Brave Murder May Bracket A: Voting/Evisceration

[Reign in Acai]

Post your 16 winners (reviews/dissertative disembowelments) here.


Your Vote will be recorded and tallied within the next 72 hours, and we'll move forward with Bracket B.

 

[einride]

welcome to a bunch of dumb comments. you know how i always say it's dumb to have opinions on albums that have barely had time to sink in? well it's about to get real stupid all up in here. i have also outlined how much i liked it on this scale: love it > like it > don't care > hate it

* "love it" means it is imo a great album that i will revisit and listen to regularly

* "like it" means i like it and it may or may not ascend to "love it" status given time. it could also very well be a "don't care" with nice make-up on. at the very least i had a good time listening during this tournament.

* "don't care" means i don't hate it but will likely never listen to it again. probably it's well-executed but just in a style i don't want to listen to. in some cases a less interesting album that is at least inoffensive has had to win over something that i actively hate. these are not great rounds.

* "hate it" means it actively annoys me and i think the world would be a better place if it didn't exist.

---

SUBROSA - HAVUKRUUNU

SUBROSA: like it
HAVUKRUUNU: like it
WINNER: subrosa
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 55%

COMMENT: this is tough. i like havukruunu, i think they have good riffs and well-crafted songs, but like their kin -- moonsorrow, et al -- it's the kind of thing i acknowledge the quality of but barely ever want to listen to anymore. bonus points for their band photo which rules face. subrosa, on the other hand... i like their style a lot but i feel like it gets a little bit self-indulgent sometimes and would benefit from tighter editing. i'm leaning subrosa, just because it's more the kinda stuff i want to listen to these days, but just barely. i am willing to listen to both albums again and enjoyed my time with them.

---

INQUSITION - MGLA

INQUISITION: don't care
MGLA: hate it
WINNER: inquisition
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 60%

COMMENT: i really don't like the mgla album. i feel like it's all hype and no substance, and the smug pompous lyrics wherein these polish randos have apparently figured out all that's wrong with the world are kinda cringe tbh. i don't care for the inquisition album either but at least there's more going on and it seems less pretentious. let's just say neither of these albums will enter my regular rotation but inquisition fades into background music instead of actively annoying me, so there you go.

---

ILDRA - DORDEDUH

ILDRA: don't care
DORDEDUH: love it
WINNER: dordeduh
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 95%

COMMENT: ildra is respectable enough and clearly a labor of love, but it's just so vanilla. i've heard all these riffs before and when the pianos come in they play minor triad arpeggios and it's like it's made by a music_generator_program.exe. it sounds very Computer. if you know, you know. the intro and the other acoustic bits sound like the background music to a medieval themed strategy game for windows 95 circa 1997. makes me feel like i should be building barracks and commanding peasants to harvest some wheat. bottom line: i'm not exactly mad, just disapppointed. i wanted you guys to make it because i'm generally on your side. pity you weren't up against a gang of mexican christians or some shit but this level of performance just doesn't cut it in today's fast-paced competitive environment. dordeduh? duh.

---

BORKNAGAR - LUDICRA

BORKNAGAR: like it
LUDICRA: like it
WINNER: ludicra
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 70%

COMMENT: this is the biggest surprise of the tournament because ludicra is up there cruising around the borderlands to "love it". i expected to think it was pretentious amerishit but it turns out it's the kind of quirky and inventive almost-black metal that really hits the spot for me. quite into it. also aesop dekker is so much better here than he ever was in agalloch. borknagar is cool, i'm into the energy and there are some super memorable riffs and vocal melodies. the hammond organ shit is rockin too. but for me it feels a little too pro and calculated -- in the end i'm going raw, weird creativity over slick, polished professionalism.

