I'll definitely be voting but still trudging my way through the picks.
Brave Murder May Bracket A: Voting/Evisceration
- Thread starter Reign in Acai
- Start date
SonOfNun
Bill Ward's Red Pants
I've never seen greater lack of understanding of a band's identity than this. I'm glad you're this irrationally biased though because it gives me warrant to do the same.
einride
your best friend
- Feb 29, 2008
- 7,449
- 938
- 113
yes, after looking them up on metal-archives, i now see that they are not in fact connor and justin from texas, they are scott and ethan from indianaI've never seen greater lack of understanding of a band's identity than this. I'm glad you're this irrationally biased though because it gives me warrant to do the same.
my bad
SonOfNun
Bill Ward's Red Pants
It's not that. It's that you think they are using cyrillic lettering to look cool and exotic and escape their "cultural identity." It's literally the worst and most ignorant take possible. They are Orthodox Christians under the Moscow Patriarchate. They don't care AT ALL about whatever concepts of national/cultural identity you are trying to project onto them.
SonOfNun
Bill Ward's Red Pants
I mean that's a nice little trick to latch on to some petty detail you found out about after the fact to try to justify your whole ridiculous rant, but it doesn't change the fact that it's based on a complete misunderstanding of who they are and what they're doing. They aren't some atheist larpers using Russian Orthodoxy because it "looks cool." The album is a natural extension of their identity as members of the Russian Orthodox Church.
einride
your best friend
- Feb 29, 2008
- 7,449
- 938
- 113
nope bro, i'm 100% sticking to my guns. you may not agree, but this shit bothers me. you're fuckin kidding yourself if you don't think these bozos think they look more legit and mysterious calling themselves "Скот" and "Ефам" instead of just fucking writing scott and ethan which is what their names are in the alphabet that is used in the country and culture where they live. you KNOW they had to look this shit up on wikipedia. this may not annoy you, but it annoys me. that's fine.
if it consoles you any, i would say the same about a spanish band using nordic runes to hail odin or whatever the fuck.
if it consoles you any, i would say the same about a spanish band using nordic runes to hail odin or whatever the fuck.
Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
SonOfNun
Bill Ward's Red Pants
Well I can't tell you what to be bothered by or not. To me it's an irrelevant detail and it's more important that the album (most importantly in the music) is imbued with the faith, culture, and aesthetic of Russian Orthodoxy of which they are, indeed, a part. That's more than can be said for many bands (including some in this very tournament).
Ellestin
one-click buy
einride
your best friend
- Feb 29, 2008
- 7,449
- 938
- 113
not surprising, since as we all know france has contributed little if anything to the history and culture of the western world (so it makes sense they would have to borrow from their superior nordic brethren)
Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
J.
Old Fart
This reminds me. Erik, you need a pseudonym for Nasheim. I know you've got one.
Holyfucker Supreme or something
Holyfucker Supreme or something
J.
Old Fart
and all that celtic lineage running through Plano, TX (north of Dallas) in a family with surname of Givens.
whoops, I mean "McGovern", not Givens.
CURRENT MID-POLL STANDINGS
-------------------------------------------------
SUBROSA V
HAVUKRUUNU I
INQUSITION VI
MGLA
ILDRA I
DORDEDUH V
BORKNAGAR I
LUDICRA V
DEATHSPELL OMEGA iII
ARCH/MATHEOS III
VAURA V
SKALD IN VEUM I
BLUT AUS NORD i
RUINS OF BEVERAST V
GRIS V
HORTOR I
MACABRE OMEN VI
DEFEATED SANITY
ZEBULON PIKE III
ASH BORER III
SPECTRAL LORE VI
CULTES DES GHOULES: Coven
TRIBULATION IIII
ANATHEMA II
ÉTERNAL CHAMPION IIII
PATHOLOGY II
LEPROUS V
HESYCHAST I
CULTES DES GHOULES: Henbane III
WYTCH HAZEL II: SOJOURN III
BURZUM IIII
IMMOLATION II
A few blow outs, three ties, and some that could rally from behind.
