~2004~

[Demonspell]

Jay...excellent list, and I agree that there is no single dominant release of the year, which is perfectly fine with me. And the new Mastodon is great for those moments when you demand nothing but kickass metal, some stores are selling the special edition for $13.

 

[Tranquillian]

The new Quo Vadis album will slay. Go download the mp3s from it at www.quovadis.qc.ca If you like Into eternity and/or wellplayed, wellproduced technical thrash/death, don't miss this album.

 

[ProgMetalFan]

I thought Wolverine was a 2003 release... I think I had it around No. 4 or so on my 2003 list.

 

[Erik]

The new Shape of Despair is excellent as far as I've heard. The song "Still Motion" is awesome.

Oh, I need to get this... Heh, three albums on my top 5 of 2004 are doom already, and I still need to hear SoD and Solstice...

 

[JayKeeley]

I thought Wolverine was a 2003 release... I think I had it around No. 4 or so on my 2003 list.

Shit, yes, I think you told me this before. It's just that Earache/Elitist sent the promos out this year, our review is dated from this year, and the copyright date printed on the CD itself is 2004! Is this a CD that was available in Europe 6 months before the US, and you got an import perhaps?

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh, I need to get this... Heh, three albums on my top 5 of 2004 are doom already, and I still need to hear SoD and Solstice...

WHAT NEW SOLSTICE????????????????????????????????????????

[I'm sending you the CD-Rs today, you should really really like Halcyon - it's their best release, even if it is just an EP].

EDIT: I know you're probably going with the new Esoteric this year. How is it then?

 

[Erik]

I actually didn't mean Solstice, I meant Forsaken (Malta). RIGHT. The new Esoteric rules. That is all.

 

[Krilons Resa]

After more lsitens, the SoD isn't as good as it was at first. There are really great moments though. As usual, it is too polished. Funeral Doom, imho, SHOULD NOT have impeccable production.

 

[Erik]

True, and I wasn't totally impressed with "Angels of Distress" mainly because of that, eh, and too many synths, and not enough build-up/movement in the songs. Maybe I should pick up the debut.

 

[Unsumed]

Shit, yes, I think you told me this before. It's just that Earache/Elitist sent the promos out this year, our review is dated from this year, and the copyright date printed on the CD itself is 2004! Is this a CD that was available in Europe 6 months before the US, and you got an import perhaps?

Cold Light Of Monday was released in November 2003 in Europe and February 2004 in the USA .

 

[JayKeeley]

Cold Light Of Monday was released in November 2003 in Europe and February 2004 in the USA .

Well, that opens it up for debate then. EDIT: Only for those of us in the USA.

I remember similar release date discrepancies with Amon Amarth's Versus the World, and I think we'll have that issue with Blut Aus Nord this year. Entombed's "Inferno" was just released in the US, along with Amorphis' "Far From the Sun"....

We may just need to vary the categories to include these:

- Favourite (xx) Albums
- Close but no Cigar
- Top 3 Songs
- Best Albums of 2003 that you didn't get round to hearing until 2004
- Crimson II Turkey Award
- This one makes Madder Mortem sound sexy

 

[Papa Josh]

- Crimson II Turkey Award

Oh, come on, you gotta be kidding me.... but this argument will probably never die. I STILL think Crimson 2 is quite nice, especially Mike Wead's work.

But, in regards to albums that were released in Europe 2003, US 2004, why is this even an issue? If an album come out in Europe in 2003, THAT is when the album was released. Not, oh the album was released in the US in 2004, so that makes it a 2004 release... I do remember this with Amon Amarth as well as Satyricon the year before that.

Silly, silly, silly I say.

 

[J.]

But, in regards to albums that were released in Europe 2003, US 2004, why is this even an issue? If an album come out in Europe in 2003, THAT is when the album was released. Not, oh the album was released in the US in 2004, so that makes it a 2004 release

Gotta say, PJ is right.

Get imports if you don't wanna wait.

 

[jimbobhickville]

well, I go by last release date generally, if they're spaced out fairly close like that. That way you go by the date that everyone had easy access to it. If something is released only in one market, then years later they finally release it somewhere else, that's a different story.

So, yeah, US is usually last with metal. By your logic, Japan usually gets stuff ahead of Europe even, so a Japan late 2003 release with a 2004 Euro and US release would be 2003? I'm still putting it in the 2004 list.

 

[M.Lehto]

True, and I wasn't totally impressed with "Angels of Distress" mainly because of that, eh, and too many synths, and not enough build-up/movement in the songs. Maybe I should pick up the debut.

I have In Shades Of...for trade if interested.
PM me with tradelist if you'd like to get it.

 

[Ayeka]

So, yeah, US is usually last with metal. By your logic, Japan usually gets stuff ahead of Europe even, so a Japan late 2003 release with a 2004 Euro and US release would be 2003? I'm still putting it in the 2004 list.

imo, Japan doesn't count bless 'em!

 

[NAD]

- Favourite (xx) Albums
- Close but no Cigar
- Top 3 Songs
- Best Albums of 2003 that you didn't get round to hearing until 2004
- Crimson II Turkey Award
- This one makes Madder Mortem sound sexy

If we do this my "best of 2003 that you're just now hearing" will be longer than all the others combined. In fact I'm thinking of making a second Top 10 for 2003, then tossing in a few 2004 releases as honorable mentions.

 

[JayKeeley]

Get imports if you don't wanna wait.

Thing is, I'm not sure how you're supposed to get an early import if you've never heard of the band before the US release date.

Anyway, like I say, each RC staffer can use their own discretion. We're not exactly saving lives here.

 

[JayKeeley]

If we do this my "best of 2003 that you're just now hearing" will be longer than all the others combined. In fact I'm thinking of making a second Top 10 for 2003, then tossing in a few 2004 releases as honorable mentions.

True, true. Maybe just limit the best of 2003 to 5 albums only? Probably doesn't help much...

 

[J.]

imo, Japan doesn't count bless 'em!

Yeah, they don't count (unless we're talking about Arch Enemy)