---

DEATHSPELL OMEGA - ARCH/MATHEOS

DEATHSPELL OMEGA: don't care
ARCH/MATHEOS: love it
WINNER: arch/matheos
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 100%

COMMENT: the DSO seems like a decent album for what it is but i'm just super done with them tbh. i just don't care, i don't want to listen to this kind of music. arch/matheos, otoh, is lovely. although i'm usually very anti this kind of modern metal riffing and production, john arch just brings it to a whole other level. when the vocal line in "stained glass sky" starts with the same stanzas as fates warning's immortal "exodus", you know you've entered Classic Shit territory. just awesome.

---

VAURA - SKALD IN VEUM

VAURA: like it
SKALD IN VEUM: hate it
WINNER: vaura
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 100%

COMMENT: vaura is interesting, but not great. it's got some cool ideas (the first bit of "vanth" is beautiful, for instance) but i don't really feel anything, it just turns into pretty noise for me. speaking of pretty noise, they sometimes remind me of a less effective version of THE ANGELIC PROCESS, whom i would rather be listening to than this tbh. barely clinging to a "like it", but either way, ofc, they win by default. i don't want to talk about skald in veum. some day, a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets.

---

BLUT AUS NORD - RUINS OF BEVERAST

BLUT AUS NORD: don't care
RUINS OF BEVERAST: like it
WINNER: ruins of beverast
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 75%

COMMENT: i still don't see what the big hubbub is about re: blut aus nord. i've tried for years, i really have, and the guy's admittedly got a shitload of riffs, each of which makes me feel nothing. ruins of beverast seems okay. still not hubbub territory tho. not very passionate about this pairing but ruins is the more interesting band imo.

---

GRIS - HORTOR

GRIS: like it
HORTOR: hate it
WINNER: gris
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 100%

COMMENT: as i said, gris, please start editing yourselves. i like your sound a lot, you've got some lovely, heartfelt shit going on, but 80 minute albums are just a bad idea. clearly not as bad as a buncha mexicans attempting to extol christ thru "black metal", tho.

BUT ERIK, WHAT IF IT WAS NOT CHRISTIAN? YOU CAN'T JUDGE ART BASED ON ITS CONTENT, PRESENTATION AND MEANING! IT'S JUST SO UNFAIR!: so i don't think the turn of the millennium has happened yet in mexico because we've got some super-amateurish spoopysynth black metal with the most generic riffs in the world; id est something that invasion records would have released in 1998. sometimes i find stuff like this charming in its utter hopelessness (they haven't even tuned their guitars for god's sake*) but even if it was true devil worship i just feel like i'm way too old for this shit. as scary as a jack-o-lantern rotting on the porch two weeks past halloween. also lmao @ the female vocals. don't give up your day jobs at churros on burros** (or whatever it is mexicans do) amigos

* lol

** it's like meals on wheels but mexican

---

MACABRE OMEN - DEFEATED SANITY

MACABRE OMEN: love it
DEFEATED SANITY: don't care
WINNER: macabre omen
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 100%

COMMENT: i'm not into BRØØØT DØØØDS at all, and i'm kind of really into the macabre omen album -- especially the super epic stuff -- so this is an ez one. sorry PØNK HÆNK, but you knew what you were getting into.

---

ZEBULON PIKE - ASH BORER

ZEBULON PIKE: hate it
MORE LIKE ASH BORING: don't care
WINNER: ash borer
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 5%

COMMENT: zebulon pike has this way of laser-focusing on the annoyance center of my brain. can't really explain it. especially the way "a fragile portal" ends makes me want to reach through my speakers and punch the band in the face. ash borer is like the blandest, most nondescript, generic diet USBM possible and it is a physical impossibility for me to give fewer shits about it, but at least it's just inoffensive background noise. i want to vote for the record where they obviously tried to do something unique, but in the end this is about what i like the most, or hate the least, so i gotta go for ash borer, sorry. i don't want to disappoint kenny with my unsophisticated musical palate but sometimes you just gotta call it like you see it.

