Albums currently kicking your ass

[Phylactery]

TRitSiO is underrated not overrated if anything. Remember the average metal fan still thinks Slaughter of the Soul is their only good album.

 

[Krow]

Crowd friendly in what way?

That says "in crowd" friendly, not crowd friendly. You haven't been here for a while so maybe you don't get the reference? Eh. Let @HamburgerBoy explain it to you.

 

[zerostatic]

 

[no country for old wainds]

i really enjoy the mid-'90s gothenburg sound in general, and it's actually primarily at the gates' fault that it went to shit. you can instantly date any of the more tasteful stuff as being prior to (or alongside) SLAUGHTER OF THE SOUL and THE GALLERY, it's a shame it didn't generally continue on after that even in the underground, 'twas just one of those flash in the pan crazes.

 

[Phylactery]

I pretty much agree, although I wouldn't lump The Gallery in there with Slaughter of the Soul. It was my first metal album way back when so I have rather strong nostalgia for it. I haven't listened to in a very long time because I'm scared that I might find it saccharine these days - I'd rather keep my nostalgic memories of it.

There are plenty of bands from Gotherburg that don't fall into the "melo-death" sound anyway, so I'm not sure why everyone only ever seems to associate the place with that sound.

 

[Funerary_Doom]

I don't particularly care for At the Gates,much myself. I've tried The Red in the Sky... and Slaughter of the Soul, and both were just eh to me. I do like Dawn though and maybe a few other Melodic DM bands... but its few and far between.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I'd rather listen to thrashy post-SOTS/"metalcore" stuff like The Haunted than most of the early stuff tbh.

Better than Blessed are the Sick. A beautiful marriage of Destruction and Mercyful Fate.

 

[no country for old wainds]

i like THE GALLERY too but i think it represents a turning point along with SOTS and in flames etc.

but i mean bands like eucharist, decameron, embracing, sacrilege, early septic flesh, early crown, unanimated, ablaze my sorrow, a canorous quintet etc. i'm always looking for more bands in that kinda style, but they're hard to find after '96 or so because 'melodic death metal' suddenly got overrun by a thousand shitty ATG/DT/IF wannabes

 

[I-TEND-TO-DIE]

really awesome balls to the wall Death metal. I expected a bit more diversity on the songs of this album though..

 

[Phylactery]

I don't particularly care for At the Gates,much myself. I've tried The Red in the Sky... and Slaughter of the Soul, and both were just eh to me. I do like Dawn though and maybe a few other Melodic DM bands... but its few and far between.

Dawn is great but I wouldn't really consider them a melodic death metal band; I find them to lean far more heavily to black metal on most of their releases.

Have you tried With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness by ATG? I'd recommend trying "The Break of Autumn" and "Primal Breath" if you haven't.

 

[Phylactery]

I'd rather listen to thrashy post-SOTS/"metalcore" stuff like The Haunted than most of the early stuff tbh.

Better than Blessed are the Sick. A beautiful marriage of Destruction and Mercyful Fate.

Probably the most disagreeable opinion I've seen you post yet. Blessed are the Sick is a masterpiece. That Hexenhaus album just isn't as good, although I do need to revisit it.

 

[Funerary_Doom]

Dawn is great but I wouldn't really consider them a melodic death metal band; I find them to lean far more heavily to black metal on most of their releases.

Have you tried With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness by ATG? I'd recommend trying "The Break of Autumn" and "Primal Breath" if you haven't.

I spoke too soon, as I was thinking of their demos. Their demos are death metal, but their full lengths are definitely black metal.

I'll listen to those albums. I've only sat through the two already mentioned a few times, figured those were their best and if I didn't like it I wouldn't like ATG. However, totally willing to give another album a shot.

 

[no country for old wainds]

i'd suggest the GARDENS OF GRIEF ep as well, it's like a more accessible version of TRITSIO.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Probably the most disagreeable opinion I've seen you post yet. Blessed are the Sick is a masterpiece. That Hexenhaus album just isn't as good, although I do need to revisit it.

Nah, Blessed are the Sick is fairly generic and mediocre, half of it is leftovers of stuff too boring to make it to the first album. A definitive sophomore slump. A Tribute to Insanity is a masterpiece.

 

[The Ozzman]

Nothing At The Gates did is remotely interesting

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Nah, the first two albums are definitely some of the most interesting metal of the entire 90s.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

@crimsonfloyd Everything they did from When Day and Dream Unite to Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is great. Beyond that, it's rather questionable. In truth, I think they got boring after Octavarium.

So far I've only heard Images and Words and Metropolis. I tried listening to The Astonishing the other night to see if I should consider seeing it live but lost interest after 30 minutes. Granted, that was only a first impression.

I own the majority of their albums, but the only two I really go back and listen to are Images and Words and Awake. There are a couple good songs on the other inconsistent albums, like Train of Thought and Octavarium. Those first two are the only complete solid albums I've heard from them though.

I was big into DT in like 1995, but Falling Into Infinity in 1997 killed it for me, and I still think that is their worst album. I kept buying their albums because I was young and naive, hoping they'd get back to the feel of Images and Words, but they never did.

I can imagine why you would feel that way, but Metropolis is a really well composed and executed concept album. It seems to have a very different intent to that of I&W.

 

[Baroque]

So far I've only heard Images and Words and Metropolis. I tried listening to The Astonishing the other night to see if I should consider seeing it live but lost interest after 30 minutes. Granted, that was only a first impression.



I can imagine why you would feel that way, but Metropolis is a really well composed and executed concept album. It seems to have a very different intent to that of I&W.

I saw them on the Metropolis Pt. 2 tour, it's a good album but I don't find myself coming back to listen to it. Some of my favorite parts of that album are when they quote Metropolis Pt. 1.

I did forget to mention my favorite album by them: A Change of Seasons. It beat out Awake and Images & Words when I found it. It's lesser known due being an EP/Live Album but the 23 minute title track is a prog masterpiece. I do like the live performances also.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Metropolis Pt 2 is so bad. Beyond This Life in particular is one of the worst songs they've ever done, it's like you take Metallica's Fuel and try to turn it into an 11 minute song, just horrible.

Man I've neglected the shit out of tech-thrash period Hexx. I listened to this album maybe twice and dismissed it because it was nothing like the USPM debut. One minute in and it's already kicking my ass. Amazing energy here.

 

[EchoForever]

Nah, Blessed are the Sick is fairly generic and mediocre