All customer reviews by Tan M.
Posted on: May 18, 2017
Must have
Immolation return after their stunning “Failures for Gods† in many respects where they left off; showing everyone else how aggressive death metal can be.
The Paul Orofino production is so dense that it almost has its own gravitational pull and though slightly sharper than “Failures† its still a love it or hate it proposition; it does lend the band a unique sound and compliments their dissonant and murky riffing perfectly.
Believe it or not this album is even more brutal than their last. The drums are faster and more intense, containing an absloute wealth of ideas jam-packed into each song (try figuring out “Unpardonable Sin†), and the guitars’ off kilter solos really do sound unearthly.
Listening to “Furthest from the Truth† and its waves of blast ridden HATE, it is clear that Immolation are as passionate as ever in their loathing of religion and Ross Dolan delivers his lyrics with such spite, even in his chilling monotone.
Many death metal bands are technical and fast and “brutal†, but few are as INTENSE as Immolation. Their treacle thick sound, the speed and the pure wrath make for captivating albums that remind one why they ever got into extreme metal in the first place. This is death metal in excelsis.
Posted on: April 22, 2017
Supeb
Human can be taken as the mark in Death's career where the songwriting and overall composition really started to become more evolved, so to speak. Up until this point, Death had more or less been within the same style as a lot of early death metal bands (Obituary, Possessed, Morbid Angel, etc), albeit with the vocals being a tad less guttural. But Chuck, always a dedicated and talented musician prone to musical progression, then took it upon himself to bring in similar musicians who shared his virtuosity to accomplish the next step in his musical journey. Said musicians were Sean Reinert on drums and Paul Masvidal on guitar (both of future Cynic fame), as well as the almighty Steve DiGiorgio on bass. Armed with a new and highly talented lineup, Chuck set about writing the now-legendary Human.
Death's first three albums can be described by anything but broken, yet Death have progressed into something much bigger and better. It takes true courage to change your musical style, especially when you are at what everyone think is the top of your game. Very little artists try, many of those who try fail, but Chuck Schuldiner tried and succeeded, and thanks to his bravery today we enjoy the masterpiece that is Human.
Posted on: April 14, 2017
Must Have
Under a Funeral Moon is the cream in the Oreo of Darkthrone's Peaceville trilogy, a cream that seems to be overlooked by fans - most likely due to the change in ingredients. It's only a slight change, but a change nonetheless. Compared to her siblings, she's the ugly one of the bunch, but definitely the smartest.
Still present is the quintessential Norwegian black metal sound typical of the early '90s, raw and under-produced, but done so in a way that can almost be off-putting... at least, more so than is traditional of black metal's most influential second wave pioneers. The instrumentation is to be expected of a release from this period, with chainsaw-like distorted guitars; a vile, raspy vocal delivery; and extreme blastbeat mayhem.
The difference lies in the unequaled songwriting depth and variation. The songs are twisted, contorted in a way that structurally leaves them sticking out like a sore thumb, honest and uncompromising and disgusting in every aspect. It's a test of will, a test of your listening ability. The organic feel is anything but accessible, and the average listener could experience serious dementia as a result of attempting to digest such corruption.
As we’ve stated before it is hard to imagine a commentary disc working for many bands, but with Fenriz, by the time you’ve reached the end of the disc, it’s like you’ve sat down and shared a beer and a discussion with a close friend rather than listene to a complete stranger telling you about an album recorded some 22 years ago. Fenriz’s gift is his boundless enthusiasm for both his music and, perhaps more importantly, for metal as a whole. The commentary is never self-serving or arrogant, and the information he pours forth is effortlessly fascinating. As with the other re-issues, the key here is in the detail. From the liner notes to the enhanced video interview the package could not be more complete, and it is easy to imagine the release offering plenty for fans even if they have owned the album for years. Few bands are as influential on an entire genre as Darkthrone, and the opportunity to hear the band tell the story in their own words is something that should not be missed. Another brilliant reissue from Peaceville, if you don’t already own ‘under a funeral moon’ (and why not) then you have to track a copy of this excellent two disc set down.
Posted on: April 2, 2017
Good
Retro speed/thrash/heavy metal bands seldom get it right. Too often the bands play the music correctly but miss many elements - the emphasis on song writing, catchy hooks, distinctive vocals, the sound and the overall vibe. Enforcer nail every single nail squarely on the head with pure metallic force.