---

SPECTRAL LORE - CULTES DES GHOULES

SPECTRAL LORE: like it
CULTES DES GHOULES: don't care
WINNER: spectral lore
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 80%

COMMENT: the best parts of spectral lore are the ambient and acoustic parts imo. the metal might need more time to grow on me because about 50% of it seems stock af tbh. intriguing, and either way a lot better than The Album That Never Ends. cultes des ghoules: i just can't with these fucking guys. i'm sure there's a target market for a 98 minute black metal opera about super spooky medieval witch shit but i ain't it.

---

TRIBULATION - ANATHEMA

TRIBULATION: love it
ANATHEMA: hate it
WINNER: tribulation
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: over 9000

COMMENT: i think tribulation is like top 3 of the decade. makes me think of the old, creative days of death and black metal. like it has a tiamat 1991-1994 vibe going on. it doesn't SOUND like that, it just has the FEEL of a band who's stumbled on something powerful and meaningful and are very confident in their need to deliver it unto the world. like when "winds" starts and this mf goes "THERE IS A WAY TO BREAK THE GLASS ... TO GLIMPSE THE VAST" do you not just feel it? no? just me? screw you guys.

as for the other one.... i love love love old anathema and i hate hate hate this one, due to reasons i've outlined previously. cliffsnotes: sappy beyond sappiness, predictable as fuck, no edge, horrible lyrics. makes r.e.m. sound like old katatonia. easy, next!

---

ÉTERNEL CHAMPIGNON - PATHOLOGY

HIBERNAL CUSHION: hate it
PATHOLOGY: don't care
WINNER: pathology
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 25%

COMMENT: as i said in the discussion thread, this is an unenviable case of "a genre i like, executed poorly" vs "a genre i don't care about, executed well". i'm voting for pathology because i'd get more emotional involvement out of listening to Siri singing than by putting on MATERNAL LACTATION again. if someone put on pathology at a party, say, i would be like "FUCK YEAH DEATH METAL RAARRGHHH" whereas if someone put on INFERNAL TAMPON i would be like "fuck this false metal shit, where's GOTHAM CITY?". USP: music for taking gym selfies.

---

LEPROUS - HESYCHAST

LEPROUS: don't care
HESYCHAST: hate it
WINNER: leprous
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 100%

COMMENT: hesychast is like everything i dislike in music in a neat lil package. let's pretend for a minute that it is not a vehicle of praise for a disgraced and executed false prophet: it's still bland as unsalted gruel with weak-ass baby formula riffs and does not have the courage to formulate a single new or interesting idea. it also does this cultural appropriation shit that is one of my pet peeves, where it uses foreign letters and aesthetic to look legit and cool despite being white bread american as fuck. these motherfuckers are 100% named connor and justin or some shit and live in a suburb of austin texas with ford f150s parked in front of their vinyl-sided ranch style houses. take your cyrillic letters and shove them up your idiot cunts please thanks. i would ask you to own your cultural identity instead of pretending to be something you're not but you're in a "christian black metal" band so that ship clearly sailed a good while ago. keywords: plastic, disingenious, artificial.

oh, leprous? it's pretty interesting stuff i guess. i mean they could have recorded 74 minutes of multitracked farting and they would still have won by default because the mere fact of their existence doesn't make me want to throw my hands up and dismiss the entire endeavour of human music as futile, but let's actually try to talk about the album a bit: it's got interesting bits but for me it gets too far into "look at us we're sooo wild and wacky and weird and prog" territory. as if being prog comes first and being good comes second. it's like a continuation of this 1999-2001 norwegian bm trend where everyone suddenly painted their faces blue and wore sunglasses and kilts and suits and REALLY NEEDED you to understand that they were grown out of conventional black metal and that they were actually Avant Garde Artistes. idk. its like that but grown up. but still kinda like that.

