...The whole point is it's not a metal album... w/e, you're right, opeth discussion = bad idea, eod.
The Initial Impressions Thread
- Thread starter AchrisK
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...The whole point is it's not a metal album... w/e, you're right, opeth discussion = bad idea, eod.
HamburgerBoy
Active Member
- Sep 16, 2007
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Dark Millennium - Diana Read Peace
Lots of shiny melodies, but kinda sacrifices some of the debut's deathliness in the process. Found my self pausing to listen to random stuff on YouTube multiple times...
Lots of shiny melodies, but kinda sacrifices some of the debut's deathliness in the process. Found my self pausing to listen to random stuff on YouTube multiple times...
Rumpole
Dust and Bones
My initial impression of The Gates Of Slumber's new album is that it's much, much better than Conqueror. Seems like there's a couple of filler tracks, but on the whole it's a real improvement.
Satanstoenail
My Larpstyle determines my Derpstyle
skeptik
Member
- Feb 7, 2003
- 24,413
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Sacred Blade - Of the Sun + Moon
Classic early- to mid-80s Canadian trad/power metal. I'd had this album for a few years already. I bought it from Tim back when he only ran a distro called Evil Legend Records. He had an mp3 of I believe the title track that I was really impressed with at the time, but I was really underwhelmed once I got the CD and didn't give it the time it deserved. I pulled it out last night assuming that I would be more tuned in to what the band had to offer as my palate matures with the years. On display here is an obscure and somewhat nuanced quirky traditional metal album guided by a rich education in the heavy and progressive rock that came out the decade before. Focusing on otherworldly, celestial themes, the music reflects a spacey and ethereal atmosphere that makes it a rewarding journey as the album grows on you. Slightly jarring is the fact that the album was recorded in a few sessions, and it's more noticeable on some tracks than others, such as featuring different vocal approaches. Nevertheless, the songwriting dictates that every part is essential to the whole, almost as if to remove one song would be to cause the whole album to topple. I don't think this would appeal to most people here, even some of the people who have an affinity for traditional 80s power metal, but it has quickly become an obscure favorite for myself in my ramblings on about old bands nobody else cares about. I expect to find more in this album to impress me as I dig deeper into its content.
Classic early- to mid-80s Canadian trad/power metal. I'd had this album for a few years already. I bought it from Tim back when he only ran a distro called Evil Legend Records. He had an mp3 of I believe the title track that I was really impressed with at the time, but I was really underwhelmed once I got the CD and didn't give it the time it deserved. I pulled it out last night assuming that I would be more tuned in to what the band had to offer as my palate matures with the years. On display here is an obscure and somewhat nuanced quirky traditional metal album guided by a rich education in the heavy and progressive rock that came out the decade before. Focusing on otherworldly, celestial themes, the music reflects a spacey and ethereal atmosphere that makes it a rewarding journey as the album grows on you. Slightly jarring is the fact that the album was recorded in a few sessions, and it's more noticeable on some tracks than others, such as featuring different vocal approaches. Nevertheless, the songwriting dictates that every part is essential to the whole, almost as if to remove one song would be to cause the whole album to topple. I don't think this would appeal to most people here, even some of the people who have an affinity for traditional 80s power metal, but it has quickly become an obscure favorite for myself in my ramblings on about old bands nobody else cares about. I expect to find more in this album to impress me as I dig deeper into its content.
HamburgerBoy
Active Member
- Sep 16, 2007
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That could be a review after several in-depth listens. Really one of the best underground traditional/power/prog albums out there. Almost like they were the only band to make Priest-y metal in the Sad Wings/Sin After Sin vein, but obviously with their own unique psychedelic way of doing so.
I am currently evaluating Quo Vadis - Forever...
I guess it is progressive death metal. I am having a hard time deciding what I think. After a couple of (or maybe 3) listens all I can remember is the first song, which I like, and a little spoken word and some weird quirkiness that I am less fond of.
I guess it is progressive death metal. I am having a hard time deciding what I think. After a couple of (or maybe 3) listens all I can remember is the first song, which I like, and a little spoken word and some weird quirkiness that I am less fond of.
Dak
mentat
Sacred Blade - Of the Sun + Moon
Interesting choice of symbology on the album art.
First impressions:
Gosforth - Hornlust
This was pretty good. A mix of fairly interesting black metal with good atmosphere, totally Venom-derived stuff that's just fucking headbanging, and some blasting parts that weren't all that interesting. The songs themselves are just kind of a bunch of parts strung together, so you really have to listen to the whole album (I've noticed that black metal more than most genres tends to produces fantastic albums without a single decent song on them).
