Diamhea's ongoing attempts at clever hate towards me after I called him out is adorable.
DE's review hates on the album because he expected it to be something it was obviously never going to be and he makes some off base comparisons to glam. I don't even like the album but it reads like a soapbox rant from somebody who doesn't know metal all that well.

Thanks man. I appreciate the kind words. I do agree that I can go a bit overboard in my odd comparisons, and length. I was talking to Diamhea about this though and he said something that made me decide to keep it as is. It's really just kind of my style and personality, so I thought it would be best just to keep everything in there, even though I agree that it did make it a bit long.




Thank you as well. Yeah, I spent a ton of time on that Inked in Blood review. I think that's the most time I ever spent writing a review actually. And yes, I thought my history with Obituary was kind of interesting, so I decided to mention it. Most people got into Obituary first, and then branched out from there, but I actually came from the opposite perspective. And thank you for the feedback and suggestions on the Carcass review, it helped a great deal.

And there sure are, haters going to hate I suppose.




Thanks man. Yeah I thought the middle could have used a bit more work still myself, but I was burnt out. Perhaps I'll revisit it in the future and tweak it up some more.

How do you know it wasn't going to be OLD Carcass? Could you see into the future? My comparison to glam was vague and tongue-in-cheek, however, it DID actually remind me of glam. Music is subjective, you know. Soapbox rant? You're obviously taking this review far more seriously than I did. If you read the end, you can clearly see I'm being silly and tongue-in-cheek through the entire review. And who are you to accuse me of not knowing metal all that well? You don't even know me. I could easily accuse you of not knowing metal all that well too, which is why you didn't like my review (or get it).

This may came as a confrontational post, but I'd bet my index finger that Necro is just pissed off by the negative rant. Strangely enough I've seen this pop up very often when it comes to Surgical Steel. There will always be someone putting it down and someone else jumping over that first person because "if he doesn't like it he just doesn't get metal". What's even more curious is that fucking Morbid Angel, which is as important as a band as Carcass, was fucking destroyed in the public square, but Carcass can't have a bit of criticism? This seems to be extended onto the band members themselves, namely Jeff Walker, who seems like he has developed a rock star drama queen persona. I'm telling you guys, if you had witnessed what I did at their show on Hellfest this year you'd understand. Somehow there can't be any kind of criticism towards SS at the expense of being called an enemy of metal.

Now, as for the actual review, I would say it raises its point in a good way and has really nice descriptions and founded criticism. I just think it dwells a bit too much in accessory backstory when it could've been a bit more to the point. But if that's your style that's fine by me.

It does sorta keep coming back to "old carcass" a tad too much since the album is clearly not trying to be that, but on the other hand the album is fucking terrible so eh.

Yes, to be honest, Surgical Steel seems to be one of the more polarizing albums in recent memory. There are some who love it and some who just loathe it, like me. If newer Carcass is your thing, no big deal to me, that's cool. But it damn sure isn't for me. Even "older" Carcass circa the early 90s isn't that good, in my opinion. However, if Surgical Steel had a touch more of the Necroticism from 1991, I think I would have liked it better (and obviously a much dirtier, putrid production).

That's a good point too, Morbid Angel got annihilated when their new album came out. But honestly, at least they TRIED to do something new and different. It's okay to try and fail, but not try at all, and even worse, come up with a rehashed, derivative, commercial, sterile album like Surgical Steel on top of that? It's just bleh. :\

And seriously, I was talking to the Black Mess Records owner, and he was telling me how much of a rock star attitude and persona Carcass were putting on for their MDF 2013 performance. Like needing huge hotel rooms, tons of catering and a really damn huge price tag to even play at MDF at all. That doesn't seem very metal to me.

And thank you for the kind words. I definitely agree too, I think it's just kind of my style and personality though, so some people will like it and some people won't. It's cool either way, and I appreciate any constructive criticism, believe me. So thank you again.



