Hungarino

Yeah, I'd say that's mostly right. Depictions of zombies eating people don't make me uncomfortable. Rape combined with murder does. Does that indicate some sort of artistic value, that "sometimes art is supposed to be uncomfortable"? Nah, it just means I still have something of a conscience and modicum or decency, as well as some understanding of what such 'art' is really communicating. Call it a personal redline. Everyone has theirs, and if you don't have one that probably means you are something of a psychopath. I am not saying censor it or protest it or what not, I'm just saying when I see rape/murder portrayed my inner voice says "nope, that's fucked up". And I stand by that and honestly think I am right. I know we have gone down these roads before, so I have to ask, what would make you uncomfortable? Like I said before, is it 'art' to depict little children getting their heads blown off in a class room (or anywhere)? Or is it just cheap shock value schtick. What if those depictions illicit feelings of agitation or arousal in someone who might be inclined to hurt children? Or in this case someone who gravitates toward resentment or even violence against woman? Sadly there is a shocking number of men who have these feelings, repressed or not. And whether or not they act on them, these images exist precisely because sexual violence is 'compelling' to a shocking number of men. Now at this point I could go down the biological theories on why this is the case, basically that the regions of our brain that signal a mating response and a fighting response are closely related, but that's not the point really. I guess the point is that sexual violence is all too real, and even cartoonish depictions serve to sanction or even encourage it, ever so subtly, and that's not cool, man. There are proven and well known links between violent sexual imagery being an aggravating factor in those who ultimately act out in such a way. By contrast, no amount of horror imagery would illicit someone to say, turn into a zombie and eat people. Or even decide they were Jason Vorhees and head over to Crystal Lake with a machete. It is the combination of sexualized murder that starts to flip those reptilian brain switches, and flirting with that response and calling it art really and truly is taking it too far.

Ritualization - Hema Ignis Necros. Blackened DM from France. Digging this one. A comment on the Weregoat art. They are known for this now and I am not a fan. I don't mind cartoonish violence and some gore when it is purely fantastical. Sexual violence, however, is extremely real and not fun or subversive or whatever they are going for. I am not sure what sexual hang-ups these guys have but they should probably get therapy for it. "But its just art". Sure, ok. Its shitty, juvenile art. If I draw a picture of a bunch of kids getting shot in a school I guess that's art too, hooray for me. If its tongue in cheek then its poorly done. This kind of shock value schtick is easy, brainless and diminishes any credibility to their music, which I happen to like. Not trying to rant on this all day, but it should be mentioned.

Havukruunu - Uinuos Syömein Sota

Ad Omega - Anathama. Pretty gnarly black death from Italy.

Apocalyptic Leaders - Destructive Rage of the Enemies Apocalyptic black metal from the Macedonia. Also a new release.

Starting today with a Rebaelliun marathon. Or more like a 10K since their whole discog is only 3 full-lengths and an EP. No particular order but Annihilation will be last because that is the best and utterly savage.

I'll check this out. Sometimes even old Hungarino appreciates some chill beats. Actually rather often. It's mostly either goat metal or psychill trance stuff for me these days.

Hellish - Only Death. Chilean blackened thrash \M/

Astral Evocation - Mantra Obscura Solid black metal debut from Mexico and NYP on BC

Verminous Knight - Malignant Descent Malignant Descent | Verminous Knight | Pile of Heads Productions (bandcamp.com) Somehow this is now the most standard type of black metal coming through my feed. The lack of any hint of irony makes it more awesome. Grainy black and white art, corpse paint dude with sword, just another day at the office. Its pretty good too, actually.

Abigor - Verwüstung (Invoke the Dark Age)

Thanks man, its always good when I have enough time to keep up with you guys. I was thinking about Navy too and wondering how he's doing. I have been in Hawaii since April. I have 2 months left. Its been great and just what I needed after getting pretty burnt out.

Ocean Beach is where one would expect to find the Melvins in San Diego. I don't usually surf over there but its not far.

Exactly! And since we mentioned it over in another post the chick appeal is not a small factor, and if you were a teen or college girl in 91'-94' those guys, plus Eddie Vedder were your sex idols, unless you were into boy bands I guess. Not King Buzzo though haha, but he is no doubt the baddest of the bunch. One of the few times I was literally star-struck was seeing him outside a small club at a show. Big hair and the whole bit. He is also famously an unabashed Kiss army regular, so add that into the grunge formula I guess!