---

CULTES DES GHOULES II: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO - WYTCH HAZEL II: SOJOURN

CULTES DES GHOULES: don't care
WYTCH HAZEL: don't care
WINNER: wytch hazel
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 20%

COMMENT: hark! for verily doth now the light of Christos Iesus shine upon me; and enlighten me; and so it came to be, on the seventh day, that a vision came upon me, and unto me did the Holy Spirit speak thusly: "cultes des ghoules is pretty boring, and the songs drag, and you're not really into that style of black metal anymore (were you ever, honestly?) so if i were you i would pick wytch hazel despite the annoying lyrics, milquetoast melodies, bad production, and unsuitable indie-rock vocal delivery. i mean, as the omnipotent creator of all, i've heard A LOT of records, and believe me: this is decidedly middling at best. these motherfuckers are clearly not ashbury, thin lizzy or wishbone ash, but they're passable enough for this shitty decade i suppose. they're just BARELY making the cut into heaven at this rate. i mean, they're playing the devil's music, strike one, but some of the riffs are pretty sweet and i feel like their hearts are in the right place." thus spake the Lord. amen.

---

BURZUM - IMMOLATION

BURZUM: love it
IMMOLATION: like it
WINNER: burzum
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 98%

COMMENT: clearly the best post-prison burzum album and although the recording is super weird (a very strange amalgam of real and fake drums; i'm pretty sure he plays like four bars of each drum part and then loops it throughout the song, which just sounds weird. drum loops? in my metal? it's more likely than you think) the Feeling is there. although it clearly is not anywhere close to the early works, varg is a sorcerer and at this point still had Real Magic at his disposal. at least a few MP left. by now he's completely out though and desperately needs a mana potion or two. i guess they don't have those in france. anyway: you just can't fuck with the keliohesten -> morgenrøde -> belus' tillbakekomst run. can't be done. unfuckwithable.

as for immolation, they're one of those legendary bands that i never really gave the time of day, but let me tell you: this album kinda rips. great riffs, heavy sound, the right balance of clear enough that you can tell what's going on but still with an underlying atmospheric murk. it gets samey after a while and it's not the kinda thing i feel like listening to daily but i still think the album is the cat's meow and these hep cats are smokin'. shame they had to go up against something that i have much more of an emotional bond to because they could have won against a lot of others in this tournament.

---

LOVE IT:
burzum
tribulation
macabre omen
arch/matheos
dordeduh

LIKE IT:
subrosa
havukruunu
borknagar
ludicra
vaura
ruins of beverast
gris
spectral lore
immolation

DON'T CARE:
inquisition
ildra
deathspell omega
blut aus nord
defeated sanity
ash borer
cultes des ghoules (both)
pathology
leprous
wytch hazel

HATE IT:
mgla
skald in veum
hortor
zebulon pike
anathema
eternal champion
hesychast

---

OFFICIAL GOOD SHIT PERCENTAGE: 44%

HOW MANY CDS WOULD A CD BUYER BUY, IF A CD BUYER WOULD BUY CD'S: i could imagine owning macabre omen, ludicra, subrosa, gris and spectral lore. those are probably the ones i'd spend real-ass money on. if, indeed, i still cared about buying physical music. oh and i don't actually own the tribulation on any formulation of plastic disc despite nominating it myself and deadass loving it. i really should have at least that one.

CONCLUSION: if this is indeed half of the best of the decade then metal is in deep doodoo. if this was the 80s we would be contemplating reign in blood vs master of puppets right about now. if the 90s, left hand path vs a blaze in the northern sky. now: lowkey retarded mexican clowns-4-christ vs some french sadbois with a violin, WAVES L2 ULTRAMAXIMIZER® and the entire recording length of a compact disc at their disposal. i. just. don't. care. anymore.

 

[Reign in Acai]

"pity you weren't up against a gang of mexican christians"



Damnit Erik, you shouldve went last. No one (maybe Bertrand), will be able to top this.

:Goes back to reading:

 

[NAD]

SubRosa
Inquisition
Dordeduh
Ludicra
Deathspell Omega
Vaura
Blut Aus Nord
Gris
Macabre Omen
Ash Borer
Spectral Lore
Tribulation
Eternal Champion
Leprous
Cultes des Ghoules (the green one)
Immolation

I voted against an album that I will soon be purchasing, so that shows how solid I found all these entrants. Well done, y'all.