I agree I probably did do that a bit too much. That is a weakness of mine, sometimes I can get a bit repetitive. But, I honestly was somewhat under the impression I was going to hear an older styled Carcass based on their MDF 2013 performance and the fact that Michael Amott wasn't going to be in on this album. I felt it was heading in that direction, or I was really hoping anyway....

So, since "calling out" is spending a couple of weeks trying to stir shit with other members to no avail, ultimately arriving with your tail between your legs safely offsite to proclaim how I am (paraphrased) "Big n dum n don't use my head durrr," I tried scrutinizing this but then realized my day-to-day condemnation of unsavory behavior brings us in repeated contact anyway. I can play big, bad MA moderator too, as my preclusion from this mindset seems to be part of what chafes you so deeply. So consider this a formal warning concerning your bug_man (sans humor)-quality posts in this thread among others.

what i dig about the review is that it has character. There are plenty of reviews which suck at describing the music or which just describe the music. Few reviews on here go beyond the latter and make it a little story. In this day and age of full album streaming and pirating just writing a by the numbers review is a bit pointless.

Descanted!

Yeah, that's how I feel as well. I try to make each review I do a very unique entity and have character and such. I think that makes for a much more interesting review. I tend to work on only one review at a time deliberately until I feel it's polished up enough and finished. I'd much prefer to read a review with story and narration than a by the numbers approach, even if they tend to be longer or more "rambling".

Ban him! Ban him via gif!

This made me laugh pretty hard. I love how Bastard can so succesfully make it seem like he completely lives in a world of his own.

That's because he actually does!

Is Propagating the Abomination's Chaos Apocalypse becoming the new Perverse Recollections of a Necromangler, where the band's only claim to fame is their sheer awfulness and their renown snowballs as more and more people learn of their existence?

Well, in contrary to Perverse Recollections of a Necromangler, Chaos Apocalypse actually does suck.

triggerhappy in his review of the new Exodus:

Exactly what I thought about the production, and one of the multiple reasons I do really enjoy this new Zetro-Exodus record. I've almost never heard an album that resurrects the actual sound of an older brother so precisely. Insightful review, even if I would personally be more generous on the final score.

Man he tries too hard to make his oh-so predictable and delusional lengthy reviews valid. But the fact is quantity ≠ quality.

I try too hard to make them... valid? Like, I put too much effort into making sure what I say makes sense? I don't get upset about criticism because I know I write for a very small niche but that's genuinely one of the most confusing complaints I've ever gotten.

Unless the main point was simply "they're too long and he rambles a lot", in which case yeah you're definitely not wrong.

^ Your reviews are most often quite shocking. I know a lot of people like to trash well-received material. They do find some inexplicable pleasure in that. I haven't read most of your reviews though I agree with one of your old Meshuggah reviews the Super Collider but two of your most recent reviews e.g. Endgame and The Devil You Know are ehh....whatever.

Some stuff, and Jerking the Circle in particular, is really just a middle ground between "sharing a dissenting opinion" and "circus barking".

Yeah it's not like Bastard tries to escape the trait of "brag-alot" with that type of reviews, that's what makes them so cool, though.

BH is a lovely man but he literally has the worst taste in the world, better to not get worked up by his opinions and just enjoy his humour.

To be fair, he does back up his controversial reviews with enough actual criticisms, which can be understood, that it isn't just showing off.

I mean it still is pretty flagrant showing off. Just not ONLY that.

Rambling excessively isn't always hugely detrimental, even when it's blatantly a "I think this popular album sucks, deal with it" gimmick, but combined with a shamelessly self-indulgent tone, it's bound to end up with a lot of eye-rolling.

That, or BH's reviews just rubs just rub me the wrong way for petty taste-related reasons. I like that he's honest about what he actually likes in some of the albums he dislikes overall. Downplaying positive aspects is a common pitfall for the writer of the DRAMATIC negative review(tm). The aforementioned is a trope that doesn't need to be exercised overmuch in my opinion, anyway.