Also, Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
I went into this with expectations that were way off, so another listen is automatically required to get a decent opinion. I was expecting/hoping for a more straightforward Awaken the Guardian, with the same atmosphere.
Gosforth - Hornlust
This was pretty good. A mix of fairly interesting black metal with good atmosphere, totally Venom-derived stuff that's just fucking headbanging, and some blasting parts that weren't all that interesting. The songs themselves are just kind of a bunch of parts strung together, so you really have to listen to the whole album (I've noticed that black metal more than most genres tends to produces fantastic albums without a single decent song on them).
Also, Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
I went into this with expectations that were way off, so another listen is automatically required to get a decent opinion. I was expecting/hoping for a more straightforward Awaken the Guardian, with the same atmosphere.
Fall of the Idols - The Séance
My first impression was that this magnificent thing I was grasping in my hands surely wouldn't let me down (like oh so many things have before). So, as I slid it into my special rotata-to-mo-bob in my computer... I felt pleasure almost instantaneously. Soon, at the half hour mark, I had climaxed for what may have seemed like the eleventh time! But that wasn't the end there folks, oh no; as I approached the end of the disk, I could barely walk - not because I had lost all the blood in my legs, but due to the fact that my custom tiled mahogany floor was sodden to the core with my semen (and I couldn't help but slip).
What a fucking great disk.
My first impression was that this magnificent thing I was grasping in my hands surely wouldn't let me down (like oh so many things have before). So, as I slid it into my special rotata-to-mo-bob in my computer... I felt pleasure almost instantaneously. Soon, at the half hour mark, I had climaxed for what may have seemed like the eleventh time! But that wasn't the end there folks, oh no; as I approached the end of the disk, I could barely walk - not because I had lost all the blood in my legs, but due to the fact that my custom tiled mahogany floor was sodden to the core with my semen (and I couldn't help but slip).
What a fucking great disk.
Through The Eyes Of The Dead - Bloodlust
This is appallingly fucking awful. Absolute utter dogshit. The vocals start off as awful cupping-the-mic bullshit before being put through effects to make them all staticy. The guitars alternate between breakdowns and weak trem-picked bullshit. Fuck this. Fuck it. With a knife. I hate CMD for sending me this. Give me my Through The Eyes Of Carrion album, you bastards, it can't possibly be this bad.
Violation - Moonlight's Child
The cover art made this look like old school Swedish melodic death metal. Instead there's a mix of keyboard faggotry, down-tuned sludgy hardcore, and something that bears a passing resemblance to melodic death metal. Not offensively bad, just stupid and bad.
Cradle of Filth - Cruelty and the Beast
The vocalist needs testicles. Seriously. The deep growls sound great but the screams are essentially ear rape. Music is alright, I guess, but not memorable at all. Not enough instrumental stuff.
This is appallingly fucking awful. Absolute utter dogshit. The vocals start off as awful cupping-the-mic bullshit before being put through effects to make them all staticy. The guitars alternate between breakdowns and weak trem-picked bullshit. Fuck this. Fuck it. With a knife. I hate CMD for sending me this. Give me my Through The Eyes Of Carrion album, you bastards, it can't possibly be this bad.
Violation - Moonlight's Child
The cover art made this look like old school Swedish melodic death metal. Instead there's a mix of keyboard faggotry, down-tuned sludgy hardcore, and something that bears a passing resemblance to melodic death metal. Not offensively bad, just stupid and bad.
Cradle of Filth - Cruelty and the Beast
The vocalist needs testicles. Seriously. The deep growls sound great but the screams are essentially ear rape. Music is alright, I guess, but not memorable at all. Not enough instrumental stuff.
divine_torture
leVel
no country for old wainds
Active Member
- Nov 23, 2002
- 26,697
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- 113
Sacred Blade - Of the Sun + Moon
Classic early- to mid-80s Canadian trad/power metal. I'd had this album for a few years already. I bought it from Tim back when he only ran a distro called Evil Legend Records. He had an mp3 of I believe the title track that I was really impressed with at the time, but I was really underwhelmed once I got the CD and didn't give it the time it deserved. I pulled it out last night assuming that I would be more tuned in to what the band had to offer as my palate matures with the years. On display here is an obscure and somewhat nuanced quirky traditional metal album guided by a rich education in the heavy and progressive rock that came out the decade before. Focusing on otherworldly, celestial themes, the music reflects a spacey and ethereal atmosphere that makes it a rewarding journey as the album grows on you. Slightly jarring is the fact that the album was recorded in a few sessions, and it's more noticeable on some tracks than others, such as featuring different vocal approaches. Nevertheless, the songwriting dictates that every part is essential to the whole, almost as if to remove one song would be to cause the whole album to topple. I don't think this would appeal to most people here, even some of the people who have an affinity for traditional 80s power metal, but it has quickly become an obscure favorite for myself in my ramblings on about old bands nobody else cares about. I expect to find more in this album to impress me as I dig deeper into its content.
