Does anyone have a leading contender for 2004 yet?

[JayKeeley]

I have a bunch of albums that would probably make my top 10, but does anyone have an album that is absolutely heads and shoulders above the rest?

Right now, I think I could place all the albums in any position from 1-10, and if it stays like this, I think I'm going to do away with ranking them this year. In other words, I may just list 10 albums with no ordering.

Also, it's so silly to say that Drudkh is better than Megadeth is better than Blut Aus Nord is better than Orphaned Land, etc etc. It makes no sense to me since I like them all when I'm in the mood for them.

Thoughts?

 

[NAD]

Yeah I have a lot of ties for second place, but no clear cut #1 like last year (and even that got displaced after the year was up).

Drudkh, Hate Forest, and Blut Aus Nord so far. Although I still think Fantômas may become the clear cut #1 if I ever spend significant time with it.

 

[Black Winter Day]

Can't really think of anything. Then again, I haven't been listening to much that was released after 1980...

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Drudkh, Xasthur, Leviathan. I have a feeling the new WOY album will be up there as well if the album sounds as fantastic as the two sound clips do.

 

[Caelum Adustum]

I'm going to say "Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice." But I'm still waiting for a few albums to be released (Sargeist, Malign, Dawn) so that may change.

 

[J.]

nothing as of yet, but the new Graveland, Nokturnal Mortum and Arghoslent albums have yet to be released.

 

[jimbobhickville]

Ayreon "The Human Equation" for me.

 

[JayKeeley]

Drudkh, Xasthur, Leviathan.

Which of these is the clear cut winner thus far?

I'm going to say "Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice."

Who exactly is this band (they seem to have come out of nowhere) and what do they sound like?

 

[Dev]

nothing as of yet, but the new Graveland, Nokturnal Mortum and Arghoslent albums have yet to be released.

New Isis also and a bunch of good others which I can't remember right now

 

[Caelum Adustum]

Who exactly is this band (they seem to have come out of nowhere) and what do they sound like?

Deathspell Omega is a French band they have 3 (first 2 released in very small quantities on vinyl only and just recentely released on CD) full lengths, "SMR,C" being the 3rd, as well as splits with Clandestine Blaze, Moonblood and Mütiilation.

The first 2 full lengths are more raw and "typical" black metal (still good and they have their own sound mind you), where as SMR,C is much deeper and complex and takes a few listens to fully get into. The lyrics are very well written as well as thought provoking and the same goes for the music itself.

I couldn't really tell you any bands that sound like the new album, but they are often mentioned among (albeit don't quite sound like) bands like Watain, Antaeus, Funeral Mist, Katharsis, Triumphator, Ondskapt, and Malign.

I'm surprised you're not familiar with them yet.

 

[J.]

JayK, that's Deathspell Omega I believe.


New Isis should be good. Truth be told, I was a bit disappointed with the new Neurosis and Today is the Day.

 

[Black Winter Day]

Deathspell Omega's latest is magnificient... and it's like 70-some minutes long. If the first track doesn't send shivers up your spine, I don't know what will.

 

[NAD]

Maybe I should pick that up then. Is it as scary as Blut Aus Nord?

 

[Black Winter Day]

You like teh scary then, eh?

It's very mood-inducing, much like BAN, but I would call DO more "traditional" in their compositions. Nah, scratch that, because DO aren't all that traditional at all. Think raging, cold black metal at one moment, then a Carl Orff-type choir arrangement at the next.

I think you'd like it. It makes you feel like you are participating in a blood ritual with candles, incense and Bela Lugosi. And then violating his long-dead corpse.

 

[NAD]

I think you'd like it. It makes you feel like you are participating in a blood ritual with candles, incense and Bela Lugosi. And then violating his long-dead corpse.

Sold!

 

[J.]

Make sure you pick that up before Mercyful Fate.

 

[Black Winter Day]

"Huh?!?!?"

 

[J.]

I said make sure you pick that (Deathspell Omega CD) up before Mercyful Fate.

 

[Ayeka]

Drudkh, Xasthur, Leviathan.

Is the new Leviathan that good really? I should be picking it up sometime next week.

So far my only top pick for #1 is still Second Sight by Intense. It's not really fair cos it's only got The Glorious Burden by Iced Earth to compete against in my collection...it won't be til the end of the month that I'll have enough money to buy the 2004 albums I care about, and they're only DragonForce, BLAZE and (hopefully) Death Angel anyway...

 

[SonOfNun]

http://www.theajnaoffensive.com/NewsDetails.asp?NewsID=36

This interview has been posted at least a couple times, but here it is again. Anyone who reads it should be interested in this band. Very good stuff.