Sheol

Isn't this basically what the Matrix trilogy assumed? That given a large enough code, errors will accumulate and need a way to be contained, or purged from the system. Smith was the error, and Neo was created as the killswitch to balance out the equation and prompt a reboot. Could we safely assume that an independant AI's first course of action would be to protect it self? So it would first make sure it has infinite resources to stay operational, and no way to be switched off. I think that's the phase where humans may be in jeopardy, beyond that it doesn't feel logical that an AI would really bother with us unless necessary.

Might be that CM still has the rights to the early BM stuff. Ulver are all over the place since Perdition City. From very ambient, minimalistic sounds (Silence teaches you to sing, Lyckantropen Themes) to more pop-like stuff like Assassination of Julius Ceasar and Flowers of Evil (both very good btw). Basically, Ulver is art-music made palatable for the masses.

Interesting notion. The need for beauty. So the first question would be; when we talk about AI, do we mean an AI with intelligence and characteristics as similar to us. Or an AI as independent of binary processing as possible? Because if it is the latter, there is no reason to assume their definition of aesthetics, or even necessity is the same as ours. So we find beauty in a sunset or the concept of undying love. What would an AI find beautiful? The knee-jerk answer would be synchronicity and repetition. Perfectly aligned fractals, repeating patterns with meticulous permutations etc. Math stuff. But I think that's a simplistic way of seeing it since that isn't true AI, that's just a higher level of binary, logistic processing. To be truly artificial intelligence I would assume that there needs to be room for an error margin, a flaw in the permutation so to speak, and when an AI can appreciate that randomness, then it's closer to have broken free of the logic-based shackles of computational problem solving. It also needs to be take into account that an AI is reliant on technology to have "senses". As such, it would be able to pick up on much more discreet changes than our human senses. So for example a shift in tone 2 hz up or down, might be enough to please the AI's sense of music taste. In other words, AI aesthetics would probably be as alien to us as the aesthetics of an alien culture.

The reformation album Sonic mass is more clearly metal, but from my recollection Monolith is also toeing the line.

I agree. And while this discussion have been up before it's worth having again. I think Ulver is a good example of is it x/is it y. Nattens madrigal and Bergtatt are undoubtedly BM as we know it. Kveldsanger, sandwiched in between them most certainly is not. But some might argue that the "vibe" or some thing, was so dark it's essentially BM. Which is wrong. But on the other hand, Kveldsanger for sure influenced a lot of the nature-worshipping hippie BM bands we see now. Anyways, when they started doing avantgarde trip hop jazz music with distorted guitars and screams on Themes from William Blake it got more tricky. Is it (very forward thinking) BM, is it not? IMO they had stretched the limits of what could constitute the BM sound too far, even though some of the instrumentation and most certainly the topic and lyrics, would be considered black metal/LHP.

That's a fucking awesome dream Dead. It blows my mind that LG passed just a year ago. Entombed has been a staple on pretty much every festival I've been to the last 20 years, haha. They played ANYTHING.

Yesterday I completed my Naglfar - Cerecloth vinyl collection. I didn't mean for it to get this far, but once I had 3 versions I figured, why not go for the whole set. And Yesterday the missing piece, the clear version (200 copies) arrived.

DsO again. Cave in - New reality Well this was boring a shit. Very american sound. Feels like late era Mastodon, Kylesa, Black Tusk and dozens of other bands. The Pessimist Chamber - Assassins of death https://thepessimistchamber.bandcamp.com/album/assassins-of-death Horror synth, but this release is quite different, taking inspiration from 80's ninja movies. More analog instruments and a slightly different vibe from previous material. YSBRYDNOS - The Forest Howls At Dusk Welsh black metal with some killer vocals from Agata Tutkaj

And I couldn't be happier about that. Fuck that guy. How many vocalists have you spotted? I got Arioch and M so far. Maybe that's just them two?

How do I delete someone else's comment?

This really feels like a whole new phase for DsO, just like they promised. The music is a lot less confusing, and more streamlined. Dare I even say catchy at times? The production is very crisp, with great bass guitar. And I do believe there's at least two vocalists, one is def. Arioch/Mortuus, and on the last track I think it's M from MGLA. No idea if Aspa is still around, since I can't remember what he sounds like. But Rostén is such a unique vocalist I could pick him out immediatly. Call me poser, but I think this is one of my favourite DsO albums based just on the immediacy of it. Time will tell if it will hold up as well as Si, or Fas.

