 book, which is super cool. 
  6. Horns
    JohanV given a Damn from markm in who are you planning to see live in 2024   
    I am very much hoping to see the following shows, I do have tickets and an accreditation but for some I need babysitters so there's the doubt. Metal and children is not always compatible as I read above.
    In Feb: Napalm Death • Suffocation • Wehrmacht • Primitive Man • Wormrot e.v.a.
    In March: Cattle Decapitation + Signs of the Swarm + 200 Stab Wounds + Vomit Forth
    In July this sick fest:
    https://i.postimg.cc/MpskB4bc/Stonehenge-2024-flyer.jpg
     
  7. Horns
    JohanV given a Damn from Thatguy in who are you planning to see live in 2024   
    I am very much hoping to see the following shows, I do have tickets and an accreditation but for some I need babysitters so there's the doubt. Metal and children is not always compatible as I read above.
    In Feb: Napalm Death • Suffocation • Wehrmacht • Primitive Man • Wormrot e.v.a.
    In March: Cattle Decapitation + Signs of the Swarm + 200 Stab Wounds + Vomit Forth
    In July this sick fest:
    https://i.postimg.cc/MpskB4bc/Stonehenge-2024-flyer.jpg
     
  8. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to FatherAlabaster in EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023   
    Considering how many months this year I spent out of the loop and how few albums I've heard, a list of the ones that I happened to like enough to get sucked into and play all the time for a while would be utterly meaningless, so here it is.
    Thy Darkened Shade - Liber Lvcifer II: Mahapralaya
    Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium: Nahab
    Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current
    Krallice - Mass Cathexis 2/The Kinetic Infinite
    Enslaved - Heimdal 
    Afterbirth - In But Not Of
    Fen - Monuments To Absence
    _____
    Some albums I liked enough to save or buy that I want to spend more time with:
    Anachronism - Meanders
    Sól Án Varma - s/t
    Slidhr - White Hart!
    культура курения - Полночь в Новосибирске
    Acausal Intrusion - Panpsychism
    Baring Teeth - The Path Narrows
    Jute Gyte - Unus Mundus Patet
    Furia - Huta Luna
    Lunar Chamber - Shambhallic Vibrations EP
    _____
    In another year filled with the usual soul-sucking try-hard genre retreads getting pumped up by clickbait websites staffed by rootless hacks who think a few years of experience with their own personal touchstones gives them special insight into some objective truth about the quality of new releases, the above albums, along with some others I'm doubtless forgetting, gave me a modicum of hope.
    Most of this is white on white, and I thought the forum wasn't loading it, but once I highlighted it to read, cool beans.
  9. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to MacabreEternal in EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023   
    My list.  These have excerpts of full reviews I have written elsewhere on the internet so may not always make perfect narrative sense and I am too lazy to edit.
     