First are those superb guitar hooks, licks and catchy riffs. And they sound just right with the 1980s razor sharp guitar sound and production. Throw in catchy yet intense song writing and some air guitar inspiring solos and it's definitely a winner.
Olof Wikstrand comes across as a combination of Blackie Lawless and Kai Hansen with great range, energy and a versatility that sees him effortlessly go from punchy sing along speed metal in "Undying Evil" to almost haunting vocals of "From Beyond."
There's no doubt that From Beyond would be a great contender for one of the top albums of 1984. Alas Enforcer will just have to be content that their album is one of the top contenders for best traditional metal album of 2015!
Posted on: March 20, 2017
Essential
Combining black metal influences with an ambient backdrop, Summoning have created something truly special here. Never the ones to sound predictable or similar to their contemporaries, Summoning proudly walk down their own path of musical genius. This type of music can't be faked, the emotions and atmospheres that Summoning create are unparalleled on any release thus far this year. Soaked in keyboards, _Stronghold_ is one of the better albums I've heard to fully utilise them. At times majestic and at others chilling, an entire spectrum of emotions are explored in the full hour of music here. A sure top 10 entry of 1999 in my books, Summoning's new piece of work won't go unnoticed in the black metal / ambient scene. This can't come more recommended.
As is to be expected, the lyrical themes for Stronghold are largely taken from various Tolkien works, most notably from the Books of Last Tales, although some are drawn from other sources; "Like Some Snow-white Marble Eyes" is taken from a poem by Robert Frost called "Stars" and "The Glory Disappears" taken from William Wordsworth's poem "Lines Left upon a Seat in a Yew-Tree", the lyrics for any given track often being taken from more than one source ("Rotting Horse..." takes some lyrics from Tolkien and some from Wordsworth, for example).
Stronghold is a powerful and evocative album full of wonderful melodies and memorable chorus' but I feel it is not up to the same standards of LMHSYF and Oath Bound, both of which defined epic keyboard-driven metal, but at the same time it is superior to Dol Guldur and Minas Morgul due largely to the excellent vocal melodies, memorable choruses and cinematic scope and feel of the tracks. Of course these qualities were evident on the earlier albums, but from Stronghold onwards Summoning were a much more focused band and their songs became tighter and more cohesive making for a better realized experience ˜ the tracks don't seem as drawn out as those on Dol Guldur, and Stronghold is a more satisfying listen because of it. By the time Stronghold has finished you feel as though you have embarked upon and returned from a great journey, one that you will want to repeat, or perhaps parallel by launching straight into LMHSYF.
Posted on: March 12, 2017
Good
Now, in all honesty, this isn't the fastest or heaviest thrash album on the market today. But that's in no way a bad thing. With Violent Revolution, Kreator have displayed some of the best songwriting I've heard from the thrash scene in a long while. They have found what is quite possibly the perfect combination of speed, aggression, heaviness and melody. The number of great riffs on this album is enough to make just about any other metal band turn green with envy. The arrangements are terrific, and the production is flawless.
This album is back to the aggressive hard driving thrash metal Kreator was known for but with a little more maturity. Although this is unadulterated, kick your teeth in thrash metal they have not completely ignored the technicality and melody they picked up through albums like "Coma of Souls" and "Outcast". I am not saying this is another album in the same vein since this reminds me more of their first three albums than their latter three but if you were to take the best elements of all their albums and put them into one album this would be it. In my humble opinion this is the best Kreator album I have ever had the good fortune of listening to. Everything about this album is absolutely top notch from the excellent riffs to the killer leads. Add to this some of the best songs they have ever written and I can honestly say this is a thrash metal masterpiece and an instant classic.