 

[spikes77]

winners in bold

Subrosa vs Havukruuna

I've always really liked this Subrosa album, so i'm a bit biased here. When I first heard it, it reminded me of a sludgier joyless with violins-it's just a really dynamic album that has a ton of variation from track to track.

This is the first time i've really listened to the Havukrunna. It is really well done for the style---Great vocals (clean/harsh), dynamics, good solos -- certainly reminds me a little of verisäkeet (which is my fav album by moonsorrow -- but they do vary the riffs here and there. A lot of the parts/transitions can be anticipated which is certainly fine. Overall this album is excellent, but going up against Subrosa is tough-- and this was probably the second most difficult one to choose for me this round.

Inquisition vs Mgla

This was probably the most difficult to choose for the first round, I like both these albums a lot. I really am drawn to the riffing style of Inquisition--the mix of droning catchiness definitely sets the band apart--a sort of evolved ATHOW immortal with more variation -

The mgla is solid as fuck--with some great melancholic/catchy riffing and awesome drumming. I've always thought the next album was their best, which probably helps me lean towards Inquisition. Ultimately, Inquisition's uniqueness put them a little over the top

Ildra vs Dordeduh

Illdra seems like a great album, that I have heard many bands do before--nothing really jumps out at me. This is not the case for the Dordeuh, that gets my pick.

Borknagar vs Ludicra
Tough first round for Borknagar, I tried with this album but couldn't really make it through. I used to be really into this Ludicra, have not listened to it in a bit, but it definitely brings back some memories of listening to it a lot. I like the dynamics here (guitar and vocals), always great to hear the bass upfront as well. Easy choice for me with Ludicra-


Deathspell vs Arch
These albums are so far apart, it's difficult. The vocals are certainly something I had to get over for Arch, but the music makes up for it. That being said, really not my favorite style- I definitely would take other deathspell albums over this one overall, but this one's more straight forward take actually works --I am going with deathspell here.. very narrowly

Blut Aus Nord vs Ruins of Beverast
I could have very easily put this Ruins album as one of my picks--I really love a lot of BAN albums, and this one was a nice return to this style after the 777 group of albums, but I still prefer Memoria II a bit more and especially their 2019 album, Hallucinogen, which I think is some of the best stuff they've done. The Ruins album is just a complete beast, and put them back on track after Blood Vaults, which was a little of a letdown. I can see this one going far here-

Vaura vs Skald in Veum

Gris v Hortor
Gris was one of my picks, but I did give the Hortor a listen--and all I can say is... Hodor! for Gris to waltz into the next round.

Macabre Omen vs Defeated Sanity
This worked out to be an odd pairing, but the Defeated Sanity is just not a kind of dm i'm not that into- I do like the Macabre Omen, which was an album that I had heard of but never listened to--great dynamics.

Zebulon Pike vs Ash Borer
Going with the Pike--some great music here and nice build ups-, not sure how far it's going to make it--this Ash Borer album doesn't stand out too much for me. A ton more american bm that I would go to before this one.


Also went with the Spectral Lore (clearly one that could go far), Tribulation, Eternal Champion (I really liked this when it came out, listened to it a ton),
Leprous over the Hesychast (which was a nice surprise for me, but a bit too standard)

Cultes des Ghoules over Wytch Hazel
(former sounding delightfully unhinged in places) over Wytch Hazel -

Belus over Majesty and Decay. The first few immolations are some of my absolute fav's for dm- but this one doesn't stand out as much compared to the Burzum, although it still high quality death metal. Belus was a nice return to form, and stands on its own.

 

[Reign in Acai]

"CONCLUSION: if this is indeed half of the best of the decade then metal is in deep doodoo. if this was the 80s we would be contemplating reign in blood vs master of puppets right about now. if the 90s, left hand path vs a blaze in the northern sky. now: lowkey retarded mexican clowns-4-christ vs some french sadbois with a violin, "

Buwhahahhahahahahaha





Thats also why Im imploring expanding the tourney to 128. (We're almost in full agreement arent we?) No way is half this shit worthy of being in a top albums of the decade list. Yes, we are in very dire straights if this is the creme de la creme. My whole take is, we havent listened to enough new music (the great benefit of this exercise/tourney), or we forgot a lot of the shit we did listen to.

