Fucking excellent! You have managed to pick my favourite from this legendary album. The opening wall of chords section is vital and foreboding, as is the spiraling set of runs immediately after them. The addition of small hints of chimes in the background add another dimension to the atmosphere of obscure, occult drive. The riff-work throughout is superb - and the vocals are some of the most individual you're ever likely to hear on a black metal record. The drumming is nothing really of note, despite being very solid, except for the use of timpanis, or kettle-drums I'm guessing, which work wonderfully. Everything about this is pure class, stunning leads, weave around in the background, the riffs are genius, creating energy and drive essential to the momentum. They are a unique beast Master's Hammer, and one that I regard highly.

Something old as well, but excellent...

Dodheimsgard - Mournful, Yet and Forever

I've heard a lot about Dodheimsgard over the years mostly for the fact that they apparently went nu metal or something later on - well this is far from nu metal, as it's very mournful (ha) and sweeping black metal with sorrowful melodies and cutting, heavy guitars that carry the listener for the entirety of the 7 minute runtime. I'd probably have to listen to it some more to really dig into its idiosyncrasies and subtleties, but it's definitely atmospheric enough. The song creates this huge, deep well of sadness and pain that resonates through the howling, echo-drenched vocals and the theatrical guitar riffs. It even becomes kind of strangely catchy and memorable through its duration even though there isn't any kind of chorus or real rock-based structure - the haunting memory of the song remains intact, though, and imprints upon the listener's memory with a blackened, charred footprint.

And now for a very different kind of emotional song...

At Jonpo and Crushed:

Sonata Arctica - Fly with the Black Swan

So this was really boring until about 1:05 in. Lame acoustic guitars with generic chugging riffs and uninteresting vocal lines. When it becomes more keyboard driven, the vocals get slightly better and more emotional. It seems they're more comfortable with the keyboards these days. I haven't really listened to Sonata Arctica since Ecliptica aside from a few assorted songs which ended up sucking. The vocals have gone back to being lame again. This just dosen't keep up any level of quality, and musically it leaves me cold. Every riff is bland, and they just layer the vocals to try to make up for the weak melodies. By the time the chorus comes back in, I just don't care anymore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsLzD1R-QdU

Converge - Heaven in Her Arms

So..... Those vocals. Fuck 'em. Hard. If I wanted to listen to a feline creature of an unknown species getting anally violated with a drill, I'd rent a bestial porno. I mean, really; is this guy serious? It's not so much that he bothers me rather than I can't take him seriously at all. Well, at least he's quite far behind in the mix, so I don't have to suffer his monotonous, horrid screaming nearly as much as I could. The music, thank goodness, is much better than the vocals, although that still doesn't mean much; energetic, violent, and certainly hardcore-infused, but vapid and uninteresting at the same time. I can definitely hear that the band really feels what they play, for sure, but the riffs and drumming just don't grab me like this sort of stuff should. The effort and the talent is there (again, except for the vocalist; screw him), but it isn't conveyed properly or interestingly. One thing I really enjoyed though; the breakdown at the end. It was crushing, gigantic, grinding, and any other positive think you could come up with that ends with -ing, and propelled me into a tremendous headbanging frenzy. If the rest of the song had been as engaging as it's final section (and the vocalist much, MUCH better), I would've loved this.

Really like this tune and album, even though the band doesn't exactly belong between my favorites.

Testament - Dog Faced Gods

I don't listen to Low as much as I should - perhaps that should be my activity for tomorrow. Nonetheless, Dog Faced God's is a standout track on the album for me, along with All I Could Bleed. The riffing and guitar work in general posesses an inventiveness which wasn't so prominent on their albums before this, and the creativity Testament can muster really shines through. This song, and the album in general have a really tough, unique sound, and parts like the lead-section before the vocals start really stand out - memorable and rather unique. The whole album sounds like the result of some open-minded jamming on the band's part, and it sounds like it has gone particularly well. Dog Faced Gods is engaging and quirky, but manages to be the kind of song which you remember parts of from the very first listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84V_rbkeEfk

@Necroticism174:

@Ancient_Sorrow:

@Xlxlx

Enslaved - Eit Auga Til Mimir

Enslaved is a band that I've been meaning to check out for quite a while now. I've heard great things about these guys, so will they hold up to the respectable following they've got? For me, not really. The song is basically a full-on black metal assault the likes of which we've all heard before. Tremolo picking, double bass drums, black metal rasps, the whole nine yards. That being said, there were a few interesting bits in the song in the form of the group-sung verses and the solo. The group vocals, instead of sounding victorious like one might expect from a group of mighty Viking warriors, is instead pretty melancholic and likely to leave the listener vulnerable for the assault to come back to them. It's a pretty nice touch. Another pretty nice touch is the solo. It starts off mellow and inoffensive, but quickly descends into madness that sounds like it was taken right from Reign In Blood. Even better, though, is that it sounds right at home in this track. I don't really know if I'll be coming back to this or not, because I didn't really care for it at first... but it's growing on me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kznbaB9TuQ