    1. BAN - Disharmonium: Nahab - The true talent that any good BAN record has is its ability to fill any room that it is playing in. Disharmonium: Nahab does this brilliantly. There is always a multitude of things going on with any track on here. Haunting and melancholic melodies carve slow cuts out of the very atmosphere around the listener whilst dense atmospherics constantly plunge you into some further incalculable fathom to try and orientate yourself with. 
    2. Miserere Luminis - Ordalie - This sense of being propelled by the rhythm of the record whilst being caressed by the applied melodies and atmospheres I found to be quite unsettling at first. However, I soon settled into this slightly esoteric pattern with repeated listens and feel like the album becomes more accessible with each listen. Ordalie does not need to dredge the depths of extremity to get its message across and nor does it need to rely on excessive shrouding of atmospherics to simply make its mark. Instead, it creates a clever maelstrom of the required component parts to deliver what is ultimately a clean and concise sounding record overall.
    3. FVNERALS - Let the Earth Be Silent - The haunting vocals of Tiffany Ström are perfect alongside the gazey atmospheres and doom soaked passages. Seemingly at home in any scenario that her and fellow band member Syd Scarlet can concoct between them, Tiffany's vocal chords offer a cold and ethereal attraction that although is devoid of positivity or optimism is still utterly addictive. Add in to the mix some feedback seeping guitars and cavernous percussion and Fvnerals soon start to create dense layers of murky and absorbing music. Even when the focus is more on the instrumentation (as with the powerful Rite) it is hard not to engage with the efforts here.
    4. Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows - The anthems almost form an orderly queue here on this, Spirit Adrift’s fifth full-length offering. Catchy riffs and hooks spill forth aplenty from the beginning proper of Give Her to the River. Couple them with the equally instantaneous and memorable vocals and you have a winning formula for Ghost of the Gallows sticking around in your head for hours on end. Variety comes in various forms. Pace, tempo, structure, melody, and technical prowess. Tom Hardy is a fucking beast of a guitarist. His blooping and looping leads are one of the outstanding takeaways from the record. Possessing a near progressive edge to the work on the six strings, the opening to Barn Burner is a frenzied foray that brings instant variation from the tone set by the lengthier opening track.
    5. KEN mode - VOID - Whilst there is a sense of fight to the record, there is a frustrating futility to that conflict, an underlying tone of defeat being known but the level of tenacity in the energy of the tracks refuses to admit defeat. Monotone bass lines and an often-deployed plodding rhythm compliment the dark edge to the lyrics well without ever making for dull or lifeless compositions either. There is a level of intrigue that I maintain in listening to this record that I do not often find with most releases nowadays. VOID certainly has something to say but it is not limiting itself to shouting in my face, nor is it hiding behind conjecture either.
    6. Enforced - War Remains - Their energy levels here match Drain on their opus from this year but there is a more down and dirty element to Enforced that carries the aura of an Iron Reagan or even a Cro-Mags. Enforced are a fun band talking about serious topics. Revelling in highlighting the hypocrisy inherant in politics, religion and war, they blaze a bruising and scarring commentary on War Remains. It is a state of the world address without the bullshit, minus the glitter and with the turd firmly centre stage with all eyes forced toward it. This disdain exudes forth from War Remains in every gruff chant, every scathing riff and every predatory drum strike.
    7. Drain - Living Proof - The experimentation ventures even further though on Living Proof with rapper, Shakewell guesting on Intermission and the band go off into dreamy yet catchy punk-pop on Good Good Things. Look beyond these more blatant breaks from the blueprint and you will note groove metal excursions - check out the solo on opening track Run your Luck for a prime piece of Dimebag worship - alongside the crossover familiarity. On the whole though, regardless of the medium used to deliver the message, it is clear that Drain have a lot to say on this album. That  smile on Sammy's face in virtually every band pic has a snarl behind it with some venomous content to keep those hardcore vibes on the menu. With such a brief run time it would be easy for the record to pass you by, but it is so damn punchy and gnarly (as well as downright catchy as fuck in places), you find yourself actively listening to the whole album.
    8. Hexvessel - Polar Veil - Having heard the previous album (Kindred) from some three years ago, it is fair to say the band have gotten heavier this time around and I can only hope this trajectory is maintained on future releases. They still have a healthy mix of styles present here though that compliment each other nicely and so I am equally eager to hear that this blending of influences is alo retained moving forwards.
    9. Mizmor - Prosaic - There is little to no hope present in the messaging of the record. It is an utterly immersive yet incredibly punishing experience as Liam lays bare his range of complex and deep emotions across one of the most desolate soundscapes you will hear this year. When in full flow, his music is thunderous and powerful but there is still a near constant scathing edge to proceedings on Prosaic. Admidst all the dark density there is a real sense of frustration and a degee of futility being expressed also that personalises that darkness and frames it perfectly.
    10. Fen - Monuments to Absence - The punishing drums and grim vocals serve as ample reminder of where Fen’s heart lies when it comes to the driving force behind the band, it is just that there is plenty of room on this album to accommodate so much more musical direction as well. Monuments to Absence is a big sounding record, albeit one that never quite achieves a Drudkh level of expansiveness. It still successfully marries the intensity of black metal with the relentless beauty of nature though and steers the listener down some different avenues of exploration.
  10. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to Arioch in EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023   
    Here is the Frenchman's list :
    Metal
    1 - Xoth - Exogalactic
    2 - Cosmic Jaguar - The Legacy of the Aztecs
    3 - Cirith Ungol - Dark Parade
    4 - Autopsy - Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts
    5 - Insensate Machine - War of the Worlds
    6 - Sadus - The Shadow Inside
    7 - Seven Doors - Feast of the Repulsive Dead
    8 - Sortilège - Apocalypso
    Non Metal
    1 - The Chronicles of Father Robin - The Songs & Tales of Airoea – Book I
    2 - The Chronicles of Father Robin - The Songs & Tales of Airoea – Book II
     
  11. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to AlSymerz in EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023   
    The list I know everyone is waiting for to see what good stuff they missed during the last year.
    1. Shakma – On Tenebrous Wings
    2. Overkill – Scorched
    3. Gravestone – Hallowed Be Thy Grave
    4. Reaver – Iron Nation
    5. Apocalyptic Annihilation – Necrothrash
    6. Terrifier – Trample the weak devour the dead
    7. Hellripper – Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
    8. Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons – Kings Of The Asylum
    9. Werewolves – My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me
    10. C.O.F.F.I.N – Australia Stops.
  12. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to Thatguy in EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023   
    I'm up early on New Year's Day 2024 and I'm not allowed to go for a run, so here are my 2023 lists.
     