Posted on: February 13, 2017
USPM
Back in 1988, in New York, I received an advanced cassette copy of what was the first Riot album since" Born In America". "Thundersteel" remained in my cassette deck till it literally wore out. This was Riot's first foray into the speed/power metal genre and their efforts were astounding. Featuring a revamped lineup with the exception of mainstay Mark Reale, the new Riot took heavy metal to new technical heights. The title track is absolute 95 MPH speed with a terribly catchy riff. The solo is long and classically oriented with a familliar Accept "Fast As A Shark" like segment. Tony Moore's voice soars high and clear over everything. The bass work by Don Van Stavern is excellent as is the precision drumming by Bobby "The Zombie" Jarzombek." Fight Or Fall" continues the frantic pace. "Fight or fall, in the name of the children, fight or fall in the name of us all" screams Moore, and he means it too! "Sign of the Crimson Storm" is a much slower Sabbath type offering that is excellent as well. "Flight of the Warrior" and "On Wings of Eagles" take us on the manic ride again at 85 MPH. How could a metalhead not love lyrics like "Heat seeker flash headed straight for your heart, one finds the mark and a fireball rocks the sky; men and machines sweet and deadly we are, we rule the wind on titanium wings"." Johnny's Back" is next up. It is very catchy and probably could have been a radio hit for Riot. "Tell the boys to step aside, tell the girls to form a line, the king is back to claim the land again". "Bloodstreets" is a fine ballad, slow and yet powerful at the same time, another "should have been" radio hit. "Run for Your Life" is really the only weak song on the album and it seems like the band needed to fill up four minutes of time on the record. "Thundersteel" concludes in creepy fashion with "Buried Alive (The Tell Tale Heart)", a story of a man who awakens in a coffin at his own funeral. You even hear the sounds of the wake going on outside the coffin! While not a great song, it is good and brings to a close a near-great effort by a very fine group of musicians. This album was not given the promotion it required by CBS and while it charted in Billboard, it died a quick death. The band of course continued battling onward, fighting the good fight and never compromised. Thundersteel is a fine representation of Riot in 1988, or for that matter in 1998. Spend your money on this excellent piece of music.
Posted on: February 11, 2017
Essential
Blasting back in ever more brutal and blasphemous form are New York's very own Immolation. Their second major label release to date, _Here In After_ proves to the world that pure, uncensored hatred for all things Christian is alive and well, thank you. The album starts in an almost unintelligible cacophony of noisy blast beats and guitar riffs fired off at break-neck speed. The vocals on this release are of the deep-throated variety, and thankfully they are not drowned out by the furious instrumentation taking place around them. The no-holds-barred, ultra-fast tempo trend on this album is left intact but for a few exceptions including, "Here In After" and my two favorite songs, "I Feel Nothing" and "Christ's Cage". One thing I noticed that shocked the hell out of me was the presence of, gasp!, off-beat drumming in the song, "Away From God". As a whole, this album fails to turn any new corners or uncover uncharted territory, however, I do believe that it does make a bold statement about the state of death metal in the world today; it's still around, and it's still going to leave you massacred and frothing at the mouth for more.
Posted on: January 23, 2017
Get it
Songs have grown more complex, and the style has altered to include mainstream-friendly touches like squeaky guitar solos, and frequent "clean" singing. Some listeners will be thrilled by this; others, displeased. In any case, one cannot deny the high quality of composition and performance. Hence the generous rating. Personally, though, I am disappointed by all the glamorous new embellishments to a sound which once was starker, darker, and capable of achieving "epic" impact on decidedly non-mainstream terms. Anyway, a well-constructed introduction opens the album, building to a peak that's musically very well-conceived, but seriously weakened by brassy synthesizer tones, sounding a climactic theme which would roar like thunder if performed with guitar instead. Then again, for optimal impact, the guitars would require a powerful sound, something which they lack on this album. With the exception of the occasional up-front riff, solo, or melodic lead line, the guitars sound awfully thin, and they tend to get lost within a high-pitched wash of vocals, drums, and keyboards which dominates the mix. Thankfully, though, there is -plenty- of blazing speed maintained by Trym's excellent drumming. Except for the opening and closing tracks, all the songs build blasts of fiery energy into structures that house lots of musical variation. "Ensorcelled by Khaos" and "The Acclamation of Bonds" do this especially enjoyably - whereas some of the other songs don't seem quite as well-constructed.
Emperor’s Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is THE album that defines symphonic black metal. It’s not the band’s best album, but it is their most important. By today’s standard, the production is rather, well... obscure in a lot of places. But it’s a Grieghallen Production, and just about anything that comes out of that godly music hall is flawed in a way that makes it a classic in its own right.
The standard of grandioseness through synthesized keyboards and layers and layers of guitars while bass drums go at full speed nearly constantly was set by Emperor here. They had been doing it before this album, but there is something about the overall mood being stepped up in its pomposity and regalness that make this one such a benchmark.
