Type O Negative - Unsuccessfully Coping with the Natural Beauty of Infidelity
i've actually never heard this album despite it's massive cult reputation. i always had the impression it was like carnivore with more atmosphere and some extra pain driving it, and yeah it kind of is that, but this one's a little too silly and all over the place tonally for me. maybe i'd get it more in context. the whole idea of peter steele doing 'crossover gothic doom' or w/e appeals to me anyways and i will be checking the rest out. 6/10
Titan Force - Lord of Desire
this is one of my favourite songs of the eighties, and in my opinion one of the most original. i'm not aware of another metal song that maintains this level of coiled tension for its entire runtime, preferring to weave a hypnotic trance and then fade out without the usual cathartic resolution. it's a totally different, more haunting and spellbinding and seductive kind of structure, and it's also pretty unique melodically and rhythmically. additionally it helps that you've got the mighty tyrant offering a particularly campy, overenunciated, uber-charismatic performance on vocals, and those soft bass ripples, and leads which soar only to come spiralling back down into darker tones, no escape. the guitar tone is great too even if it reminds of the red hot chili peppers at the start. rarely does a song do such justice to its lyrics. this is a fucking classic cut which sends shivers down my spine every damn time. 10/10
Ava Inferi - The Living End
the way the female vocals blend against the music is really satisfying except for that one note she intentionally keeps not quite hitting urrggghhhh that's so irritating, there's singing in the cracks and then there's just sounding out of tune. male vocals are terrible, production is CGId to all hell and yeah it's all very heavy-handed teen goth girl nonsense, but there's at least a consistent mood to it and some superficial pleasures. 4/10
Savatage - Out On The Streets
just an ok ballad that never steps outside the established tradition or shows any ambition/creativity whatsoever. neat cover art tho. 5/10
Slauter Xstroyes - No Idea
holy contrast, batman. this is one of the weirdest ballads of them all. it sounds the product of mental illness in the best way possible, all ready to crumble or go full psycho at any moment. the way he says "insane" is one of my favourite vocal moments ever. loses a half-point for the "with your love" part that's just too clumsy in its transitions even in this context, but for the most part i adore this, feels so much more real and desperate and fragile than other ballads. 9.5/10
Slayer - Necrophiliac
i'm not downrating this for theme or obviousness, because i have a sense of humour. i'm taking a point off mainly because i think there are other songs on that album which are more amazing, but DOWN.... TO THE FIERY PITS OF HEEYYTGTAHGA?HFGKHFL?KHFGHL means i can't settle for 9 either. 9.5/10
Gehennah - We Love Alcohol
this song rules but i can't help but feel we already went there and got the beer-drenched t-shirt. 6/10
Secrecy - A New Beginning
this is amazing, i'm sure there are closer comparison points but it's kinda like a proggier, thrashier version of siren. i think i listened to some of this album once before but i might be confusing it with another band hbb pimped. need to listen more anyhow, i might even be underrating this. 9/10
Converge - Heaven in her Arms
yeah, sign me up as someone who always expected to get into this band but never could. it's taut and focused and everything, i think it's just too one-dimensional dynamically for me, and a little too teen angst. 5/10
Amon Goeth - In Love With Satan
not massively into this song, or the album iirc. too drawn out and too dependent on basic chugging for my tastes, i prefer more weirdness, melody, emotion etc, or at least some more nuanced layering. 5/10
Motorhead - Love Me Like a Reptile
'love me like a reptile' sounds cooler when it steps out of the shadow of that iconic metal monolith 'ace of spades', a song it simply could never live up to. it's still not one of their best, but motorhead are always reliable; there's no frills, every song oozes an understanding of exactly what it is and who it's for and where it's gonna go. the secret is that they ooze class exactly as much as power. i am a bit tired of seeing them crop up though. 6/10
Danzig - Girl
this song is so danzig it hurts, but that's not really a bad thing, even if it doesn't hold a candle to early misfits or anythin'. spanking production job here means that his typically dominant vocal performance doesn't drown the music, and the overall impression is kinda like a heavier version of one of the doors' sleazier cuts, which is fine with me. wouldn't really call it metal though. 6.5/10
Miasma - Love Song (To a Lost Girl)
these lyrics are amazing and give me an erection. miasma used to be one of the most renowned DM bands around here, in fact i can barely think of another that's fallen so far from the GMD limelight - maybe nobody gives a shit about austrians? i'd like to see a bit of a resurgence so everyone should check out CHANGES promptly, one of the more atmospheric DM records of '92 which is saying something. 7/10
Night Conquers Day - Banished from My Eyes
well, this brings the weirdness, melody and emotion i was asking for above, so thx. this is surprisingly good for late '90s USBM, i love the part with the female vocals. 8/10
Thin Lizzy - Wild One
still has some of that maudlin over-emoting i'm not fond of, but the guitars are so outrageously good it doesn't really matter. best lizzy pick so far. 8/10