Anyhow, im holding off on my vote. Going to give Arch a few more spins. Was leaning DSO even though idgaf if they never diddled a note. The nod was given solely on the pretext that it was their first offering that didnt annoy the piss out of me.

 

[NAD]

Damnit Erik, you shouldve went last. No one (maybe Bertrand), will be able to top this.

Subtournament Suggestion: Erik v. Bertrand for who gives the most epic takedown.

hesychast . . . does this cultural appropriation shit that is one of my pet peeves, where it uses foreign letters and aesthetic to look legit and cool despite being white bread american as fuck. these motherfuckers are 100% named connor and justin or some shit and live in a suburb of austin texas with ford f150s parked in front of their vinyl-sided ranch style houses.

x666 Aaaaaand Erik is off to an early lead!

 

[spikes77]

varg is a sorcerer and at this point still had Real Magic at his disposal. at least a few MP left. by now he's completely out though and desperately needs a mana potion or two. i guess they don't have those in france

 

[spikes77]

if you know, you know. the intro and the other acoustic bits sound like the background music to a medieval themed strategy game for windows 95 circa 1997.

This immediately came to mind ---

 

[Reign in Acai]

Defender of the Crown was unruly

 

[einride]

This immediately came to mind ---

killer game

 

[Ellestin]

Damnit Erik, you shouldve went last. No one (maybe Bertrand), will be able to top this

Lol no and I won't even try. This is the best fanzine I've read all year, can't wait for #2

I might revert my vote against Hesychast out of sheer (Christian) compassion

 

[Reign in Acai]

You need to get Erik an article in either your zine or Convivial Hermit. His spiel was the best thing to come out of this bracket.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Bolded represent my vote/winner.

Subrosa v. Havukruunu
Inquisition v. Mgla
Ildra v. Dordeduh
Borknagar v. Ludicra
DsO v. Arch/Matheos
Vaura v. Skald In Veneum
Blut Aus Nord v. Ruins of Beverest
Gris v. Hortor
Macabre Omen v. Defeated Sanity
Zebulon Pike v. Ash Borer
Spectral Lore v. CdG
Tribulation v. Anathema
Eternal Champion v. Pathology
Leprous v. Hesychast
CdG v. Wytch Hazel
Burzum v. Immolation

 

[J.]

Subrosa vs. Havukruunu

This one was easy for me. I dislike female vocals in metal. They just lack power. Subrosa was actually decent and it didn't offend me. But Havukruunu was a wonderful surprise. I had seen them hyped here and there and never listened to their stuff on the Naturmacht bandcamp page. If this was 15 years ago, they would be an RC Hype Bandwagon band and would go far in this tournament. But apparently everyone grew up and got soft.


Inquisition vs. Mgla

Two bands I've never listened to but heard plenty about. Mgla was just generic stuff. It was there. Inquisition had some weird aura going on and I liked it. Probably won't investigate further, but you never know.


Ildra vs. Dordeduh

Well, Ildra was dead upon arrival, because Dordeduh is RC Hype Machine to the nth degree. I don't hate Dordeduh, but I do think the album benefits from the Negura nostalgia. It's a good album, and I like it, but compared to Negura's Om or N' Crugu, it doesn't cut the mustard. In fact, I'd go so far to say I prefer Virstele over it. Again, I like it, but I will always reach for the related albums first. Ildra was a random discovery. The identities of the members are a mystery (that I'm aware of), and it just has this mystical quality about it.


Borknagar vs. Ludicra

Borknagar was a fence pick for me (was gonna pick Macabre Omen, tbh). I've always had a soft spot for them and Vortex's vocals. It's their best since Quintessence (which apparently everyone else hates) in my opinion. Ludicra annoyed the shit outta me. I don't know where they are from, but I'm willing to bet it's Cali, or at least West Coast. It has a pretentiousness about it. And the vocals suck.


