Swedish vs Norwegian Metal

[HamburgerBoy]

It's probably at least half nostalgia value for me tbh. Arcturus was the only black metal band my dad owned CDs of, and I picked them at random just noticing that they seemed a bit unusual among the various Whitesnake and Megadeth CDs surrounding them. When I heard that album it was like listening to the Starcraft soundtrack (which was pretty much my favorite music at that time) only metal. But I still love it.

 

[CiG]

When I heard that album it was like listening to the Starcraft soundtrack (which was pretty much my favorite music at that time) only metal.

I'm sold lol.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

The Sham Mirrors is pretty killer.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

I'm looking at my friends' ratings of The Sham Mirrors on RYM and many of them hate it. I honestly don't get it. I feel like it's not the album people accuse it of being. All the experimental stuff serves to establish this weird space-exploration-meets-surrealism kinda vibe like the ending of 2001, nothing on it takes me out of the experience, even parts like the (in?)famous trip hop break on Nightmare Heaven sound perfectly well integrated into the album. I honestly find that album cohesive as fuck which is incredibly impressive for such an all-out weird album. I love the electronic touches and the weird trebly reverby drum sound and everything. it's a unique-sounding album that always takes me places.

 

[CiG]

It has some trip hop lol? Damn, definitely streaming it once I have some downtime. Looking at Metallum it has overwhelmingly positive reviews...

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I'm looking at my friends' ratings of The Sham Mirrors on RYM and many of them hate it. I honestly don't get it. I feel like it's not the album people accuse it of being. All the experimental stuff serves to establish this weird space-exploration-meets-surrealism kinda vibe like the ending of 2001, nothing on it takes me out of the experience, even parts like the (in?)famous trip hop break on Nightmare Heaven sound perfectly well integrated into the album. I honestly find that album cohesive as fuck which is incredibly impressive for such an all-out weird album. I love the electronic touches and the weird trebly reverby drum sound and everything. it's a unique-sounding album that always takes me places.

RYM has a lot of good points but it definitely amplifies the in-crowd effect.

 

[CiG]

Should do Danish vs Finnish metal next.

 

[The Ozzman]

Should do Danish vs Finnish metal next.

Denmark wins for having Illdisposed

 

[CiG]

Denmark wins for having Illdisposed

Demilich though...

 

[no country for old wainds]

finland wrecks denmark, rapes all its women and drinks all its liquor tbh. finland vs. norway would be close though.

 

[no country for old wainds]

everyone knows the ultimate shitthread would be

NSBM vs. USBM

 

[HamburgerBoy]

My first inclination was to say Finland wins, but the first two Mercyful Fate and first three Artillery albums are better than anything Finland has done.

 

[Burkhard]

What are they?

You already know two of them from my post in the 2002 metal albums poll, namely Atrox' "Terrestrials" and Madder Mortem's "Deadlands". The third one is "Eight Ways" by Madder Mortem and the fourth is "Orgasm" by Atrox.

 

[CiG]

It's hard to argue with Mercyful Fate, and even King Diamond's solo career.

Finland has Reverend Bizarre, Cause for Effect, Demilich, Sarcofagus, Impaled Nazarene, Oksennus and more recently Torso. That's just off the top of my head.

everyone knows the ultimate shitthread would be

NSBM vs. USBM

Czechoslovakia vs Russia?

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

Rippikoulu ftw!

but yeah i give it to Denmark mainly because of Artillery and Invocator

 

[Allfader]

I'm looking at my friends' ratings of The Sham Mirrors on RYM and many of them hate it. I honestly don't get it. I feel like it's not the album people accuse it of being. All the experimental stuff serves to establish this weird space-exploration-meets-surrealism kinda vibe like the ending of 2001, nothing on it takes me out of the experience, even parts like the (in?)famous trip hop break on Nightmare Heaven sound perfectly well integrated into the album. I honestly find that album cohesive as fuck which is incredibly impressive for such an all-out weird album. I love the electronic touches and the weird trebly reverby drum sound and everything. it's a unique-sounding album that always takes me places.

The Sham Mirrors has great songwriting and production. The instruments sound weird by themselves but the mix is masterful. Really sci-fi feel.

Keyboards and drums are insane. Drums sound almost like played on an e-kit but that sound fits well.

I remember that the band was basically split up at that point and the guys said something like "let's do 1 last album, to go with a bang". Sverd asked Garm to do some grim vocals on Radical Cut. Garm refused. Sverd said "I want some Emperor-like vocals on that one, that's why I'm asking you this. Garm called Ihsahn to sing instead and said he wouldn't do those vocals anymore ( but he did some vocals on the Aspera reissue).

After the album was released, Garm considered the band done, but the rest were very happy with the results and decided to carry on. Good decision anyway.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I do like the first two Sentenced albums a lot as well. Almost included North from Here in my Norway top 3 until I remembered where they were from.

 

[CiG]

Their Rotting Ways to Misery demo is my favourite of their stuff.

 

[CiG]

Denmark wins for having Illdisposed

See this yet?

 

[The Ozzman]

See this yet?

Oh, it's already pre-ordered my man. One of my favorite bands by far. They bring all the groove. I wish all their older stuff would get reissued.