Funny you should mention them. I've been digging another band Starless' "Silver Wings" album from 1985. It's neat how some of these songs start off like straight-up hard rockers and then the next thing I know the time signatures have gone crazy and synth & guitar solos are flying everywhere. So much better than most of the early/mid 80's British prog scene.

I also noticed how some of these Japanese bands back then were named after famous 70's British prog albums such as Novela, Scheherazade and Starless (maybe the King Crimson song in that case).

Lychegate - An Antidote for the Glass Pill

Ok, five minutes in and all I've heard is directionless carnival music - I've had enough. This is like Sigh's or Arcturus's retarded little cousin. He's trying so hard to be like his idol, but despite his cool big-boy costume (Blood Music's extravagant packaging), the whole situation is just moderately embarrassing.

Starless is one of my favorite bands at the moment - Silver Wings is an easy 100% for me. Its sad Julla left the band after that album, she was pretty talented (I consider her a proto-Fuki). I'm pretty sure they took their name from "Starless and Bible Black" - the record label for a later CD was "Bible Black". Funny, they don't sound like King Crimson at all. Vienna is another band worth investigating - I got their album "Unknown" recently and am quite happy with it. Teru's Symphonia is another one I'm delving into (got some of their CDs on order). Its funny how many bands spawned from Scheherazade.

Kampfar - Swarm Norvegicus

Thrash Tuesday:

Metallica - Harvester Of Sorrow

Such heavy riffing on this one. Forgot what a powerful drummer Lars could be. Great, mean-spirited lyrics and vocal delivery from Hetfield. Might be my favorite song from And Justice.

Coroner - Internal Conflicts

The only "fast" song on Grin but it definitely shreds. Great soloing, really epic feel. Might not hold a candle to the grim excellence of the old stuff but I still dig it.

Playlist of yesterday:

X Japan - Vanishing Vision
Sabbrabells - S/T
Terra Rosa - The Endless Basis
Armageddon - Tears of a King Bird

Interesting that you had such a strong reaction to that album. I really enjoy the first half (roughly) and then feel it goes off on one and has too many discordant parts that just feel avant-garde for the fuck of it rather than musically worthwhile (though I do like the Lazare Nedland-inspired clean vocals used later on). The sound as a whole seems more classical-inspired than a lot of Sigh's circus-esque material, and I definitely appreciate the organ use here, though I'm not massively familiar with all of Arcturus' stuff so I can't make a fair comparison to them. Initially I thought it was very good but a good few listens later I'm veering towards a 65% score since a lot of the album doesn't hold up.

Cara Neir - Into Black Mesa

Can't get enough of these chaps. Intensity in abundance.

Inspire "Alive"

The vocalist on this reminds me of the one on Ancient Myth's "Antibes" (I'm probably the only person on this planet who considers that a good thing). Not completely sold on this album yet, but there's definitely some songs on here I like (and it continues to grow on me). Still like Nova-Era more - that single ruled!

Tears of Tragedy "Continuation of the Dream"

I always roll my eyes whenever I see a "melodic power metal" tag, but it actually makes sense this time. This is like the prettiest, most ethereal power metal I have ever heard. It's quite good.

Morbid - December Moon

Brutal as fuck just how I like it and playing it a full blast to piss the neighbors!

Some wicked tunes here. Love the shit outta that Trenchrot album, and I'm not going to add anything further to what batman has already said. Great album. Saligia rule as well.

Ascension - Deathless Light

Awesome, awesome, awesome song from a great album. The scope it has is almost cinematic and a strong evangelical stance in a black metal context. Scintillating stuff.

Inga Broar Kvar Att Bränna from (2015) Shining - IX - Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends (Limited Edition).
Eerie song and vocals.

Its great to see them back!!!


Valuatir-Transfiguration

Folk black metal from France, not bad!

Fate Gear - A Light in the Black

Could live without programmed drums, but this seems ok so far. Kinda surprised to see a DR9 album in 2015 (esp. from Japan where you're lucky if you get a DR5).

Icelandic black metal band FORTID and their "Pagan Prophecies" album.

Metal Church - Metal Church (album)

A colorful candy box of crushing metal! The "highway star" cover is fucking out there.