Deathspell Omega vs. Arch/Matheos

This was actually one of the more difficult decisions because both albums were of equal worthlessness. In the end, I chose Arch/Matheos because the music was cool. But for the next album, ditch the singer, and just call the band Matheos.


Vaura vs.Skald in Veneum

I'm not anti-Christian black metal like Erik, so Skald in Veneum didn't offend me. I actually enjoyed it somewhat. Vaura, not so much. Simply not my thing.


Blut Aus Nord vs. The Ruins of Beverast

One of the most overhyped bands of the last decade vs. one of the best metal bands of the last decade. Hmmm.


Gris vs. Hortor

Gris is good, but they need to learn to say "enough". Hortor is not good.


Macabre Omen vs. Defeated Sanity

The Macabre Omen is awesome and I will be happy if it goes far into the tourney. A great work of Hellenic majesty. Defeated Sanity...who listens to this stuff?


Zebulon Pike vs. Ash Borer

I didn't like either one. Ash Borer is just there. It baffles me how people actually choose to listen to this over superior bands. Is it because they are a Profound lore darling? Zebulon Pike, I was hoping would be better. I can listen to this kind of stuff all day, but they just have no charisma.


Spectral Lore vs. Cultes Des Ghoules

III is just everything I like about metal and the world is a better place because of it. LOL at Cultes des Ghoules.


Tribulation vs. Anathema

I've never even heard of Tribulation before this and I ain't missing anything. This did NOTHING for me. I can't place it, but I just kept checking the youtube counter to see how much longer I had to slog through this. If it makes it past this round, I hope further listens reveals...just something. I like the Anathema album. Sure, it's super sweet and schmoopy, but I dig it.


Eternal Champion vs. Pathology

Both albums annoy me. At least both are short albums.


Leprous vs. Hesychast

I don't know. Both scratched an itch, but it was probably a hemorrhoid. Leprous sounds vibrant and reminds me of my days of fawning over Devin Townsend (something I do not ragret). Hesychast reminded of the True Batushka, which is a great thing. Whether these guys are my Texan neighbors driving their f150s with Trump 2024 stickers on it is irrelevant.


Cultes Des Ghoules vs. Wytch Hazel

This CdG album wasn't as offensive as the other, but it ain't good. Wytch Hazel just got on my damn nerves. His lyrics about demons and shit had me eye rolling.


Burzum vs. Immolation

Two legendary bands. Two bands enter, one band leaves. And the egotistical ex-nazi takes down the New Yawk deathstars.

 

[Reign in Acai]

Subrosa -No Help For the Mighty Ones VS Havukruunu - Kelle Surut Soi

Winner-Subrosa
This is another timepiece album that I correlate to the early '10s. I still remember when this album captured my soul. It was during a Kriglochest routine on a rainy day in October. I was headbanging, , blitznoodling, and feeling the fire of being alive. Only thing that beats dopamine, is dopamine with fantastic music playing in one's ears. This timepiece is not about to be fucked with by a Moonsorrow's baby bruh.

Inquisition-Obscure Verses for the Multiverse vs MGLA- With Hearts Towards None
Winner -Inquisition

MGLA is too inconsistent with their hellraising. Need to be in a proper mood for it to hit. Kermit n Co on the other hand hellraise around the clock. Great riffs + Unique Vox

Ildra-Edelland vs Dordeduh- Dar de Duh
Dordeduh-Dar de Duh

Victim of the bracketeering mob. Ildra deserves another go, but the spirit of Bunget too fierce.

Borknagar-True North vs Ludicra-TheTenant
Ludicra-The Tenant

Lizard vs A dude who sounds like a whiny pedo snorting crumbs of grated parmesan. Dorknegar is beyond garbage in this offering. Felt like Black Metal for the Disney Channel.

