....on discographies (or what I have from the band) I've been playing lately:
Enslaved
This band is quite simply amazing. I was initially disappointed with Below the Lights, but it has grown on me. It's still not close to their strongest. Eld is a beatiful album, and Vikingligr Veldi finally clicked with me (probably because my recent interest in black metal). Frost doesn't impress the way it once did. Mardraum and Blodhemn are still kinda on and off with me. Monumension rules.
1. Eld
2. Monumension
3. Vikingligr Veldi
4. Mardraum
5. Frost
6. Below the Lights
7. Blodhemn
Bathory
Twilight still rules them all. To Enter This Mountain, Blood and Iron, the title track, and Hammerheart (the song) just push this one above all the others. I've still yet to fully "get" Blood, Fire,Death, but I see its allure. Hammerheart is brilliant but starts boring me towards the end. The Nordlands, while good, don't stand near any of the others. Blood on Ice is better than I remember.
1. Twilight of the Gods
2. Blood on Ice
3. Hammerheart
4. Blood, Fire, Death
5. Nordland II
6. Nordland I
The Chasm
The death metal band of today. No gimmicks, no bullshit, just pure raging death metal. I love all their stuff, though some more than others of course.Their new one should be a real treat this year.
1. Conjuration of the Spectral Empire
2. Procession to the Infraworld
3. Procreation of the Inner Temple
4. Reaching the Veil of Death
5. From the Lost Years
6. Deathcult for Eternity: The Triumph
Dark Tranquillity
This band is simply not as impressive as they once were. I still like 'em and have respect for them, though. I guess I need to keep in mind when a lot of this stuff was written to truly appreciate it. I still like the earlier stuff (barring Haven) the most. Damage Done was a huge disappointment for me.
1. The Gallery
2. Haven
3. Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night
4. Projector
5. The Mind's I
6. Enter Suicidal Angels
7. Damage Done
Edge of Sanity
Another band that has lost some of its appeal. Crimson II was a big disappointment. Surprisingly, I've been playing some of the earlier albums a lot more. I never was blown away by Crimson like most, and always found Purgatory Afterglow the better album.
1. Purgatory Afterglow
2. Unorthodox
3. Crimson
4. The Spectral Sorrows
5. Until Eternity Ends
6. Crimson II
Emperor
ItNE is better than I remember. Anthems still rules. Prometheus is worse than I remember. Equilibrium still sucks.
1. Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
2. In the Nightside Eclipse
3. Prometheus
4. Equilibrium
Eucharist
JayK is right. Velvet Creation is the better album. I really enjoy the two this band released. Highly recommended if want real melo-death.
1. A Velvet Creation
2. Mirrorworlds
Armageddon
All I have is Crossing the Rubicon, but like Eucharist, if you want it done right, buy this album.
Graveland
One of my favorite bands. I never tire of hearing this stuff. Epic, dark, moody, violent, and hateful.
1. Following the Voice of Blood
2. Immortal Pride
3. Creed of Iron
4. Thousand Swords
5. Raise Your Sword
6. The Fire of Awakening
7. The Celtic Winter
8. Raiders of Revenge (split w/ Honor)
9. Memory and Destiny
10. Carpathian Wolves
11. Blood of Heroes
12. Impaler's Wolves
13. Epilogue/In the Glare of Burning Churches
Hate Forest
Thanks to Erik and some others I've discovered this odd little black metal band. Some of their stuff is pure ambient, and some is weird black metal with death vocals. The only one I don't have is Purity, which is on the way from www.deathgasm.com
1. Battlefields
2. Scythia
3. The Most Ancient Ones
4. To Twilight Thickets
5. Blood and Fire/Ritual
6. The Gates
In Flames
I only have three CDs by them, and it's all I need. When I actually listen to the band, I lke it, but those times are few and far between.
1. Lunar Strain/Subterranean
2. Colony
3. The Jester Race
Lord Wind
Good folky ambient music for those into Empyrium and other Prophecy bands. Forgotten Songs has vocals and guitars, and is almost like a Graveland-lite album. The other two are pure folk ambient tunes that sound like battle hymns from Conan.
1. Forgotten Songs
2. Heralds of Fight
3. Rites of the Valkyries
Pandemonium
Somewhat of a guilty pleasure. I guess they'd be considered melo-death, but with heavy classical influences. Kinda like how Arcane Sun is doom with classical/prog tendencies. Pandemonium is the same but based in melo-death.
1. Insomnia
2. Twilght Symphony
3. ...To Apeiron
Primordial
Another of my favorites, and one of the finest examples of Pagan metal today. Moody and epic. Storm Before Calm is better than I remember.
1. Spirit the Earth Aflame
2. A Journey's End
3. Storm Before Calm
4. Imrama
Sigh
I started another thread about them. I had forgotten how great this band is/was. Even their black metal albums are golden. I'm not too keen on their latest, so hopefully they'll stray from the dreaded prog tendencies.
1. Ghastly Funeral Theater
2. Hail Horror Hail
3. Scenario IV: Dead Dreams
4. Infidel Art
5. Scorn Defeat
6. Imaginary Sonicscape
Woodtemple
A fine Pagan band with some Graveland-a-like sounds. The new one is one of my favorites of the year so far.
1. Feel the Anger of the Wind
2. The Call of the Pagan Woods
Thank you.
