Jump to content

What Are You Listening To?


khaos

Recommended Posts

3 hours ago, Thatguy said:

MAGAZINE - Second Hand Daylight. My favourite Magazine album.

Never heard of these boys, even though this came out way back in '79, but this really wasn't terrible at all. Much better than a sharp stick in the eye I'd say.

 

Chaos Luciferi - Fa Che Noi Possiamo Vivere Ancora, Venice Italy

 

Wraithlord - Obscurity, Flint MI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vargsang - In the Mist of Night, 2014, just found out this is the same dude from Graven, a German bm band I really like who dropped albums in '02 & '05. Vargsang also dropped albums in '03 & '05 but then kept going to deliver these two in '08 & '14 even though M-A lists both bands as active.

 

Vargsang - Werewolf of Wysteria, 2008

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Using this crappy rainy Sunday to revisit a bunch of shit I'd forgotten about from earlier in the year that I have on my running list of favorite 2022 albums. My "short list" has been getting a little out of hand here lately. I currently have 27 death metal entries, 41 black metal, 13 black/death, and 9 combined death/thrash, black/thrash, speed metal, hardcore and crusty grindcore. I have a month to go through and do a cull to hopefully chop some of these titles off my list before it comes time to really start working on my year end list in earnest. Of course I'll still be finding more killer shit in December as I always do, which I'm sure will offset most if not all of my culling efforts.

I've been making a conscious effort not to buy so much stuff. Guess I'm doing a little better, I have 230 releases tagged 2022 so far with a month to go. I have 345 from 2021, over 400 from 2020, 333 each from 2018 and '19, 233 from 2017 and 244 from 2016. Only 176 from 2015 and 125 from 2014. That's back when I used to have to get up before the crack of dawn for work in the morning and stay out on the road all day. I didn't have the luxury of all these discretionary hours to stay up all night and hunt for new music like I can now. I also had a wife to keep me busy when I got home from work and to drag me all over the place shopping and stuff on the weekends, not to mention a baby to take care of anytime I was home and not at work. So I could basically only scour the internet for new music late at night when everyone was sleeping back then and then go to work on 2 or 3 hours sleep. It's a wonder I never fell asleep at the wheel and killed anyone. Sleep is overrated anyway, there'll be plenty of time to sleep when I'm dead. And at my advanced age that could be any day now.

 

Sepulchral Rift - Void Sorcery, Sweden

 

Necrohell - Ravishing Funerals

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Swans/Cop/Young God EP: Source-Spotify

Another one, I've had on my bucket list. I started listening Swans in 2012 with their highly praised Seer which has become one of my favorite non metal albums of all time and was the first their twenty teens trilogy, considered a kind of comeback by some and brought them popularity into Pitchfork, Stereogum and related experimental indie hipster fame. 

But I only  got into Swans after reading over and over what an influence they were on bands particularly Neurosis who are one of my besties. But, others as well. 

TBH, while I loved the trilogy, I never really heard the metal connection, not that they didn't have moments of compelling drone, insane percussion and tapped into a collective tribal sound that is quite prevalent in many metal acts-YOB, The Ruins of Beverarast, Mizmor and on and on. 

So, I researched their most beloved albums and devoured albums like The Great Annihilator, Soundtracks for the Blind,  Children of God. Great albums, moments of heaviness, not really feeling much metal. 

So finally this Thanksgiving weekend-first with Filth and now with Cop-I have found the heaviness. Cop reportedly was a big influence of for the guys in Neurosis. So much so, apparently that when Gira started seeing the hardcore and metal demographic show up, he thought, man I've fucked up if these Neanderthals are coming to my show, I'm doing something wrong and went an completely different direction with Jarboe.

I'm still not sure if Swans really had a profound influence directly on metal or if they simply influenced a handful of artists who then went on to inspire whole sub genres of extreme music. It doesn't really matter. COP is undeniably heavy, uncompromising and inaccessible for all but a few and surely directly or indirectly all those bands that fuse pummeling, post drone whateverthefuck metal-right now making me think of Cavernlight's first album, Dragged into Sunlight and shit like that. Shit that I generally get into. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

before it comes time to really start working on my yer end list in earnest.

