True Belief

New releases by Necrophobic and Napalm Death are pleasing me greatly.

New Gorephilia - In the eyes of Nothing. Massive Morbid Angel influence on this. 

Megadeth - United Abominations

New Hittman ("Destroy All Humans)"- after 27 years! Talk about out of the blue....Some nice moments on this. 

On 9/24/2020 at 9:16 PM, MacabreEternal said:

Ambush - Firestorm

Nice. I'm an Ambush fan. Played 'Desecrator' to death when it came out, 'Infidel' is ok but probably need to devote more time to it. Tried getting some merch a while back and found it almost impossible.

On 9/25/2020 at 11:07 PM, Thrashman said:

New Sodom and Frozen Soul singles. Looking forward to the respective albums.

The return of Blackfire has lit a serious fire under Angelripper's ass. This new single sounds like it was written for Persecution Mania. Interesting production/mix. 

Ok I am on a roll, some serious listening going on down here this last week or so, best summarized thus:

New LIK album: ripper, old school death metal. 

New Draconian: it's symbolic when an old band returns to their original logo, Draconian, a band I had long written off, have delivered here. 

New Uada: really like these guys, melodic black metal blend. Some tracks drag on but good stuff.

Ultravox: mixed. Hymn & Vienna must be two of my  favorite non-metal songs ever. 

Sodom: Agent Orange. No need to explain why.

Bullet for My Valentine: The Poison. An album full of gold in a career full of shite. Do yourself a favor and give it a go.

LIK - Carnage. New single "Funeral Anthem" is killer too.

On 8/22/2020 at 4:51 PM, Requiem said:

Running Wild - 'Blazon Stone'

Awesome digi deluxe expanded edition courtesy of @True Belief, that gentleman, who sent it in the post as a gift. Much appreciated brother. I'd never listened to Running Wild really at all in the past, and I've discovered that I've been missing quite a bit! 

At your Infernal Majesty's service...

NP: Uada - No Place Here

Last couple:

Faceless Burial 'Speciation'

Tomb Mold 'Planetary Clairvoyance'

Warrior Soul 'Back on the Lash'

Opeth - Still Life

Midnite City - s/t

Mixed morning at work, last few have been:

Uada - Djinn (well...this is different)

Rotting Christ - Fire and Flame (hard to find 2018 single)

King Diamond - The Spider's Lullaby (first 5-6 songs are classic KD)

Primal Fear - I am Alive (new song form forthcoming album).

Mercyful Fate: Nuns Have No Fun

On 1/16/2020 at 10:24 AM, Moonhead said:

I've neglected my Mercyful Fate & King Diamond collection for far too long (only possessing the albums up to 1988) so I decided to catch up; not every album was for sale on my online shop of choice, but I got:

Mercyful Fate:

• In the Shadows
• Time
• 9

 

King Diamond:

• The Spider's Lullabye
• Voodoo
• Abigail II: The Revenge
• The Puppet Master

Great albums! I could be sorry for having missed out on them for so long, but it's rather the opposite: I'm glad to learn to know a whole bunch of unknown albums!

 

Personally, I'm not sure too many of those albums offer a whole lot.

In the Shadows & Time get good reviews but I prefer '9'. Nothing near the quality of the first 2 (and EP). FWIW, I just ordered some of the Metal Blade re-issues.

Re: KD: You didn't pull the trigger on Give Me Your Soul... or House of God?

Dream Evil - Dragonslayer

On 5/19/2020 at 11:20 PM, Requiem said:

We've got a couple of rats (at least) probably lurking within the bowels of Castle Requiem.

One or two of them run along the top of a fence, and occasionally we see them, the bold little fukkers. The other night I ran outside after one of them. I ran down the side of the chateau along the fence line, couldn't see it, and boom, it ran right past my head. I fair near shat myself. 

I've cunningly planted poison, but they still roam today, unaffected, imperious, triumphant. But I'll get them yet. They haven't seen the last of Count Requiem. You mark my words. Oh yes, their time will come. 