Malice Mizer - Illuminati

I was kind of iffy on their synthpop tracks (I came for the neoclassical gothic rock), but I definitely like this song a whole lot now. The PV is rather... uh bizarre and NSFW though.

Nozomu Wakai's Destinia - Breaking the Fire

Seems weird hearing Fuki singing in English.

Manowar -Thunder in the Sky -ep

This finally arrived. The metal songs are great. Propably the best they've done since The Triumph of Steel, and that's something. The Crown and the Ring "metal" version isn't that hot, and Father is a pussy ballad. But the in the chorus of the Finnish version Adams sounds almost like native. Got to give him points for that.

It's FOR SURE!

Txapela Buruan eta Ibili Munduan from (1992) Su Ta Gar - Hortzak Estuturik.
YEARS since this but we attended their last saturday show:

Trial - Through Bewilderment

Great song and great album. An improvement from their impressive debut album.

I agree! right now it's my favorite heavy metal album of the year (but the new Satan is incoming...)

Babylon Whores - King Fear: Song for the Damned

Incredible closer of an already incredible album! i love the structure: a psychedelic buildup that explodes in that awesome (and really heavy) latin sung chorus and then collapses back into another psychedelic part with oriental flutes.. i've never heard something quite like this!

人間椅子 - 人間椅子傑作選

Not really a fan of compilations, but this actually ain't a bad way to navigate their huge and confusing discography.

Borknagar - The Winterway

Been years since I've listened to this album, almost forgot all of it. Love the cleans on this, and I always have a soft spot for folkier black metal.
think i'm gonna put on Earth and Pillars next.

Wolfheart - Last of all Winters

I had no idea that Saukkonen is at it again. Come to think of it, it's better that way since I could use even more nice surprises Near the end of the second spin of the album, and it sounds great, also noticeably more aggressive than the debut (which is more than welcome in the wasteland of modern melodeath).

Trenchrot - The Most Unspeakable Acts

Damn, should've paid attention to this band a lot sooner. The perfect blend of high-octane death crust and rollicking sledgehammer groove. Love this...

Coffins - Belongs To Silence

From their Unholy Grave split. Your typical Coffins murk-and-slime good time.

Scythian - Hubris in Excelsis

Album of the year and I've no doubt about that.

平山照継 - Symphonia

Oh man, this is fucking glorious.

Blut Aus Nord - The Works Which Transforms God

Great atmosphere and very diverse, there's a lot of stuff happening here and there. Definitely not your typical purist black metal but still a worthwhile album to listen to at night and when you're high I presume.

It was not easy for me but I could get into this album.


I have much work left to get into the unorthodox Blut Aus Nord albums.

Stop Don't Panic from (2001) Jamiroquai - A Funk Odyssey.
Fun!

Scorpions - Return to Forever
Honestly, I expected this album to be better. Not a bad record, though. I'm currently listening to "Gypsy Life, a track which, supposedly, should be touching but fails to touch me.

Temnozor - The Heart of Crane Distances

So beautiful! I love peaceful ballads like these when I'm reading.

Hate Eternal - La Tempestad

The blast beats in this song are so satisfying. Really enjoying Infernus so far.

Edguy - Until We Rise Again

Been on an Edguy kick lately, Vain Glory Opera to Hellfire Club are great albums

VAIN GLORY BE MY WICKED GUIDE!

Sibyelle Baier - Colour Green

this album always calms me down a lot. Great folk and she has a wonderful voice. Perfectly calm sad songs for autumn.

Running Wild - Death or Glory

He's a renegade!

Skeletonwitch - of Ash and Torment
Haven't listened to this band in a while, forgot how great their last two albums are. Totally into their newer sound more than Breathing the Fire.

Edguy - Under The Moon

that riffage! that chorus! amazing

Misþyrming - Ég byggði dyr í eyðimörkinni

The atmosphere of this thing is impossible to resist. I still find it difficult to comprehend the fact that this excellent band essentially came out of nowhere to release their album this year. It'll easily make tons of top albums of 2015 lists and will almost certainly make it onto mine. The Icelandic black metal scene really is quite something.

Portrait - Bloodbath

Good stuff, lots of King Diamond feeling to the vocals!