We don't expect the list until February anyway.

I will do my usual petulant 'no I'm not doing a fucking list' before bunging something together at the last moment and regret half of the choices for 5 minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Join Metal Forum

    joinus-home.jpg

  • Our picks

    • Whichever tier of thrash metal you consigned Sacred Reich back in the 80's/90's they still had their moments.  "Ignorance" & "Surf Nicaragura" did a great job of establishing the band, whereas "The American Way" just got a little to comfortable and accessible (the title track grates nowadays) for my ears.  A couple more records better left forgotten about and then nothing for twenty three years.  2019 alone has now seen three releases from Phil Rind and co.  A live EP, a split EP with Iron Reagan and now a full length.

      Notable addition to the ranks for the current throng of releases is former Machine Head sticksman, Dave McClean.  Love or hate Machine Head, McClean is a more than capable drummer and his presence here is felt from the off with the opening and title track kicking things off with some real gusto.  'Divide & Conquer' and 'Salvation' muddle along nicely, never quite reaching any quality that would make my balls tingle but comfortable enough.  The looming build to 'Manifest Reality' delivers a real punch when the song starts proper.  Frenzied riffs and drums with shots of lead work to hold the interest.


      There's a problem already though (I know, I am such a fucking mood hoover).  I don't like Phil's vocals.  I never had if I am being honest.  The aggression to them seems a little forced even when they are at their best on tracks like 'Manifest Reality'.  When he tries to sing it just feels weak though ('Salvation') and tracks lose real punch.  Give him a riffy number such as 'Killing Machine' and he is fine with the Reich engine (probably a poor choice of phrase) up in sixth gear.  For every thrashy riff there's a fair share of rock edged, local bar act rhythm aplenty too.

      Let's not poo-poo proceedings though, because overall I actually enjoy "Awakening".  It is stacked full of catchy riffs that are sticky on the old ears.  Whilst not as raw as perhaps the - brilliant - artwork suggests with its black and white, tattoo flash sheet style design it is enjoyable enough.  Yes, 'Death Valley' & 'Something to Believe' have no place here, saved only by Arnett and Radziwill's lead work but 'Revolution' is a fucking 80's thrash heyday throwback to the extent that if you turn the TV on during it you might catch a new episode of Cheers!

      3/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 10 replies
    • I
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/52-vltimas-something-wicked-marches-in/
      • Reputation Points

      • 3 replies

    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/48-candlemass-the-door-to-doom/
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • Full length number 19 from overkill certainly makes a splash in the energy stakes, I mean there's some modern thrash bands that are a good two decades younger than Overkill who can only hope to achieve the levels of spunk that New Jersey's finest produce here.  That in itself is an achievement, for a band of Overkill's stature and reputation to be able to still sound relevant four decades into their career is no mean feat.  Even in the albums weaker moments it never gets redundant and the energy levels remain high.  There's a real sense of a band in a state of some renewed vigour, helped in no small part by the addition of Jason Bittner on drums.  The former Flotsam & Jetsam skinsman is nothing short of superb throughout "The Wings of War" and seems to have squeezed a little extra out of the rest of his peers.

      The album kicks of with a great build to opening track "Last Man Standing" and for the first 4 tracks of the album the Overkill crew stomp, bash and groove their way to a solid level of consistency.  The lead work is of particular note and Blitz sounds as sneery and scathing as ever.  The album is well produced and mixed too with all parts of the thrash machine audible as the five piece hammer away at your skull with the usual blend of chugging riffs and infectious anthems.  


      There are weak moments as mentioned but they are more a victim of how good the strong tracks are.  In it's own right "Distortion" is a solid enough - if not slightly varied a journey from the last offering - but it just doesn't stand up well against a "Bat Shit Crazy" or a "Head of a Pin".  As the album draws to a close you get the increasing impression that the last few tracks are rescued really by some great solos and stomping skin work which is a shame because trimming of a couple of tracks may have made this less obvious. 

      4/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...