    THATGUY’S VERY REFINED BEST OF THE YEAR LISTS 2023
     
    Bloody lists. As ever this is just some of what I liked this year and  - contrary to popular belief - while I enjoy the weird and the wonderful I don’t always seek it out. There was a lot of good music released this year - too much for anyone to really think they have heard everything worth hearing. It requires deep thought therefore to produce this extremely refined list and while you perhaps can be worthy without liking at least some of the music Thatguy recommends, if you do like it you will be judged worthy and Thatguy approved.
     
     
     
    METAL
     
    RORCAL - Silence. Yet another great album by this amazing band. The musical assault is just unrelenting and everything is so well conceived. Great playing by all the band, but as so often in metal, it’s the drumming that brings it all together. The vocals sit in the mix at just the right level. Of all the albums I will rate this year, this is the one that you may not have heard and the one that you really need to hear. KRALLICE - Mass Cathexis 2 - The Kinetic Infinite. A great return to form by a band that has intermittently been one of my favourites. Well constructed songs with the intricate riffing and shrieked vocals that we know and love. FEN - Monuments to Absence. Of course. This is a pretty straightforward BM album with the snarling vocals, intricate and audible bass and ‘The Watcher’ patent guitarisms that you’d expect from a FEN album. Wonderful stuff. IMPERIUM DEKADENZ - Into Sorrow Evermore. Soaring beautiful music that that is still very much BM. Nothing weird here. TAAKE - Et Hav av Avstand. The sound is just on the edge of being too crappy for Thatguy to bear, but that’s what TAAKE does. There is nothing particularly innovative here. This is just another TAAKE album, but that’s pretty great, innit? DESEKRYPTOR - Vortex Oblivion. I think these guys out-Altaraged ALTARAGE this year. It’s a murky dissonant wall of sound that isn’t original but it is really well done. SPECTRAL LORE - 11 Days. I tend to avoid one man/woman projects, but Spectral Lore has always been an exception to my rule. There is an emotional edge to these long songs that drags you in. Yer man Ayloss is making a statement of protest against EU policies that have let more than 25,000 people drown in Mediterranean waters over recent years but even if you didn’t know that the music arouses feelings of anger and sadness. ENSLAVED - Heimdal. Progressive, I guess, but this is a BM album. I think ENSLAVED have returned to form here, leaving behind the lapses of taste and non-metal drifting that has crept into recent albums. LANAYAH - I’m Picking Lights in a Field…It’s hard to sum up this eclectic album. Not every moment is relentlessly metal, but neither is life. Love them or hate them, listen to the whole album before you make up your mind. SKRYING MIRROR - Omnimalevolence. Nasty. Get it into you. BEES MADE HONEY IN THE VEIN TREE - Aion. Long doomy droney songs. Bass up front. Hypnotic, baby.  
    Ok, that’s a prime number so that’s where I will stop. There’s another album that came out this year that I have to mention though. It’s a re-issue plus tracks from splits and other bits and pieces. I was tempted to go full Thatguy and list it above and say fuck yers all, but it is not music new to 2023.
     
    NIGHTBRINGER - Death and the Black Work + Rex Ex Ordine Throni


    NON METAL
     
    THE NECKS - Travel. Documenting their morning warm up improvisations…with what most would be happy to call beautifully crafted compositions. ANDERS JORMIN et al - Pasado en claro. Upright bass, female vocals, koto, violin/viola, percussion. Luminous music by a vastly talented ensemble. PoiL Ueda - PoiL Ueda. Progressive rock accompanying an acclaimed classical Japanese singer. There is nothing else like this. STEVE LEHMAN & ORCHESTRE NATIONAL de JAZZ - Ex Machina. This is ultra hip music composed and led by alto saxophonist Steve Lehman. A big ensemble carefully used, beautifully clear recording. Jazz with very interesting harmonic and textural structures. SOFT MACHINE - Other Doors. A band with this name has been around since the late 1960’s and has produced some of my favourite music. Of course there are no original members here. But there has been continuity with overlap of band members, the sparing but well conceived revisiting of the old repertoire and the style and feel of the new compositions. THE CHURCH - The Hypnogogue. Aussie ‘art-rock’ legends. This is their first album for some years and they are not doing anything new, but I find Steve Kilby’s voice comforting and the album reminds me of their heyday, which was more-or-less contemporaneous with mine… STEPHEN O”MALLEY & ANTHONY PATERAS - Sept duos pour guitare acoustique & piano préparé. Actually, you might like this thoughtful and comforting music.  
    I could go on, but that’s a prime number too and I don’t want to stress metalheads by making you think too much about the wider musical universe.
     
