Now Playing

[open face surgery]

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/solitude-with-the-eternal

New Adversarial.

[The Wretch]

Dio - Strange Highways

Could be one for the controversial opinions but my this is my favourite of his solo stuff

I used to hate that album, but it has really grown on me. It think it was probably becuase Tracy G was woeful on the classics live, so I was too annoyed with him to give the album a proper chance. 

Even 'Angry Machines' has it's moments to be honest, although it is still my least favourite Dio album. 

N.P. - SKID ROW - Skid Row (1989)

Grand day for it.

[ijnjnijnilijbibbjknkjbjkk]

Impaled Nazarene - Ugra-Karma

[The Wretch]

ICED EARTH - The Glorious Burden (2004)

[Carnage]

ICED EARTH - The Glorious Burden (2004)

Seriously cringeworthy lyrics throughout (When The Eagle Cries is one of the worst things ever) but a great performance from Owens. The Reckoning is one of their best songs IMO.

[The Wretch]

It's the last album that really interested me to be honest. Well, there are bits and pieces on the 'Something Wicked' albums, but overall, I haven't really been a fan of the later stuff.

[Thorn]

Absu - Abzu 9.5/10
Absolute belter from Absu, hurtling through the astral planes on breakneck speed yet never failing to engage at every turn. Breathless stuff. And who could forget that headband...

Warlord - ..And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun 9/10
The recent chat on here had me finally pulling the trigger and luring the HR reissue to the door this week .

Falloch - Where Distant Spirits Remain 8/10
I remember this one being largely derided in certain circles when it came out,going after the Agalloch/ Alcest/ latter day Anathema vibe as it did and yes the vocals are more than a bit wishy washy at times but I have a soft spot for it.

My Dying Bride - A Mortal Binding 7.5/10
14th (and final?) album from The Bride does exactly what they do well. The Apocalyptist is worth admission price alone, an eleven minute throwback to days of yore.

Exhorder- Defectum Omnium 7.5/10
That title. Jeez. Let's just go with 'the new Exhorder'. And it's grown on me. Mostly down to Kyle's vocals and an acceptance that we ain't busting up our bedrooms to 'Slaughter..' anymore. I think this is heading for my favourite 20 of the year in fact.

Iron Angel - Hellbound 7.5/10
Comeback album from the German Speed Metallers in 2018 and we're gonna need another comeback album because they're gone again it seems

King Diamond - The Graveyard 7/10
Not one of the sparkling diamonds in the crown, this narrative driven opus is all the more disturbing for shifting from campfire kitsch to a considerably closer to the bone tale of abduction and molestation.

Road Warrior - Ignition 7/10
Just two tracks on this cassette but that was all I needed to have me ordering the latest full length from these Trad Metallers from Oz. There's always something honest and real about Metal from Down Under.

Black Label Society - Doom Crew Inc. 6/10
Years ago I fell hard for the lead break in Bridge To Cross from the Live Brewtality album, I would still cite it as my favourite guitar solo, since then I've been buying every new BLS album and enjoying some chuggy mid paced and generally bland biker rock. Brain disengaged..except for to think if I were a biker I'd be listening to W.A.SP.

Gatekeeper - Dark Superstition 4/10
So.Never bought an album from these guys before. Heard the first track of this on yt and thought it had a bit of a mid period In Flames sound to it, then the CD came up cheap on Amazon and I nabbed it.
Oh boy. This is a mess . All over the place stylistically but the main gripe here is the vocals. I mean , I've listened to this thing on headphones and still can't fathom a word of his monotonousn, generic deathcore roar. Zero fiction or enunciation, seriously dude have a listen to Chuck or Vincent or our own AA and learn how make some sort of impact with your voice.
Yeah so..this was a fuck up of a purchase for me and I'll happily trade it if anyone wants it. I'm open to offers. Anything. A ham sandwich , whatever...
 

[Carnage]

It's the last album that really interested me to be honest. Well, there are bits and pieces on the 'Something Wicked' albums, but overall, I haven't really been a fan of the later stuff.

Yeah, it's all a bit samey and safe but up to that theyre a great band. Burnt Offerings in particular was mighty, and I've spent plenty of time with Days Of Purgatory and Alive In Athens too.

[The Wretch]

It's the last album that really interested me to be honest. Well, there are bits and pieces on the 'Something Wicked' albums, but overall, I haven't really been a fan of the later stuff.

Yeah, it's all a bit samey and safe but up to that theyre a great band. Burnt Offerings in particular was mighty, and I've spent plenty of time with Days Of Purgatory and Alive In Athens too.

Burnt Offerings is the highlight for me too. Astonishing levels of composition and musicianship on display there.

The 'Alive In Athens' DVD is the absolute fucking business, one of the best live concert recordings I've ever seen. The overall band performance is incredible, but watching Schaffer perform those tracks in particular is a joy, he is definitely one of the best rhythm guitarists in metal.
 
I was listening to 'Days Of Purgatory' earlier too. As I've said before, I don't generally care for bands doing remixes/re-recordings of early tracks, but that was well handled. I'm a big fan of the original versions too, but I totally get why they wanted to update that stuff.

[Carnage]

As compilations go, it was a good way to give it a sense of consitency - though the other vocalists would have a right to feel cheated. Barlow's my favourite of theirs and that was the first 'album' of theirs I bought so it was a win all round for me. The double disc version is the only way to go, too.

I haven't seen the video version of AIA, I have the 3CD version (the 'vinyl' style reissue with the bonus track) but I must look it up. The version of Last Laugh on that is the first I heard of them, on an old Century Media compilation I think.

[jobrok1]

Alive in Athens is fantastic!
Pretty much all you really need from them, too. Covers the best of their stuff.

Last I checked there was a secondhand copy of this going for a €10er in 33RPM in Cork, if anyone is interested.

[Carnage]

The first Phantom Blue album came out 35 years ago today, so I'm giving that (and the hairspray) a blast.

I hadn't realised until today that Marty Friedman co-produced it.

[Ducky]

Cloud Rat - Pollinator. Ferocious stuff.

[Eoin McLove]

Nocternity- Onyx.
Enslaved- Frost.
Ride For Revenge- Sinking the Song.

[Abandon All Hope]

Hellbutcher - st

Flamekeeper - st