Pretty good reviews by MA official good guy MikeyC, he's even friendly when he gives a 20% haha!

http://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/D ... keyC/71942

Flagrant showing off?

Are we actually going down the road where playing the devil's advocate, provocative or otherwise, elicits anything beyond a disaffected shrug?

Look I do not always with BH, especially considering his completely fucking wrong opinion of 'Obscura' and also thinking that Ensiferum should be anywhere outside of the opening to volcano, but the guy has heart. He can be insufferably long winded, as witnessed by his 'United in Regret' review, but ultimately I respect him (mostly).

I know what you're saying "That is a terrible cliche, what does that even mean?"

Well if you have to ask, you don't have what it takes kid.

...

But for real, BH writes from the guts; shoots straight, tells you his (potentially boring) life story and ultimately, tells you what he thinks about the album and why you should perhaps give the music a shot just to humour him. BH ain't trying to kick sand in your eyes, if something sucks it's because he thinks it does not because you fucking prissy-britches have been too busy combing your sacred cow while everyone else has been busy having sex with girls.

Haha, glad you like them, mate. I will never be an autothrall or a BastardHead or a Gunther type, but I was happy with these ones. Writing some more now, actually.

And with that 20% review, I saw what they were trying to do, so I tried to focus on some of the strengths as well as its several weaknesses. I'm sympathetic that way.

I have to say, I quite enjoy reading BH's reviews simply for the fact that they're entertaining. I completely disagree with some of them (someone already mentioned the recent Endgame and The Devil You Know reviews) but they make up for it by making me laugh. I look forward to more bashing of my favorite sacred cows.

Hey, he even admits it:



That's really all I was talking about.

Okay, I get that he ran out of space in the review title field, but droneriot's new review series is driving me nuts:

I'll have to edit the first two, didn't get around to it yet, to avoid the Roman digitals altogether.

Let's hope this ten part series doesn't last more than 99 parts, or I'll be fucked.

Re: me: you're all right. It's not like I give negative reviews to well liked albums just for attention, I mean that is my actual opinion, but I'm an extravagant, dramatic person so that definitely comes off in my stuff. Shit happens.

P.S.: Thanks to bitterman who's whining prompted me to do a series of ten 100% reviews. Up next: Nespithe

The Spooky Gloom is such a remarkable album and I give your review a big as well. I'll probably review it sometime soon myself. Another big for your next choice.

The Alpha Drone is back! And he likes more things this time around!

PS: I get that bitterman's a twerp and all, but if you could find it in your heart to shit on some albums as well I certainly wouldn't be displeased. Droneriot's negative reviews > everyone else

While we're all busy writing reviews, we should be reading some of these new ones too!

I was reading hells_unicorn's review of Chronosphere's new album, and while it's a well-written review, I have to disagree with the assessment. I listened to it a few times to review it myself, and I honestly can't remember a single thing about it. I found it no different than 99% of the other stuff released on Punishment 18 Records, which means it's a solid record but nothing spectacular. I'll have to give the album another listen based on that review.

@GuntherTheUndying: Is that Amulet album similar to bands like Stallion and Screamer? I noticed you compared it to a lot of older bands, but I'm curious about some modern comparisons.

I know you didn't ask me, but oh well. When I first listened to that album my initial thought was, "Wow, this sounds old!". I definitely got Angel Witch vibes from it, though.

I have never listened to Screamer or Stallion to be honest, thus answering either yay or nay would make me an asshole. But yeah, Angel Witch, definitely.

If my memory serves me, Screamer is the most inappropriate name for that band. It's like if Testament was named Nuclear Hellpocalypse. Also Chronosphere is one of the few newer thrash bands with zero new ideas that's still worth listening to. I haven't read his review yet but if it's positive then I can safely agree with it.