markm

I feel like I've been paying minimal attention to 2022 metal with minimal focus. Yet, still end up with a few albums. Small for me get so far, but the December list blitz has yet to smack me upside the head. Antichrist Emporium-III Autopsy-Morbidity Triumphant Blackbraid-Blackbraid I Cavernlight-As I Cast Ruin Upon the Lens That Reveals My Every Flaw Blut Aus Nord-Disharmonium Boris-W Cave In-Heavy Pendulum Cult of Luna-The Road North Darkthrone-Astral Fortress Drudkh-All Becomes the NIght Haunter/Discarnate Ails Immolation-Actos of God Messa-Close Nocturnal Triumph-S/T Otolith-Folium Limina Undeath-It’s Time to rise from the Death

I love those two albums, too. Anneke is a Goddess. Agreed they are marginally metal at best but a very cool band. Some goth, some rock some prog, some doom even with Mandylion arguably. But basically a rock band.

Paradise Lost-The Plague Within Krieg-Transient

A lot of this is personality style. Like, I'm pretty laid back and typically don't get on with high strung Type A individuals.

The Underground Resistance was definitely a high point in their current era IMO.

Swans/Filth Deluxe Remaster 2015 (Bandcamp Stream)-so another bucket list listen. So impressions? Interesting which usually means it's not very good. As an art experiment, I didn't hate it. But I never need to listen to this again. Or do I? King Buffalo/Dead Star-I think Jon really liked this one....enjoyable at minimum. There's not a lot you can say bad about King Buffalo. Unfortunately for me, there's not a lot great to say either which is to say, it's perfectly fine but that's all. Acid Witch/Riot Among us- an AMG rave...this is silly and basically pretty much sucks. Ya know, I'm always on the lookout for good stoner and doom. This does not qualify as good in the most marginal reading of the word good. So forget pretty much. This is just bad. Bloodbath/Survival of the Sickest-preleased tracks for all time it seems-meh Gevurah/Gehinnom-I do not hate this. Morbific/Squirm Beyond the Mortal Realm-as much as I liked last year's debut, nothing about this holds my interest. Insert sad face. Peace Clinic/Bayonet / L.I.C.E. / Peace Clinic-a couple of the Vortex dudes I follow on my stream bought this so it must past elite standards-it's like a ten minute blast of hardcore/grind/power violence type thing. All in all-unfruitful afternoon. Then again, I'm just working in my classroom on a student early release day/teacher proff day-so fuck it. Time for cocktails-five days off from work....thank you Pilgrims....sorry Native Americans....we were pretty shitty to you, apparently.

Which reminds me, the only Halford albums outside of the Priest moniker that I have or have heard are Crucible and Resurrection, both of which I think are pretty solid.

And, I see now that I have access to their 22 spreadsheet on my Google drive without even bothering with their Reddit web address.

I actually like it-but it is fairly subdued. It may still make the cut tho. Something about Halford's porky Santa Clause look was annoying. I was hoping he's at least make an attempt to resurrect the Metal God of days of ore.

And I listened to Drudkh-Belong to the Night, again...some enjoyable parts....the only album of theirs I own is Microcosms from 2009. The new one has a stronger post black feel to me.

I stopped by there recently but it's been months before that. I use my school district's Google account and currently use a work issued laptop so certain cites are blocked like porn (😆)and Reddit of all things. So, it's just not convenient and as I'm always saying, I'm pretty lazy. I switched programs this and year and my class is in a community college so I'm not on a public school work PC so I actually can go to Vortex now but haven't bothered much. I used to check in on their top 10. I'll prolly do that towards the end of the year to see what stuff on their list I've missed. Also, I couldn't get into rating albums constantly. I got on with a few them OK but overall found it an insular, rather snark good ole boy's club. Never really felt the vibe.

On the one hand it was good to see them get their award and fire up the amps, but given the limited time and songs selected as you pointed out underwhelming. They're so old, I found it a little depressing. Guess I can't give up my mental image of the roaring machine from '84.

Good to see posting again. I had COVID symptoms for two months. It hyper charged allergy symptoms and asthma like symptoms I hadn't had in years. I went back to an inhaler for a while. I thought I had long Covid and then it went away after 8 weeks or more. It's no joke.

bummer

I'll probably keep repeating myself like a broken record but as a so so Darkthrone fan, meaning I like them but they'd not be in my top 10 bands of all time or anything, I love the their new album. It's just great, oozing great metal oooziness yet somehow feels off the cuff like they're just making it up on the spot.

I love Rasputin. After blowing and raking leaves, enjoying Heavy Seas Double Cannon DIPA massively hopped-this Baltimore double IPA has so much flavor. Problem with the double IPA's is you get addicted to the big flavor with the big calories I don't really need and the high alcohol content. And Founders Porter-thumbs up from me. Anyone tired Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch ale?

I've definitely tried some of those, but mostly IPA's. I usually look in the local breweries section to see what they have.

Just snagged a 4 pack on your recommendation. Oscar Blues quality has always delivered for me.

I came into extreme metal in the mid aughts and went through a goth beauty/beast/symphonic phase and still go back to those albums on occasion. I came in on Ashes. I dig everything up to Ashes pretty well. Beyond the Veil, of course is a classic of the genre and probably revisit that one the most. Widow Weeds is cool, too. I think they veered a little too far into the "pretty vocals" sound on World of Glass but I still enjoy individual tracks on that one as well.

Antichrist Imperium/III-upon further inspection this is a keeper....the tech death or tech black/death as the case may that I'm less fond of is is there particularly in the middle of the album, but they bring such diversity to extreme metal which is something I'm 100% behind and will support. This one is one of those albums methinks that require time to crack the code. The gratuitous Satanic lyrical themes are silly and metal at the same time....but when in hell do as the....hellions (I guess) do. Messa/Close-speaking of albums that require time....it's a grower for me. The vocals, the vocals, the vocals. Drudkh/ All Belong to the Night-starting on the first track....quite different from my past time with this band....but certainly holding my attention....my third cup of coffee doesn't hurt my focus here.

Yep,. And it smells exactly like French toast and maple syrup-not really my thing but damn the flavor just slaps-crazy--just grabbed a single for like $4 and a 6 of Founders Porter-dark, rich and sexy .

2022 Rock and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony waiting for Judas Priest, one of my favorite bands of all time. Unfortunately, as my wife insists on watching the entire show, I am currently suffering though Duran Duran, a band who, at the risk of insulting people on the forums that might actually enjoy their music, I am reminded that I spent much of the 80's listening to bands like Judas Priest in opposition to bands like Duran Duran who sucked.

I succumbed to hype. Founder's French Toast Bastard; Vanilla Cinnamon Maple bourbon barrel aged scotch ale. Whaaat????! This shit is sick. As fortune would have it, my wife picked up some decadent cinnamon rolls-an absolute devil's duo if there ever was one.

Shit, now you louts are making me crave a stout tonight.

Antichrist Imperium/III-definitely heavy on the tech quotient this time around. I like what they do, but this feels more of a slicker modern tech death production for my overall preferences.