First time listening and this kills

It was a mixed bag. You also had the rock side like Mother Love Bone, Green River, Screaming Tree's and everybody's favorites Pearl Jam as well as the metal side with Melvins, Tad, the aforementioned Soundgarden, etc. Kurt Cobain was famously a huge fan of and specifically influenced by the Beatles. These bands were all doing their thing before grunge 'emerged'. It's not like at some point in 1991 all of these bands and disparate influences coalesced into 'grunge'. That was of course a commercial/pop culture term invented and applied from the outside. I am sure to a person anyone from any of those bands would say the same cliche' "we never thought of ourselves as a grunge band". All that is to say that some bands came from punk and hardcore, some from metal, some from rock or fuzz. It was Nirvana, specifically the MTV video for Smells Like Teen Spirit, that initially defined grunge for everyone who was not actually part of the band scene.

Directional - Invasive. Blackened sludge doom from Sweden. Not my typical fare but this is really quite good, so up it goes! Invasive | Directional (bandcamp.com)

Shit I forgot about Cvlt Nation. I still check Grizzlybutts and Wonderboxmetal mainly to see if I am missing any new releases, but mostly BC and this forum is all I need.

Whoever these people are they need to be put away as they are obviously crazy!

Although I think Ghost and any similar marginal heavy music is not worth listening to personally, I support any band that might incrementally edge the youths toward extreme music, basically because we need new blood and enthusiasm or metal will get pushed further into obscurity. I like Ghost's schtick. I think their production and presentation is great. The tunes are catchy, just not for me. Chicks somehow seem to like it well enough. I really don't have a problem with any light-metal or metal-adjacent band unless they unironically posture like they are super heavy when they are not, or show total ignorance of metal but try to glean some kind of credibility or style points by aping metal. I feel like there are a bunch of instances when a label or band drags in some studio musician to help support a marginally talented act, and the poor guy is like a jazz fusion virtuoso and can play metalcore riffs backwards in his sleep, so they make him get frosted tips, wear a choker chain necklace. slap some eye-liner and a Slipnot shirt on him and send him out on tour. Sounds kind of ridiculous but in my imagination that kind of stuff happens and its easy to hate on those kind of acts no matter how many people may find it a gateway metal drug.

Not going to say I love everything about it, but holy shit this is really good. Like someone spiked Insomnium with a speedball. Agreed it is a really good, immersive listen. Hypnotic.

I think this one has Thatguy's name written all over it: ▶︎ Katharos XIII - Chthonian Transmissions | Loud Rage Music (bandcamp.com) Post black doom jazz. And ambient. Featuring some nice saxophone. And yes, female vocals. Unless you think this genre has gone too commercial, check it out. Its actually really good.

Loving the trip back into early 90's Death/thrash NP: Benediction - Transcend The Rubicon

Solstice - Pray. I am actually digging this more than the S/T. Tighter, more consistent delivery and better vocals imo. Like ...and Justice meets Arise, with plenty of Death, obviously.

I know you have a different perspective on this as an accomplished musician JB, but from my perspective as just a dude listening he wasn't that limited as a vocalist. Note: For those that don't know, go click on JB's link. I was not being a smart ass. This music is phenomenal and I can barely play a scale, so I truly have nothing but respect for anyone in a band (or multiple bands). \M/ I mean, he can carry a tune, has decent enough range, a unique voice, good timing. Whatever his shortcomings as a musician he had 'something' that helped to define heavy music still to this day. You cannot separate his vocal delivery from iconic early Sabbath. As you say, he is essential, enigmatic and embarrassing. Its that duality that makes him endearing, imo. Was Ozzy always a clownish drunk who never really grew out of being a degenerate from Birmingham? Yes, but you could try a million times to take another drunk degenerate and plug him in with world class musicians and get nothing. He never stopped being in awe that he of all people ascended the way he did. He never bought into his own hype from what I could tell, but had undeniable passion to keep making metal, and some how managed to carve out a space for more aggressive yet palatable metal throughout the 80s and into the 90s, despite the dominance of hair metal. Pretty remarkable output and staying power. As far as the live shows I am that guy who either fully buys in to an act and is totally absorbed, or makes my way to the bar. I am not one to stand with arms folded stone faced taking mental notes of an act. I am usually all-in headbanging like an idiot or all-out. So I am the one clapping hands and all that shit, and like the overwhelming majority of audiences that I have seen I found Ozzy to be a great front man and showman.