Deathspell Omega-The Furnaces of Palingenesia vs Arch/Matheos-Sympathetic Resonance
DSO-The Furnaces of Palingenesia

Both utter tripe. I dont like DSO, typically love to shit on their hype train, but it will have to wait. This Ken shit is unlistenable. (I tried again after Erik's praise, but it fell as flat as day old beer)

Vaura-Selenelion vs Skald In Veum-Stridslysten
Vaura-Selenelion

Skald isnt bad per se, but nothing special. Cookie cutter tripe. Are these dudes Christian? No other reason for Josh to nominate the shit elsewise. Completely forgettable. Plenty of meat left on the bone with Vaura, I wish to explore them further. Please nominate some secular tunes going forward, I fear for your nominees.

Blut Aus Nord-Memoria Vetusta III Saturnian Poetry vs Ruins of Beverast-Exuvia

Ruins of Beverast-Exuvia
Superior album, the BAN just all blends together and is completely forgettable. RoB demands more intimacy.

Gris - À l'âme enflammée, l'âme constellée vs Hortor - Dharma Esencia de Impureza
Hortor-Dharma Initiave dr Mejico

Gris the superior album, but I dont have one week to listen to a fucking record. These albums need to be penalized for wasting the listener's time with tangent masturbatory noodling. If albums were books, it would be akin to adding 20 chapters to a book after a logical conclusion drew forth. Fuck this horse shit. Going to throw Hortor a bone since theyre getting lambasted. Poor vatos.


Macabre Omen- Gods of War- At War vs Defeated Sanity- Passages Into Deformity
Macabre Omen

Arguably one of the best albums of the decade vs an album which gave me pangs of suffering. I didnt know Roter Rooter and swallowed.com teamed for a collaboration.


Zebulon Pike- Nostalgia for the Unreal vs Ash Borer-The Irrepassable Gate

Ash Borer-The Impassable Gate
Going to have to talk to my band mates about this one. Zeb Pike is Just absolute pants of the skinny jean variety. Flaccid as an Aussie towards a salined arsehole, and stinks just as bad. Why is this here? Have we all become old men? Arse Borer worthy of more listens. Unlike bored gaping arsehole, this didnt have me writhing.

Spectral Lore- III vs Cultes des Ghoules- Coven, Or Evil Ways Instead of Love

Spectral Lore III-
CDG is pretentious tripe. Not even the Pepsi One of Evil. These Poles need to be back under communism to recapture their balls. Fugg outta here

Tribulation-The Children of the Night vs Anathema-Weather System

Anathema-Weather Systems
Hardest choice of the bracket. I bought the Tribulation disc, but im a pink faggith through n through. Why else am I on here but for this lovey dovey horse shit? Shit lyrics overcome by heavenly fem vox and the tried and true Anathema sound. Just one and half step above elevator music. I'll take it.

Eternal Champion-Armor of Ire vs Pathology-The Time of Great Purification

Eternal Champion- Autotune of Ire
All the shine is gone. With that being said, Pathology needs some autotune on their grommet Jack Stephen vocals. Probably would get behind these guys if they opened at a gig and I was three sheets to the wind, but alas not desirable for at home listening.


Leprous-Bilateral vs Hesychast-Ageless
Leprous-Bilateral
Second closest matchup of the bracket. Dug Hesychast, but Leprous had hook n ties. I want to listen to this album a few more times. Leprous tastefully took me outside of my comfort zone, without dragging me across the other side of the room.

Cultes des Ghoules-Henbane vs Wytch Hazel II: Sojourn

Wytch Hazel II
Listening to CDG is like staring at Brie Larson's ass for 60 mins. Theres nothing there.

Burzum-Belus vs Immolation-Majesty and Decay
Burzum -Belus

All hail Varg! This one was another toughy as the style clash made it hard to gauge and be overtly preferential. Belus has more utility. Just some laid back tuneage with catchy af choruses.


Overall Bracket Rating C-

 

[J.]

the bottom guy is most likely in Ludicra

 

[Krilons Resa]

 

[NAD]

:Guthrum:

 

[Reign in Acai]

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