    So, crack on me hearties.
     
  13. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to GoatmasterGeneral in What Are You Listening To?   
    I'm a loner by nature Mark. Since I was a kid I've always been a loner who's by far happiest with just himself for company. I don't even need a dog. I do have some social needs because I am human after all, but they're easily satisfied with some very occasional and minimal human contact. I also have an insatiable need to hear new music, and I do really enjoy the interaction with fellow metalheads to talk music and whatever else with, as long as it's on my own terms. If I had to get up off my ass and go down to the pub or someplace out of my house to talk music with people in person every day then I wouldn't bother, I'd just listen alone and keep my thoughts to myself.
    I've always really enjoyed the social aspects of forumming though, and building a little community of like minded metal buds. I've taken great pleasure in meeting quite a few of the dudes I've been forumming with in person over the years. MDF and other metal show meetups where we've managed to get 4 or 6 or 8 or more dudes from the forum all in one place at the same time for a weekend of metal and brotherly banter, chit chat and camaraderie have been some of the highlights of my life these last 13 years. But I wouldn't want to do that every weekend, or even monthly or anything, once or twice a year is enough.
    That's why the forum format is perfect for me. I can interact with other people and talk music as much or a little as I like depending on my mood and what else is going on in my life at that moment. I can spend hours working on one of my longer more thoughtful posts or make one of my giant lists, and then get up and go do something else for the rest of the day if I want. I can even skip a day or two whenever I want. No long goodbyes, no social pleasantries or disingenuous excuses required, I can come in and out at will as many times as I like and participate as much or as little as I want round the clock 24 hours a day without ever owing anyone any plausible explanations about where I've been or what I've been up to. It's perfect for me.
    And the best part is I can listen to whatever I want while everyone else is listening to whatever they want. No one else has to listen to my goat filth but me if they're not into it, and visa versa with me and stuff I don't care for such as prog or power or tech or whatever weird post-metal avant-garde shit Doc happens to be listening to that arvo. No wait, I take that back, the best part is I've met people who have a wealth of knowledge about various different kinds of music and I've gotten recos for so much incredibly awesome music that I know I never would have found on my own in a million years. And nothing beats the thrill of finding a killer new album that excites you. So until that thrill of finding new killer shit fades or is gone, I reckon I will keep on forumming. Once I've joined a forum and feel comfortable there, I'll just keep posting there forever or until they shut the place down, whichever comes first, that's been my M.O.
    I understand that forum members will naturally come and go, that's the nature of the internet. Forums are not forever. I've been doing this for awhile, so I get it. Sure it sucks losing people that I've really enjoyed interacting with, but that's just from a purely selfish perspective. I know I won't have access to any of their recos anymore if they leave, and that will diminish my forum experience. If Marko for instance quit posting here I'd be crushed. I've gotten far more great music from him over the last 15 years than from any other single person or source. And I've met him in person and can attest that he's a cool dude. Wish we could have had more time to talk that evening. On the other hand I've found that there will almost always be another new guy coming along right around the corner whom I haven't even met yet, but whom I'm sure will very likely improve my forum experience. Like Le Cabbage for instance, great pickup for us last year. Or for me anyway. And 6'7" ThrashBiker, aka Bandit Billy, aka Scouser Sam, aka the Merseyside Marauder (if he ever starts posting again) I got a real kick out of that dude. So I always have that to look forward to as well, the upcoming dudes we haven't met yet. New additions definitely lessen the blow of losing touch with good people whom I felt I had good musical synergy with.
  14. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to AlSymerz in Upcoming Albums/New Releases, 2024 Edition   
    Couldn't find one of these yet so I took the initiative.
    New for 2024
    Obsessed - Gilded Sorrow Feb 16
     
     
    VLTIMAS - Epic March 15
     
    Bruce Dickinson - The Mandrake Project March 1
     
  15. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to markm in What Are You Listening To?   
    Man, I'm really knocking out my 2023 DM 'need to listen" list. It's starting to blend, I mean bleed into my brain. NP: Sulphur Aeon/ Seven Crowns and Seven Seals
  16. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to Arioch in Top 10 Albums of Any Given Year   
    Hi all ! 🤘🏻😀🤘🏻
    I've been listening to Metal since 1984, so I've decided to publish here my top 10 favourite albums, year by year.
    So I'll start with 1984!
    1984
    1. Metallica - Ride The Lightning
    2. Sortilège - Métamorphose
    3. DIO - The Last In Line
    4. T.N.T. - Knights of the New Thunder
    5. Van Halen - 1984
    6. Scorpions - Love At First Sting
    7.
    8.
    9.
    10.