Emperor’s Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is THE album that defines symphonic black metal. It’s not the band’s best album, but it is their most important. By today’s standard, the production is rather, well... obscure in a lot of places. But it’s a Grieghallen Production, and just about anything that comes out of that godly music hall is flawed in a way that makes it a classic in its own right.
The standard of grandioseness through synthesized keyboards and layers and layers of guitars while bass drums go at full speed nearly constantly was set by Emperor here. They had been doing it before this album, but there is something about the overall mood being stepped up in its pomposity and regalness that make this one such a benchmark.
Emperor’s Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is THE album that defines symphonic black metal. It’s not the band’s best album, but it is their most important. By today’s standard, the production is rather, well... obscure in a lot of places. But it’s a Grieghallen Production, and just about anything that comes out of that godly music hall is flawed in a way that makes it a classic in its own right.
The standard of grandioseness through synthesized keyboards and layers and layers of guitars while bass drums go at full speed nearly constantly was set by Emperor here. They had been doing it before this album, but there is something about the overall mood being stepped up in its pomposity and regalness that make this one such a benchmark.
Emperor’s Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is THE album that defines symphonic black metal. It’s not the band’s best album, but it is their most important. By today’s standard, the production is rather, well... obscure in a lot of places. But it’s a Grieghallen Production, and just about anything that comes out of that godly music hall is flawed in a way that makes it a classic in its own right.
The standard of grandioseness through synthesized keyboards and layers and layers of guitars while bass drums go at full speed nearly constantly was set by Emperor here. They had been doing it before this album, but there is something about the overall mood being stepped up in its pomposity and regalness that make this one such a benchmark.
Emperor’s Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is THE album that defines symphonic black metal. It’s not the band’s best album, but it is their most important. By today’s standard, the production is rather, well... obscure in a lot of places. But it’s a Grieghallen Production, and just about anything that comes out of that godly music hall is flawed in a way that makes it a classic in its own right.
The standard of grandioseness through synthesized keyboards and layers and layers of guitars while bass drums go at full speed nearly constantly was set by Emperor here. They had been doing it before this album, but there is something about the overall mood being stepped up in its pomposity and regalness that make this one such a benchmark.
Emperor’s Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is THE album that defines symphonic black metal. It’s not the band’s best album, but it is their most important. By today’s standard, the production is rather, well... obscure in a lot of places. But it’s a Grieghallen Production, and just about anything that comes out of that godly music hall is flawed in a way that makes it a classic in its own right.
The standard of grandioseness through synthesized keyboards and layers and layers of guitars while bass drums go at full speed nearly constantly was set by Emperor here. They had been doing it before this album, but there is something about the overall mood being stepped up in its pomposity and regalness that make this one such a benchmark.
Many people hail the “In the Nightside Eclipse† album as Emperor’s best; I think it’s a superb release (even more if you take into consideration it’s their first full-length album) but not their best; I think that “In the Nightside Eclipse† was an important step for Emperor to reach enough maturity and musical skills to create the masterpiece this album is; I definitely believe that Emperor reached their climax here; never again would Emperor or any other Black Metal band I’ve heard to date create an album as astonishing as this one.
Many bands have come and will come, and most of them will go without being remembered; some will be remembered for the wrong reasons (arson, murder), but I hope that the mighty Emperor will be remembered for the amazing art they created, especially for the masterpiece this album is.
Posted on: January 22, 2017
Good
When people talk about Emperor, all the highest praise is normally reserved for their seminal In The Nightside Eclipse record. This praise is certainly well deserved, it is an astounding album, but Anthems... is every bit as good and in some aspects, not least production, manages to actually top its illustrious predecessor. This may sound like heresy to some old school Black Metal fans, but I reckon it's true. For starters, the intro track Alsvartr (The Oath) is every bit as overblown as you'd expect from a band like Emperor, before it segues into the blinding speedblast that is Ye Entrancemperium, where drum lord Trym gets to show all us how fast he is (very!). The whole album continues in the same vein, with mainman Ihsahn's ripping riffs and snarled vocals complemented perfectly by his excellent keyboard melodies, as well as the second guitar of Samoth, something not enough Black Metal bands tend to bother with. Brilliant stuff.