@DarkGift @Doom @CiG @Ellestin @Henrik Main @Hell Mike @Opeth17 @swizzlenuts @MFJ @LurkersinSilence
Rock the Vote
-------------------------------------------------
SUBROSA V
HAVUKRUUNU I
INQUSITION VI
MGLA
ILDRA I
DORDEDUH V
BORKNAGAR I
LUDICRA V
DEATHSPELL OMEGA iII
ARCH/MATHEOS III
VAURA V
SKALD IN VEUM I
BLUT AUS NORD i
RUINS OF BEVERAST V
GRIS V
HORTOR I
MACABRE OMEN VI
DEFEATED SANITY
ZEBULON PIKE III
ASH BORER III
SPECTRAL LORE VI
CULTES DES GHOULES: Coven
TRIBULATION IIII
ANATHEMA II
ÉTERNAL CHAMPION IIII
PATHOLOGY II
LEPROUS V
HESYCHAST I
CULTES DES GHOULES: Henbane III
WYTCH HAZEL II: SOJOURN III
BURZUM IIII
IMMOLATION II
A few blow outs, three ties, and some that could rally from behind.
@DarkGift @Doom @CiG @Ellestin @Henrik Main @Hell Mike @Opeth17 @swizzlenuts @MFJ @LurkersinSilence
Rock the Vote
Ellestin
one-click buy
Henrik Main
Hello
Subrosa: I thought I was in for some cool, occult dark metal by looking at the cover. I was well and truly wrong, this sounds like the somber lovechild of Isis (or some shit), Kent and The Cure. Royal Pinkage right here.
Havukruunu: Sounds like a mix of Falkenbach and Moonsorrow at times, when they're not doing more standard black metal with a melodic touch. Could perhaps do without the power metal solos, but this makes for decent listening nonetheless. Easily the winner of the duel, even though they're trying to push the "epic" angle a bit too much for my liking.
Verdict: Havukruunu.
****
Inquisition: One of the albums I've actually listened to a few times before. Love the riffing and atmosphere. At least one very dodgy band member, but I shan't dwell on that now. Very good record.
Mgla: Heard this one a few times before as well. One of the best drummers in the biz, and I know I really "should" like it, but it just ain't clicking.
Verdict: Inquisition.
****
Ildra: It sort of sounds like something I've heard by a hundred different bands on the smaller stage at the Inferno Festival, "epic" extreme metal with heavy nods to viking-era Bathory. It's alright, and some of the solos are surprisingly good, but not something I see myself listening to often.
Dordeduh: Shit's all over the place. Associations to Jethro Tull, Empiricism-era Borknagar, Arcturus and even some more obscure cavernous death metal acts spring to mind. Very weird, sometimes cool, sometimes not. I dunno about this one.
Verdict: Ildra.
****
Borknagar: Possibly my least favourite Borknagar record (save for that acoustic one). Forced epicness and too much progz. Don't hate it, but never put it on.
Ludicra: Wow, this is some nice stuff, at least some of it, such as Stagnant Pond. Didn't expect this at all. Very cool transitions between the harsh blasty parts and the more mid-tempo atmospheric parts.
Verdict: Ludicra.
****
DSO: Probably one of the most groundbreaking and innovative bands the genre has seen in decades. SKIP! Too much artsy fartsy dissonance for my weak ass!
Arch/Matheos: Eh. Some parts are real groovy and cool, but I just can't see me pumping up the jam to this one on the regular. The vocalist is way too much as well. Hated the last track!
Verdict: Gotta give it to DSO, because at least they have blast beats hehe
****
Vaura: Very atmospheric and decent in parts, but normally not my cup of tea. Still OK
Skald In Veum: Bit of a very poor man's Marduk with more lifeless and clinical production going on here.
Verdict: Vaura
****
Blut Aus Nord: Hm, I remembered these guys as way more dissonant sounding and all over the place. Stopped listening to them after I didn't "get" The Work Which Transforms God. This right here, however, is some excellent, atmospheric black metal that I should have checked out a long time ago.
The Ruins of Beverast: Too much tomfoolery taking place up in this joint, and it drags on forever. Sorry, this was always going to be hard when up against that surprisingly killer BSA record.
Verdict: Blut Aus Nord.
****
Gris: OK, so this is about 45 mins too long, but there is at least quite a lot of interesting stuff going on. Digging the drum production and the vocals. Nice transitions from fast blasting parts to more mellow, medieval sounding parts.
Hortor: Blasting BM featuring a hell of a lot of theatrical vocals and orchestral synth. This is something I could see myself being absolutely floored by ca. 2003, but I rarely listen to synth driven BM like this anymore. This isn't going to change that I'm afraid.
Verdict: Gris.
****
Macabre Omen: Lol, is it just me or is the first riff of Gods of War - At War a blatant ripoff of Natassja In Eternal Sleep? I can do without the almost jolly-sounding war metal-ish stuff they churn out now and then, but still, there is plenty to enjoy on this one.