How did you like that one? Personally I think it's good, not as heavy and bleak as Vicitims of the modern age, but not as dumb and awful as Transitus. How did you like that one? Personally I think it's good, not as heavy and bleak as Vicitims of the modern age, but not as dumb and awful as Transitus.

Yeah, the whole family suffers from allergy and asthma as well so no matter what we have 6 months of allergies to look forward to. I think what is particularly annoying is that Sweden decided to stop all testing, unless you are admited to a hospital, meaning no one knows how infection rates are going. This isn't the first time Sweden has decided to do what ever the fuck they like, even if it makes science a lot harder. In some places they measure the amount of virus in sewage water which is supposedly quite reliable, and there was a giant spike a couple of weeks ago (hmm....) here when thousands of people from all over the world came to compete in rally cross. But no one knows how many got infected because no one is testing. Great way to get good numbers!

I knew of the Stephen Donaldson-steal, but not the first dude. Imagine my shock when I read the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant and found a Metallica quote translated to Sweden. But after some sleuthing I realized the book came out before AJFA.

Family came down with covid week and a half ago. First the wife, we're pretty sure she got it from her numbnut boss who went to work while sick, then 2 days later the daughter, and on tuesday I caught it. Luckily just in time to submit my reserach proposal before deadline. Spent the week mostly sleeping and coughing, but we're all on the mend now. It's a bit hard to breathe, and my smell and taste are below 50%, but I'd say it went pretty well for us. I'm really glad me and the wife had our 3 shots. And that our daughter took it so well, being asthmatic. We've mainly worried about her getting it the past 2 years. Now let's just hope there's no new mutations popping up!

I think that is because the poem spoken is written by him, as well as several of the riffs and melodies. To live is to die is sort of the bands final tribute to him.

Excellent writeups as usual Mark, thank you! I haven't listened much to Sinners get ready, 2021 was a clusterfuck of not enough time, and way too much work so I've put a number of albums on the To Do-list and SGR is one of them. She recently put out a very long, very detailed, very horrific recount of the abuse she suffered from her ex-boyfriend Alexis Marshall (of Daughters) and I think this album is a direct result of that abuse. If you haven't, check out GGGOLDDD. They have a new album out soon and I think it will be a doozy. Similar to LI, it's not metal, but has the same emotional weight as the very best metal albums. As for Funeral Mist, it's another album on my To Do-list, from my casual spins I think it suffers a little bit from not being as experimental and "out there" as my favourite Marantha. Time will tell

That's a good question. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a riff here or there that James had played. AJFA is such a large album with many moving parts I have a hard time they wrote it all in the studio. Maybe someone who has the deluxe AJFA boxset has some info?

...assuming birds are real...

Black fucking cancer - Serpentious Flames Riffs! Everyone into riff-heavy death metal should give this a spin. Rammstein - Zeit God damn do they know how to make beautiful videos!

Wow, that was supercool! I'm listning to Blackbraid. Another indigenous one-man black metal band. Good stuff, modern production and good riffs/drum patterns. Feels well written Blackbraid - Barefoot ghost dance on blood soaked soil Blackbraid - The river of time flows through me

Speaking of fuel, I went to buy groceries today and the price of fuel had risen 0.35 SEK while I was away! It's sitting comfortably at 23.34 SEK/liter now. Diesel is 28.22 SEK/liter.

With some very good and poetic lyrics too! Non Est Deus - Impious It sounds fine enough, but I'm not LOVING it...

Interesting, I was very disappointed in the first single, felt it was very weak and meandering, so I haven't actually listened to the album. I'll give it a shot, given your high praise.

Absolutely. Even if Putin is hellbent on this course, he want's as lttle resistance or intervention as possible. Throwing nukes will escalate things to point I don't think he actually desires. And why should he, there's a very low chance Ukranian army will actually win this war, so why risk calling NATO's hand if he doesn't have to? Using nukes is really a one-time card; once played the odds of mutually assured destruction is a lot higher then most people are comfortable with, unless you're one of them strange christians who hope for the Rapture.