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[OpenSores]

Inspired by discussion in the Mgla thread:

Kriegsmaschine: Apocalypticists

Had Mgla: Exercises In Futility on earlier, both mighty.

I'd 'Enemy of Man' on this morning. I dip in and out of Mgla, must check out some of the early eps.

[Carnage]

I'm new to them myself. I was never much of a black metal fan bar the odd bit of Burzum, Immortal, Impaled Nazarene, Enslaved etc. back in the mid-'90s. Coming around to some of the more interesting bands in the last couple of years, and kicking myself that there was so much good material out there that I'd ignored. On that note:

Hauntologist: Hollow

[Eoin McLove]

Arrows- whatever the album is called. Sounds really interesting. I saw mention of it being Bölzer-ish on the Revelation of Doom forum, so I was hesitant about listening. I don't really want Bölzer rip offs cheapening that sound, but I think these lads are doing something unique. You can maybe hear faint traces of Bölzer, but unlike that band Jade who I felt skirted far too close to their heroes (LOL!!!!), Arrows have heaps of their own ideas and identity.

[Sworntothecans]

Sepultura:Roots
End It: Wrong Side Of Heaven
Saxon:The Eagle Has Landed-Live
Broken Hope:Omen Of Disease
An Slua:Sure Look It

[Thorn]

Quality all round these past few days..

Dio -Magica 8.5/10
200 and RID was still pulling out late career highlights like this, in truth Fever Dreams was worth the admission price alone, one listen through of the narration was enough though.

Vulture's Vengeance - Dust Age 8/10
Cassette pick up from High Roller, brand new album from Rome's Vulture's Vengeance, progressive,.melodic and of course, epic Power Metal in the vein of Blind Guardian, quite chuffed with this blind buy, a brief despite from being battered into submission by the onslaught of killer Death Metal this year.

Vircolac -  Masque 8/10
Ah ,Masque spent a lot of time with this upon its release, coinciding as it did with a particularly virulent bout of depression, morbidity and all round dourness with the world. While the Black Dog is kept at bay at present this still remains a personal favourite. Titan slays.

Kvaen - The Great Below 8/10Third
Another blind buy, this time some Norwegian melodic Black Metal, basically you could have told me this was a Necrophobic or Dark Funeral release and I'd have believed you but that's fine, I like those bands and I like this. As with VV above, the litmus test for a blind buy is would you buy another release from the band, very much yes in both cases here.

Blitzkrieg - A Time Of Changes 8/10
All the way from 1985, the Blitzkrieg debut introduced frontman and crowd controller extraordinaire Brian Ross to the Metal World (none of those pesky moshers back then eh Brian?). Very solid NWOBHM that's elevated by the big man's rangy vocals and a cover art once seen never forgotten.

Jord - Tundra 7/10
A hat trick of very decent blind bits this week 2023 album from Sweden's Jord, lush, atmospheric post-Black, very melodic, huge solos, similar to Vintersorg, Moonsorrow , a bit of that soft Falloch vibe going on. New one just released via Hammerheart too.

[Paul keohane]

Rotting Christ, haven't listened to them in ages.
I think I got a bit sick of them at some point 7/8 years ago; even though  I was a big fan.

I lobe the run f albums from Sanctus to Aealo.
Theogonia in a banger of an album!

[Mithrandir]

Archgoat - The Luciferion crown

I don't listen to Archgoat very often but when it hits, it hits. Like getting hot over the head with femur bones.

[Anvil]

Dissection - Storm if the Light's Bane / Where Dead Angels Lie
Assassin - Holy Terror / The Saga of Nemesis
Lucifer's Hammer - Time is Death
Angel of Damnation - Ethereal Blasphemy
Atlantean Kodex - The White Goddess

[Jward]

Paradise Lost - Gothic

The dry production on it suits it perfectly
Kinda bare, with a healthy dose of foreboding

[Maggot Colony]

Vulture's Vengeance - Dust Age 8/10
Cassette pick up from High Roller, brand new album from Rome's Vulture's Vengeance, progressive,.melodic and of course, epic Power Metal in the vein of Blind Guardian, quite chuffed with this blind buy, a brief despite from being battered into submission by the onslaught of killer Death Metal this year.

Their previous album, The Knightlore, is an absolute stormer. I only listened to Dust Age once. I wasn't as blown away by this one but I might give it another spin.

[Carnage]

Assassin - Holy Terror

Such an underrated album, up there with any of the classic German thrash albums for me. There's a Mexican (I think, south/central American anyway) reissue that has a second disc of demos that I've been keeping an eye out for, stupid money on Discogs though.

[Pentagrimes]

Arrows- whatever the album is called. Sounds really interesting. I saw mention of it being Bölzer-ish on the Revelation of Doom forum, so I was hesitant about listening. I don't really want Bölzer rip offs cheapening that sound, but I think these lads are doing something unique. You can maybe hear faint traces of Bölzer, but unlike that band Jade who I felt skirted far too close to their heroes (LOL!!!!), Arrows have heaps of their own ideas and identity.

Definitely don't hear much in the way of Bolzer there and I've been listening to it constantly.
The feel of it reminds me of the period where the Norwegian bands were getting weird in the 90s, has that kind of excitement for me. Doesn't sound a whole lot like that either but it's the overall buzz. Some great stuff on it, looking forward to it getting a physical release at some stage

[Thorn]

Vulture's Vengeance - Dust Age 8/10
Cassette pick up from High Roller, brand new album from Rome's Vulture's Vengeance, progressive,.melodic and of course, epic Power Metal in the vein of Blind Guardian, quite chuffed with this blind buy, a brief despite from being battered into submission by the onslaught of killer Death Metal this year.

Their previous album, The Knightlore, is an absolute stormer. I only listened to Dust Age once. I wasn't as blown away by this one but I might give it another spin.

Fair play, I'd never even heard of them until I took a chance and added the tape to a High Roller order, will definitely be on the look out for their previous stuff.

[91/30]

Disfear - brutal sight
Deicide - Legion
Terrorizer - world downfall
RATM - s/t

[Jward]

Paradise Lost - Gothic

The dry production on it suits it perfectly
Kinda bare, with a healthy dose of foreboding

Paradise Lost - Shades of God
  ... not a great album, bar 'As I Die' & 'No Forgiveness'
Paradise Lost - Icon
  ... this is more like it