 

 I'll lend you a cat.

Paradise Lost - Obsidian.

Quite a varied album, after the drudgery of Medusa's death/doom.

More thoughts after I've given it a few spins and Requiem has had time to listen himself (he HATES album spoilers)..

New Destruction - Born to Thrash (Live in Germany)

Well this dropped with no warning, an apparent last minute decision based on COVID-19 inactivity.

Gotta say, the addition of a 2nd guitarist and Randy Black on drums has elevated this to supreme levels. As good a live sound & performance as you could want to hear. The dueling solo(s) on Mad Butcher are crazy.  

9/10.

Sabbat - History of a Time to Come.

Had 'Dreamweaver' on but the worst production job of all time totally ruins this album for me. Almost unlistenable.

On 4/28/2020 at 5:40 AM, FatherAlabaster said:

Ulcerate - Stare Into Death And Be Still   ...another (unsurprisingly) great album from these guys. More recognizably melodic than the last couple but very similar in the way it feels overall. The songs don't really differentiate themselves on first listen, and the vocals are as monotonous as usual, but that was to be expected. Phenomenal guitar and drum performances, lots of inspiration to be found. Hooray for Ulcerate.

Zhrine - Unortheta   ...I think I didn't give this album enough credit when it came out. Obvious comparisons to be made with other Icelandic groups as well as Ulcerate, Deathspell Omega, etc, but it's not a knockoff - moody yet energetic, intense yet accessible, dynamic but cohesive, nicely paced and carefully put together. The recording isn't great, but it's listenable. Their live show was superb, still stands as one of the best I've seen in recent years.

On 4/27/2020 at 7:52 PM, MacabreEternal said:

Ulcerate - Stare Into Death And Be Still - I still can't get more than halfway into the digital copy of this record without my fucking chaotic life getting in the way.  But each listen to (approx.) the first four tracks makes me yearn for the hour I can sit without any distraction and just listen to this in full.  I sense an increase in melody this time around (more like a seepage as opposed to an infusion) but the trademark wall of noise that crashes into me with every Ulcerate album is still as tall and as heavy as ever.

I guess given the quality of Vermis and then Shrine of Paralysis a small part of me is waiting with a sightly flinched expression on my face for the band to drop quality, but based on the limited attention I have been able to dedicate to this record so far there's no dip here yet!

Really enjoying this, but you have to be in the right 'head space' to get through it. I'm surprised its listed as having a DR of 6..really sound less jarring (production-wise) than Shrines.

9 hours ago, Athame said:

Leng Tch'e - Redemption Meltdown

Hey I've been listening to a Brazilian band of late called Tales From the Porn (just an awful name I know..). Are you familiar with these guys?

Stevie Rachelle (of Tuff and Metals Sludge fame) sings for them.

Office door shut, headphone sin:

Marduk - Wormwood (an oldie and kinda a goodie..)

Catalano - Dark Skies (my sleaze metal discovery of 2020. Fucking great).

Black Curse - Endless Wound (fine new death metal here folks, highly recommended).

Shards of Humanity: Fractured Frequencies

Solid thrash/death hybrid. 

Warrior - Fighting for the Earth.

Busy morning, some solid listening has occurred.

Ocean of Grief - Fortress of My Dark Self

Testament - Titans of Creation

Idle Hands - Don't Waste Your Time EP

On 4/11/2020 at 7:11 AM, noblastbeats said:

I Long - Saturnus

Great stuff.

True Belief checking in for duty. Lots of listening going on this Easter, all quality of course because that's what I do.

Last 2 hours or so has seen office door shut, headphones in and the following on heavy rotation:

Virgin Steel: Invictus

Wolfheart: Wolves of Karelia

Unanimated: Ancient God of Evil

On 3/17/2020 at 6:18 PM, Requiem said:

in response to Coronavirus, Castle Requiem has closed the castle gates and raised the drawbridge. All nubile and buxom wenches have been brought into the enclosure for their own safety and my own gratification. 

 

If they're locked in your castle, COVID-19  is the least of their concerns.