Enslaved
This band is quite simply amazing. I was initially disappointed with Below the Lights, but it has grown on me. It's still not close to their strongest. Eld is a beatiful album, and Vikingligr Veldi finally clicked with me (probably because my recent interest in black metal). Frost doesn't impress the way it once did. Mardraum and Blodhemn are still kinda on and off with me. Monumension rules.
1. Eld
2. Monumension
3. Vikingligr Veldi
4. Mardraum
5. Frost
6. Below the Lights
7. Blodhemn
Bathory
Twilight still rules them all. To Enter This Mountain, Blood and Iron, the title track, and Hammerheart (the song) just push this one above all the others. I've still yet to fully "get" Blood, Fire,Death, but I see its allure. Hammerheart is brilliant but starts boring me towards the end. The Nordlands, while good, don't stand near any of the others. Blood on Ice is better than I remember.
1. Twilight of the Gods
2. Blood on Ice
3. Hammerheart
4. Blood, Fire, Death
5. Nordland II
6. Nordland I
The Chasm
The death metal band of today. No gimmicks, no bullshit, just pure raging death metal. I love all their stuff, though some more than others of course.Their new one should be a real treat this year.
1. Conjuration of the Spectral Empire
2. Procession to the Infraworld
3. Procreation of the Inner Temple
4. Reaching the Veil of Death
5. From the Lost Years
6. Deathcult for Eternity: The Triumph
Dark Tranquillity
This band is simply not as impressive as they once were. I still like 'em and have respect for them, though. I guess I need to keep in mind when a lot of this stuff was written to truly appreciate it. I still like the earlier stuff (barring Haven) the most. Damage Done was a huge disappointment for me.
1. The Gallery
2. Haven
3. Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night
4. Projector
5. The Mind's I
6. Enter Suicidal Angels
7. Damage Done
Edge of Sanity
Another band that has lost some of its appeal. Crimson II was a big disappointment. Surprisingly, I've been playing some of the earlier albums a lot more. I never was blown away by Crimson like most, and always found Purgatory Afterglow the better album.
1. Purgatory Afterglow
2. Unorthodox
3. Crimson
4. The Spectral Sorrows
5. Until Eternity Ends
6. Crimson II
Emperor
ItNE is better than I remember. Anthems still rules. Prometheus is worse than I remember. Equilibrium still sucks.
1. Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
2. In the Nightside Eclipse
3. Prometheus
4. Equilibrium
Eucharist
JayK is right. Velvet Creation is the better album. I really enjoy the two this band released. Highly recommended if want real melo-death.
1. A Velvet Creation
2. Mirrorworlds
Armageddon
All I have is Crossing the Rubicon, but like Eucharist, if you want it done right, buy this album.
Graveland
One of my favorite bands. I never tire of hearing this stuff. Epic, dark, moody, violent, and hateful.
1. Following the Voice of Blood
2. Immortal Pride
3. Creed of Iron
4. Thousand Swords
5. Raise Your Sword
6. The Fire of Awakening
7. The Celtic Winter
8. Raiders of Revenge (split w/ Honor)
9. Memory and Destiny
10. Carpathian Wolves
11. Blood of Heroes
12. Impaler's Wolves
13. Epilogue/In the Glare of Burning Churches
Hate Forest
Thanks to Erik and some others I've discovered this odd little black metal band. Some of their stuff is pure ambient, and some is weird black metal with death vocals. The only one I don't have is Purity, which is on the way from www.deathgasm.com
1. Battlefields
2. Scythia
3. The Most Ancient Ones
4. To Twilight Thickets
5. Blood and Fire/Ritual
6. The Gates
In Flames
I only have three CDs by them, and it's all I need. When I actually listen to the band, I lke it, but those times are few and far between.
1. Lunar Strain/Subterranean
2. Colony
3. The Jester Race
Lord Wind
Good folky ambient music for those into Empyrium and other Prophecy bands. Forgotten Songs has vocals and guitars, and is almost like a Graveland-lite album. The other two are pure folk ambient tunes that sound like battle hymns from Conan.
1. Forgotten Songs
2. Heralds of Fight
3. Rites of the Valkyries
Pandemonium
Somewhat of a guilty pleasure. I guess they'd be considered melo-death, but with heavy classical influences. Kinda like how Arcane Sun is doom with classical/prog tendencies. Pandemonium is the same but based in melo-death.
1. Insomnia
2. Twilght Symphony
3. ...To Apeiron
Primordial
Another of my favorites, and one of the finest examples of Pagan metal today. Moody and epic. Storm Before Calm is better than I remember.
1. Spirit the Earth Aflame
2. A Journey's End
3. Storm Before Calm
4. Imrama
Sigh
I started another thread about them. I had forgotten how great this band is/was. Even their black metal albums are golden. I'm not too keen on their latest, so hopefully they'll stray from the dreaded prog tendencies.
1. Ghastly Funeral Theater
2. Hail Horror Hail
3. Scenario IV: Dead Dreams
4. Infidel Art
5. Scorn Defeat
6. Imaginary Sonicscape
Woodtemple
A fine Pagan band with some Graveland-a-like sounds. The new one is one of my favorites of the year so far.
1. Feel the Anger of the Wind
2. The Call of the Pagan Woods
Thank you.