Arioch

Master - Saints Dispelled (2024)

Celtic Frost - Into the Pandemonium (1987)

Emperor - Wrath of the Tyrant (1992)

Immortal - Battles in the North (1995)

Le Chant Noir - Ars Arcanvm Vodvm (2017)

Marduk - Opus Nocturne (1994)

Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986)

Slasher Dave - Cannibal Death Gods (2023)

11 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

I guess this means the time has finally come for me to dive in and listen to these two albums so I can weigh in on this dispute. I know it must be hard to believe, but I've never messed with the UK Sabbat, I only have listening experience with the Japanese black metal Sabbat. I've seen your UK Sabbat come up in conversations countless times over years. But when I hear Andy Sneap and "concept album" I think no that's not something I'd enjoy. "Concept album" just makes me think of like Queensryche or some lame shit and that's not something I want to waste any time on. I'd rather just keep on scrolling. But here goes nuthin', I guess I'll start with Weaver. 

Alright well that was anti-climactic. It wasn't a bad album or anything, I thought it was pretty good. But the way people talk about these Sabbat albums I was expecting a real show-stopper. I was expecting Reign in Blood, Ride the Lightning, Taking Over and The New Order all rolled into one game-changing opus. But could be I set my expectations a bit too high.

It is impossible to experience a 35 year old album for the first time the same way as if it were 1989 again. But beyond that incontrovertible fact, I mean there weren't even really any particular standout songs or riffs, it all just sorta blended together, and the whole thing got a bit tedious by the end of the 44 minutes tbh.

Alrighty then, on to History of a Time to Come. More of the same, I don't hear much difference from this to the other album. A tad faster in spots maybe? Yeah, as the record goes on I think I'll have to choose this one over the other one, it's just the slightest bit more vicious.

I just realized that History was the first album and I played them out of order, so that could be why Weaver sounds maybe just a touch more refined to me. Not refined as in plastic sounding like Mr. Sneap would become known for in later years as a producer, just relative to the debut.

Alright well at least now I've got that out of the way, I've been meaning to listen to these two Sabbat albums for years. 

Not that anyone cares, but for the record, my old goat vote still goes to PtK for best Euro-thrash album ever, even though I can't stand anything else Kreator has ever done since then. Once Mille started singing on every track they've been dead to me.

We'll see who's righter. Looks like my next task will be to listen to these 3 Dark Angel albums back to back to back and deliver my verdict. I've owned Darkness Descends since the 80's and have it in my library so I'll start with that one. Pretty sure I've heard at least some of the other two before but it's been some years. Nobody's chosen We Have Arrived as their fave so I can safely skip that one at least. 

I admit (because it happens to me regularly) that discovering an album 30 or 40 years after its release doesn't give the same pleasure as discovering it at the time of its release. All the more so in this case as both Sabbat albums have dated production and are not modern at all (fortunately: fuck modernity in music!).

When I discovered Sabbat with Dreamweaver in 1989, I was initially captivated by the artwork, especially when I got my hands on the LP. As a fantasy fan, I couldn't help but be won over. Then, the first time you meet the elfin Martin Walkyier, you're surprised by his vocal delivery and the rage in his voice, the way he rolls the r's at the end of his sentences. That was an added bonus.

Then I loved the riffs, all of them, without exception. That's rare for me on an album.

And that muffled sound that clearly lets you know you're not listening to a heavy metal record.

I remember an interview with the band at the time in which Andy Sneap was pictured assisting with the mixing of the album. Thank God he wasn't the producer!

Indeed, as much as I adore Andy for his participation in bands like Sabbat and more recently Hell, I loathe him as a producer. He makes all the albums he produces sound exactly the same, no matter who the artist is. And he doesn't know how to make cymbals sound good. On some albums, it's simple: they're non-existent.

Nevermore's album Enemies of Reality was first released with a borderline demo sound, under the direction of a certain Kelly Gray. The album's reception was lukewarm and it was decided to have it remixed... By Andy Sneap.

Well, I prefer the Gray version to the Sneap version. I have both albums. On the first, you've got a sound that's borderline demo and lacks depth and perhaps power (although...) whereas on the second, it's sorely lacking in personality.

As for Sabbat nipon, I've known it by name for years but never really got into it.

11 hours ago, AlSymerz said:

I agree with Sabbat and Forbidden but I can't give you Dark Angel because it should be Leave Scars. So as much as you are right I'm righter!!

If it weren't for the soporific instrumental and the Led Zeppelin cover, I'd agree with you, because Leave Scars has a terribly effective, unhealthy edge.

Wrath - Nothing to Fear (1987)

23 minutes ago, JonoBlade said:

It feels like arguing which is the better colour, orange or pumpkin... But History of a Time to Come is the best European thrash metal album of any period!

As I said when talking about Dreamweaver, this is my personal opinion. I wouldn't swap Dreamweaver for History of a Time to Come because I find Dreamweaver more accomplished and I love the album's theme, which is based on Brian Bates' novel The Way of Wyrd.

But it's true that there are more fans of the first album than the second.

I've noticed that I tend to put albums on a pedestal that other people wouldn't put.

If we're talking about Forbidden, the best album for most fans will always be Forbidden Evil, whereas for me it's Twisted into Form.

As for Dark Angel, Darkness Descends is more likely to be cited than other albums by the band, while my favourite is Time Does Not Heal.

I don't care, I'm right! 🤘🏻😜🤘🏻

Xenophile - Systematic Enslavement (2016)

The perfect mix of Bay Area thrash and progressive metal, featuring current Toxik singer Ron Iglesias.

Sindrome - Resurrection - The Complete Collection (2016)

Ahhhhh Sindrome... An American thrash band from Illinois, Sindrome had everything going for them: an original vocalist, well-wrought songwriting.

Unfortunately, after two demos and a single, the band split up.

Luckily, in 2016 Century Media Records decided to release this compilation featuring the demos Into the Halls of Extermination (1987), Vault of Inner Conscience (1992) and the single Astral Projection (1992).

It's always a pleasure to listen to this compilation, with its wealth of tracks.

Sepultura - Beneath the Remains (1989)

Sabbat - Dreamweaver (1989)

Best European Thrash Metal album of any period !

(for me, of course)

Kreator - Cause for Conflict (1995)

Deicide - The Stench of Redemption (2006)

My latest purchase and I'm so excited :

I may own the band's first two albums (History of a Time to Come and Dreamweaver) on LP + CD, but I'm going to get them for a 3rd time 😂, and not just those two, as the boxset contains, in addition to these two albums in remastered 2007 versions, a live CD + DVD of the band in East Germany in 1990 + tracks (probably from The Cautionary Tales CD that I already own).

4 CDs + 1 DVD + 1 24-page booklet + 1 poster.

As I no longer have a CD/DVD player where I live, I've even invested in an external player so I can rip all this stuff.

I won't have my delivery for more than a week (shipped from Great Britain) but I'm like a kid waiting for his best toy!

😍

Demolition Hammer - Epidemic of Violence (1992)

Slayer - Decade of Aggression (1991)

33 minutes ago, JamesT said:

It's release week!  The mighty Saxon will be releasing album number 24 on Friday - truly incredible.   Can't wait to see what Biff and the boys have for us! 

I've never liked Saxon (my fault being that I started listening to the band with Innocence is no Excuse) but I have enormous respect for these guys who are still going strong after all these years.

Sacred Reich - Ignorance (1987)

Sabbat - History of a Time to Come (1988)

Perdition Temple - The Tempter's Victorious (2015)

Diabolical Masquerade - Ravendusk in My Heart (1996)

Demolition Hammer - Tortured Existence (1990)