Defeated Sanity: Gotta give what I presume is a lone vote to my own nomination. I hear more than a wall of brutality here, such as a jazzy approach to brutal DM riffing, fantastic bass work, flawless drumming and killer riffs galore.
Verdict: Defeated Sanity.
****
Zebulon Pike: Very rocking, very groovy stoner parts. Could have trimmed away a few of those small interludes, which I feel take away some of the energy sometimes. Still really cool! Pleasant surprise.
Ash Borer: On the surface, this has pretty much everything I'm looking for in black metal, so why am I not gripped harder by this one? It's strange. Some of the riffs are really rocking, but others are just there. Might be a grower.
Verdict: Zebulon Pike.
****
Spectral Lore: This is too much for me
Cultes des Ghoules: Have been aware of these lads for ages, never checked out because I figured they were another DSO-ish dissonant/avant garde hellrock orchestra. This, however, is some rockin' shit with fabulous riffing and fantastic vocals. It's long, but it's also pretty great.
Verdict: Cultes des Ghoules.
****
Tribulation: Well aware of this band, have caught them live at a festival as well. Never clicked. I believe this might be because they simply don't ROCK HARD ENOUGH.
Anathema: See Tribulation, minus the seen live part.
Verdict: Tribulation.
****
Eternal Champion: I typed out all the duels in NOTEPAD before I started listening, but I only entered the band names, not the album names. Fuckin' Jerry edited the thread and removed the entire A bracket two days before deadline, so I don't know which album was nominated (I could possibly have found out by checking out the nominations thread, but this idiocy must be punished). I checked out some of their stuff on Youtube, and it's surprisingly rocking and entertaining retro metal that I actually kinda like.
Pathology: Of course it's not breaking any ground at all, but it's a riff fest that I enjoy the shit out of. I like heavy DM riffs that are good, like, and this is filled to the brim with 'em.
Verdict: Pathology
****
Leprous: Sounds like Arcturus doing some weirdo, tripped out djent shit at times, other times it's eeringly reminiscent of POP MUSIC. I don't really dig this joint.
Hesychast: A bit too atmospheric and melodic for me, but as far as ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN "BLACK" METAL with lyrical themes such as ASCETICISM goes, I guess it's alright.
Verdict: Eh, Hesychast it is, then.
****
Cultes des Ghoules: See review of the other CDG album.
Wytch Hazel: Some nice grooves, but a bit too blues-rocky for my tastes.
Verdict: Cultes des Ghoules.
****
Burzum: Decent comeback album. Rather shite vocals at times, but some rockin' hits such as Sverddans makes this an enjoyable affair.
Immolation: Very familiar with this one. Fuckin' fantastic album. No contest here.
Verdict: Immolation.
Havukruunu: Sounds like a mix of Falkenbach and Moonsorrow at times, when they're not doing more standard black metal with a melodic touch. Could perhaps do without the power metal solos, but this makes for decent listening nonetheless. Easily the winner of the duel, even though they're trying to push the "epic" angle a bit too much for my liking.
Verdict: Havukruunu.
****
Inquisition: One of the albums I've actually listened to a few times before. Love the riffing and atmosphere. At least one very dodgy band member, but I shan't dwell on that now. Very good record.
Mgla: Heard this one a few times before as well. One of the best drummers in the biz, and I know I really "should" like it, but it just ain't clicking.
Verdict: Inquisition.
****
Ildra: It sort of sounds like something I've heard by a hundred different bands on the smaller stage at the Inferno Festival, "epic" extreme metal with heavy nods to viking-era Bathory. It's alright, and some of the solos are surprisingly good, but not something I see myself listening to often.
Dordeduh: Shit's all over the place. Associations to Jethro Tull, Empiricism-era Borknagar, Arcturus and even some more obscure cavernous death metal acts spring to mind. Very weird, sometimes cool, sometimes not. I dunno about this one.
Verdict: Ildra.
****
Borknagar: Possibly my least favourite Borknagar record (save for that acoustic one). Forced epicness and too much progz. Don't hate it, but never put it on.
Ludicra: Wow, this is some nice stuff, at least some of it, such as Stagnant Pond. Didn't expect this at all. Very cool transitions between the harsh blasty parts and the more mid-tempo atmospheric parts.
Verdict: Ludicra.
****
DSO: Probably one of the most groundbreaking and innovative bands the genre has seen in decades. SKIP! Too much artsy fartsy dissonance for my weak ass!