you need to check out the captain beyond s/t man
Dak
mentat
Eligos
Problem Yet to be Solved
Root - The Book: I was very impressed with this album. Big Boss's voice is really a standout feature, whether he's singing in a more operatic style, droning in the background with chords produced by layering vocal tracks, or barking in his own style of harsh vocals. The guitarists seem to be big fans of acoustic parts, which can get tiresome after a while, but they keep them interesting enough. The drums really made this album for me as well. Excellent fills and beats.
Zemial - In Monumentum: I was not nearly as impressed with this album as everyone seemed to think I would be. It sounded too much like Varathron to me, with heavy doses of trad influence. Not to say I dislike Varathron, but I'll listen to HMatS if I want to hear something in this style. I did like Zemial's folkier-sounding parts, but they were only a portion of the music and thus it did not keep me enthused for very long.
Zemial - In Monumentum: I was not nearly as impressed with this album as everyone seemed to think I would be. It sounded too much like Varathron to me, with heavy doses of trad influence. Not to say I dislike Varathron, but I'll listen to HMatS if I want to hear something in this style. I did like Zemial's folkier-sounding parts, but they were only a portion of the music and thus it did not keep me enthused for very long.
metal_wrath
I dip my forefinger...
Evoke thy Lords - Escape to the Dreamlands (2008)
Heard this band on some Doom comps. Nice mix of Death/Doom and Symphonic/Gothic Metal.
First Impressions: I didn't find any problems. The album is fairly consistent but nothing struck me as memorable, except the interesting song titles and subject matter (Lovecraft). The production was really good. Going to listen to this more in the future...
Heard this band on some Doom comps. Nice mix of Death/Doom and Symphonic/Gothic Metal.
First Impressions: I didn't find any problems. The album is fairly consistent but nothing struck me as memorable, except the interesting song titles and subject matter (Lovecraft). The production was really good. Going to listen to this more in the future...
Evil?
omghaxlol!1
Absu- The Sun of Tiphareth
My initial impression of this is that I do not enjoy it as much as I have other Absu releases. Nothing really jumped out at me. I need to give it a few more spins. The guitars seemed a bit buried under the drums and vocals at times.
My initial impression of this is that I do not enjoy it as much as I have other Absu releases. Nothing really jumped out at me. I need to give it a few more spins. The guitars seemed a bit buried under the drums and vocals at times.
Signs of Dying - Desire is Suffering
This is a great little 20 minute exercise in drum machine driven brutality! The brutal death metal they play over the inhuman, blast filled beats is intense and actually has some life to it. It has movement and variety, and is just pretty rad. One of the six tracks is an odd instrumental that starts out with some spaceyness over some percussion, and ends as a spacey western flair guitaring. Cool.
Forgot to mention...I think there are two sound samples from Fear and Loathing, and one from Leon The Professional.
This is a great little 20 minute exercise in drum machine driven brutality! The brutal death metal they play over the inhuman, blast filled beats is intense and actually has some life to it. It has movement and variety, and is just pretty rad. One of the six tracks is an odd instrumental that starts out with some spaceyness over some percussion, and ends as a spacey western flair guitaring. Cool.
Forgot to mention...I think there are two sound samples from Fear and Loathing, and one from Leon The Professional.
First time I listened to Diapsiquir's Virus STN I dismissed it as random noise after jumping around a few tracks. Quite a while while ago I got bored and downloaded L.S.D. to see what it was like and also started giving Virus STN some listens. Really enjoyed what I heard after giving the albums in depth listens and I can say that the albums are definently on my favorite list now.
Definently somthing to check out if you want somthing a bit different.
Definently somthing to check out if you want somthing a bit different.
Torchbearer - Warnaments
This is really, really uninspired. A bunch of well-written and well-played but incredibly stock riffs mashed together to form pointless, uninteresting songs. Burial Waters, Deepsome Graves rules but all the other songs are completely forgettable.
This is really, really uninspired. A bunch of well-written and well-played but incredibly stock riffs mashed together to form pointless, uninteresting songs. Burial Waters, Deepsome Graves rules but all the other songs are completely forgettable.