Antropofagus - Architechture of Lust

Is this...somewhat tasteful brutal death metal? I'm not going to lie I'm the type that loves to judge books (bands) by their covers (name, logo, album artwork...) and this was looking pretty fucking grim right off the bat. The song started out spazzy enough that I thought I was probably going to hate it, but they ended up winning me over. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not going to ever seek out more from this band, but the song wasn't a trial to listen to and that's more than I can say for most modern BDM. They chose a guitar tone that actually really works for me, and more importantly for the style they play. You can tell this band isn't a bunch of kids who were raised on BDM, there are some proper death metal sounding riffs in there, and those really get my head moving. Their little...hmmm..."mini-breakdowns" (how appropriate for this thread) were also sort of entertaining whenever they popped up. Good riffs for stomping around like some sort of Giant Japanese Lizard Monster. I genuinely love the groove they settle into towards the end of the song, and then that very subtle lead comes in to cap the whole thing off. The last 30-45 seconds or so we're definitely my favorite part of the song. Surprisingly much better than I originally expected, but not really for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0R8dvz-qm0

Prosanctus Inferi-Conjugal Orgy in the Sacred Heart of Vespers

I don't know if its the song itself, or the quality of the video, but from the beginning through about 0:33 sounds just like one big cluster of noise. I didn't even notice the vocals during my first listen to the song. They're way to low in the mix. Without looking anything up, I'm gonna assume there is no bass here, at least non that's audible. The guitars have some really interesting, crushing riffs in the song (when you could actually hear them). The one thing I really liked about this song though, the drums. The drums were fast, heavy, and crushing.
This band has some talent, I just don't know if they're not reaching it, or its just hidden behind the shitty production quality. I mean, the album was released in 2010, it sounds like it was released in the early 90's. Maybe they like the sound, but personally, I'm not a fan.

Edited: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaSbaM-yKZg

@ RatPoisoner:

@Necroticism174


@Jonpo

@Necro:


EDIT:
1000 Funerals - Final Wish

So this is funeral doom, huh? It certainly lives up to its name with this track. The first minute and a half of this song is a haunting piano sequence which sets up the atmosphere nicely for the rest if the band to come in. The song is led mostly by the drums and keyboards, in a slow, hypnotic fashion, leaving the listener drowning in the sorrow that's been created. The guitars are put back a little deeper in the mix, and don't really provide anything of note to the song. Repetition through a few chords is the name of the game here. However, I feel like the guitars here would be missed if they were taken out, if that makes any sense. While that might not sound so hot on paper, it actually works to the song's benefit here, providing... another laying of sound, if you will, to the already sorrowful and entrancing piece. All of this meshes together to work well... and then there are the vocals. Don't get me wrong, they're not bad at all, in fact, the growls employed here are half-decent, but they could be better. If they were deeper growls (see: Disma-level deep growls), it would help make the song more crushing and emotional in my book. But one look at the band's MA page tells me that's not happening. This is one of those songs/bands that I'd really only check out if I were in a certain mood for, as I rarely ever listen to doom metal at all. It is getting me in that mood though...

To sort of continue the mood...

Percht: "Celestial Wanderer"
 
yes, this is a great application of the thread idea, posting a totally underground band that most people probably haven't heard. This is doom metal of a
fairly traditional bent, albeit with an unusual guitar tone that I'd guess is a product of the equipment the band is using and not entirely what they'd
be aiming for in a "pro" release. I certainly think a sound with much more mid-range and bass tones would suit them better. as it is, there's not room
for anything much but guitar in this mix. It's all right though as guitar is certainly everything that matters to this group. Specifically, the lead plays
some wailing, melancholy solos with a strong blues feel, and these are present all over the track, effectively leading us back to the title, "Celestial
Wanderer". There was some minimal singing in there but I could barely make it out, and I'm glad the song wasn't more than six minutes long as there wasn't
a hell of a lot happening through the duration. The traditional riff was basically ridden along as an excuse for the good leadwork to provide the emotional
content of the song. I'm thinking the future might be bright for this group if they keep at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7IGJTS2p4E

Bal Sagoth - To Dethrone The Witch Queen Of Mytos K'unn

Symphonic black metal done right. The symphonic keyboards in the background are really what makes the song. Don't get me wrong the riffs are good, but the symphonic flavourings is what makes it special. It creates an epic atmosphere. There is also some good melodic guitar lines that show up every now and again. My favourite part of the song is the bridge. In the middle of the song, really melodic guitars kick in and all aggression drops out, it is quite atmospheric. This is complemented with a deep voiced narrator. In all, this has a very epic feel without being cheesy. It brings images of an ancient battle to mind. Definitely worth a listen.