    1985

    1.Slayer - Hell Awaits
    2.Exodus - Bonded by Blood
    3.SOD - Speak English Or Die
    4.Savage Grace - Master of Disguise
    5.Agent Steel - Skeptics Apocalypse
    6.DIO - Sacred Heart
    7.Anthrax - Spreading The Disease
    8.ADX - Exécution
    9.Possessed - Seven Churches
    10.Megadeth - Killing Is My Business...
     
    1986
    1.Slayer - Reign in Blood
    2.Metallica - Master Of Puppets
    3.ADX - La Terreur
    4.Nuclear Assault - Game Over
    5.Onslaught - The Force
    6.Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
    7.Kreator - Pleasure To Kill
    8.Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
    9.Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin
    10.Loudness - Lightning Strikes
  17. Horns
    JohanV given a Damn from GoatmasterGeneral in What Are You Listening To?   
    Aegrus - Invoking the Abysmal Night
     
  18. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to GoatmasterGeneral in EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023   
    Every year in recent memory has been a good year for death metal, you've just finally started coming around to the idea that newer death metal can be good too. Even if 5 of those 6 bands you listed here are old bands, I have seen you say good things about newer bands. Welcome to the 21st century 😁 
  19. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to navybsn in What Are You Listening To?   
    Krieg - Ruiner
    https://kriegofficial.bandcamp.com/album/ruiner
    new Krieg and new Demoncy this year? Please sir, can I have some more?
     
  20. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to MacabreEternal in What Are You Listening To?   
    Gaerea - Mirage (2022)
     
  21. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to Nasty_Cabbage in What Are You Listening To?   
    It is a good album for sure. With death metal I can really appreciate when they get right to the meat and do away with a ton of the atmospheric fluff, which is a little strange because I do like a ton of groups that lean progressive. I think a lot of bands who want to adapt their sound to reflect a wider variety of styles  get worried that they'll pull a Shark Sandwich and lose droves of older fans so they end up just meeting somewhere in the middle which rarely works. This album, while it didn't blow me away seems pretty clearly committed to the death metal for it's own sake and nothing else, and they're obviously skilled enough to produce good songs using a limited and stark move set.
    NP: Plague Bearer - Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation
    https://plaguebearerwa.bandcamp.com/album/summoning-apocalyptic-devastation

    Excellent all the way around.
  22. Horns
    JohanV given a Damn from GoatmasterGeneral in Upcoming Albums/New Releases, 2023 Edition   
    Looking forward to following releases, a lot!:
    Afterbirth - In But Not Of - Hovering Human Head Drones (This is one of the more progressive songs on the album)
    Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals:
    Omnivortex - Circulate is just out and is really good:
    Arborescence Of Wrath - Inferno - Origin worship but makes sense since Origin's singer is in the band with Marduk's drummer. Also if you like Hate Eternal.
     
  23. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to Arioch in What Are You Listening To?   
    Cannibal Corpse - Gore Obsessed (2002)
     
    Oh, thanks for reminding me about Bandcamp: I've got to buy the new Xoth, which comes out on 3 November.
  24. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to MacabreEternal in Upcoming Albums/New Releases, 2023 Edition   
    Altarage - Worst Case Scenario landed 15th Sep.  I missed their vinyl only release in 2022 (the dickheads) and so this is the first new album since the excellent Succumb.  https://altarage.bandcamp.com/album/worst-case-scenario
    Suffocation - Hymns From The Apocryphia due out 3rd Nov.  Single they released sounds decent enough.  Not ground-breaking but still Suffocation.https://suffocation.bandcamp.com/album/hymns-from-the-apocrypha 
  25. Horns
    JohanV gave a Damn to FatherAlabaster in Upcoming Albums/New Releases, 2023 Edition   
    They do have Sol Currupto out in digital format now: https://altarage.bandcamp.com/album/sol-corrupto
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