Arch/Matheos: Eh. Some parts are real groovy and cool, but I just can't see me pumping up the jam to this one on the regular. The vocalist is way too much as well. Hated the last track!
Verdict: Gotta give it to DSO, because at least they have blast beats hehe
****
Vaura: Very atmospheric and decent in parts, but normally not my cup of tea. Still OK
Skald In Veum: Bit of a very poor man's Marduk with more lifeless and clinical production going on here.
Verdict: Vaura
****
Blut Aus Nord: Hm, I remembered these guys as way more dissonant sounding and all over the place. Stopped listening to them after I didn't "get" The Work Which Transforms God. This right here, however, is some excellent, atmospheric black metal that I should have checked out a long time ago.
The Ruins of Beverast: Too much tomfoolery taking place up in this joint, and it drags on forever. Sorry, this was always going to be hard when up against that surprisingly killer BSA record.
Verdict: Blut Aus Nord.
****
Gris: OK, so this is about 45 mins too long, but there is at least quite a lot of interesting stuff going on. Digging the drum production and the vocals. Nice transitions from fast blasting parts to more mellow, medieval sounding parts.
Hortor: Blasting BM featuring a hell of a lot of theatrical vocals and orchestral synth. This is something I could see myself being absolutely floored by ca. 2003, but I rarely listen to synth driven BM like this anymore. This isn't going to change that I'm afraid.
Verdict: Gris.
****
Macabre Omen: Lol, is it just me or is the first riff of Gods of War - At War a blatant ripoff of Natassja In Eternal Sleep? I can do without the almost jolly-sounding war metal-ish stuff they churn out now and then, but still, there is plenty to enjoy on this one.
Defeated Sanity: Gotta give what I presume is a lone vote to my own nomination. I hear more than a wall of brutality here, such as a jazzy approach to brutal DM riffing, fantastic bass work, flawless drumming and killer riffs galore.
Verdict: Defeated Sanity.
****
Zebulon Pike: Very rocking, very groovy stoner parts. Could have trimmed away a few of those small interludes, which I feel take away some of the energy sometimes. Still really cool! Pleasant surprise.
Ash Borer: On the surface, this has pretty much everything I'm looking for in black metal, so why am I not gripped harder by this one? It's strange. Some of the riffs are really rocking, but others are just there. Might be a grower.
Verdict: Zebulon Pike.
****
Spectral Lore: This is too much for me
Cultes des Ghoules: Have been aware of these lads for ages, never checked out because I figured they were another DSO-ish dissonant/avant garde hellrock orchestra. This, however, is some rockin' shit with fabulous riffing and fantastic vocals. It's long, but it's also pretty great.
Verdict: Cultes des Ghoules.
****
Tribulation: Well aware of this band, have caught them live at a festival as well. Never clicked. I believe this might be because they simply don't ROCK HARD ENOUGH.
Anathema: See Tribulation, minus the seen live part.
Verdict: Tribulation.
****
Eternal Champion: I typed out all the duels in NOTEPAD before I started listening, but I only entered the band names, not the album names. Fuckin' Jerry edited the thread and removed the entire A bracket two days before deadline, so I don't know which album was nominated (I could possibly have found out by checking out the nominations thread, but this idiocy must be punished). I checked out some of their stuff on Youtube, and it's surprisingly rocking and entertaining retro metal that I actually kinda like.
Pathology: Of course it's not breaking any ground at all, but it's a riff fest that I enjoy the shit out of. I like heavy DM riffs that are good, like, and this is filled to the brim with 'em.
Verdict: Pathology
****
Leprous: Sounds like Arcturus doing some weirdo, tripped out djent shit at times, other times it's eeringly reminiscent of POP MUSIC. I don't really dig this joint.
Hesychast: A bit too atmospheric and melodic for me, but as far as ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN "BLACK" METAL with lyrical themes such as ASCETICISM goes, I guess it's alright.
Verdict: Eh, Hesychast it is, then.
****
Cultes des Ghoules: See review of the other CDG album.
Wytch Hazel: Some nice grooves, but a bit too blues-rocky for my tastes.
Verdict: Cultes des Ghoules.
****
Burzum: Decent comeback album. Rather shite vocals at times, but some rockin' hits such as Sverddans makes this an enjoyable affair.
Immolation: Very familiar with this one. Fuckin' fantastic album. No contest here.
Verdict: Immolation.
Similar threads
- Locked