Sorry about the intro being kind of long:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfSyTKcC ... re=related

Dystopia - Now and Forever

As you pointed out already the intro is very long. I have difficulty understanding the spoken passage at the beginning and it takes almost 3 and a half minutes till the song actually gets going. Once it does get going it isn't too bad. The music is purely in the sludge/stoner camp. The guitars are thick and sludgy and the vocals are hoarse shouts. The lower gutturals that come in about 5:40 sound out of place and not mixed very well or something. The main problem I have is that it is just so repetitive with the riffs and the song just kind of chugs along without grabbing my attention much. The foundations are there but the songwriting just isn't yet. Good luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avreO5bP7sc

Crystal Age - Son Of Time

I knew right from the start that this song was gonna be absolutely great. The song opens with a great guitar part. The bass is fully audible. ...And then the vocals start. Pure, fast, pissed off, classic death metal vocals. I really wasn't expecting them. I was expecting some really low death growls, but man am I glad I didn't get those. These vocals compliment the song PERFECTLY. The guitar is constantly blowing me away through out the entire song. The drums are good, not to groundbreaking, but they also compliment the guitar and vocals very nicely. This song is also a lot more technical than I was expecting, a lot like the later Death albums. Honestly, this is what death metal should be, relentless, fast, powerful music, with pissed off vocals. Very good song, very good band.
I give them a 10/10.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHLTcdHDVhk

Wombath - Several Shapes

Ah, yes, good ol' Swedeath. It rarely fails to entertain me, and this is not one of those rare cases. The band wastes no time with intros or anything of the sort, instead going into an awesome headbangable riff which winds up backing the monstrous growls provided by the vocalist. I'm having trouble deciding whether or not they (the vocals) fit the song as well as they should, but in the meantime I'm going to just enjoy them. We're then given a pretty interesting guitar lead after the first batch of vocals, and I don't really know how to describe this lead... it's not like anything I've heard before, and I like it. The band also makes excellent use of that high-pitched guitar squeal on occasion that certain bands who shall remain nameless like to abuse. The rest of the song goes on in this fashion. Headbangable riffs, cavernous vocals, and nice solos/leads. All the members of the band are tight and know what they're doing, from the guitars the lead this furious song, the drummer who is spot-on the entire song, and even the bass, which is somewhat audible, and from what I can hear, it's as great as the rest of the band. Excuse me while I find everything I can from this band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FKZkN48c7o

@Acidworm

Eternal Oath - The Dawn

This was interesting. Starts off nice and mellow, but then the vocals kick in and they're big and beefy and nasty as hell. I love the riffs going on during the chorus, as well as the intensity of THE DAAAAWWWWWN!! The guitar's got a great tone to it as well, and the drumming gets fucking insane at times. Most of all, I love songs with high intensity, and this one brought a lot of it. If I had to give a negative, it'd be that the production's a bit messy and the bass is almost completely drowned out, but oh well. Mid-90s EP, can't expect a ton of money to be thrown at it. In the end, while I don't usually dig straight-up death metal, Eternal Oath seem to work for me, just like Bolt Thrower and early Morbid Angel.

And now for something awesome from the 80s:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzyRU-XDNfM

Eternal Oath - The Dawn

An interesting song... I really enjoyed the first minute and 45 seconds or so. The melodic harmonies and atmospheric clean sections were really cool and got my attention. But after that it seemed like they were just repeating the same riff for another 2 and a half minutes until they repeat the intro riff at the end. The song for the most part was mid-paced but the middle part seemed like it was going nowhere. I also did enjoy the vocals, they seemed like a good fit for this kind of death metal. I can see the approach they took to this, and I don't think it's bad at all, but stuff like this really isn't my thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf33VXVIH7M

Ghoul - Rot Gut

I enjoyed Maniaxe but never heard anything else, and I haven't heard this band in yyyyyeaaaaars!! Loving the grindy carcass tone. The raspier singer is a dead ringer for Jeff Walker. Cool atmosphere to this tune - it's all shitty horror-movie schlock and cool riffs. Unfortunately (for me at least) this sort of stuff has no real staying power, but it's definitely a good catchy tune. I always thought another track of theirs ("Ghoul Hunter") was one of the cleverest tunes I'd heard in a while. 7/10.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKjlq9UwxBU

Necromancer - Dark Church

I gotta say, this one really didn't do it for me. By today's standard, brands of late 80's death/thrash like this one just don't get it done for me. The drums in this song are competently played, keeping time with that drum line that we've probably heard in almost every old school death metal song to come through this thread. They also play some pretty nice fills when the speed isn't turned up to max, which is a good thing. The guitar work is primarily thrash-y, more or less fast picking. However, during the verses (and sometimes outside of them) there is a nice little groove the guitars establish which I kind of like. Outside of that, not much to write home about. Vocals are a monotone shout... the kind that many death metal bands during this time would utilize. They're not detrimental to the song, but they sure don't add anything. Time hasn't been very kind to this song, and even more so once I read that according to MA, this demo was released in 1996. This just sort of falls flat for me... not bad, though most certainly not good in my eyes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbPCgRp_UEY

EDIT:

Guys, don't forget to use a placeholder to mark your territory before writing a review. That way we won't have double reviews, and nobody's song will be missed.

Enclavement - Gazing Into The Fog (demo)

Well, this isn't bad at all. The guitar playing is definitely outstanding, going from cold, icy tremolos to choppier, thrashier riffs at will, making up most of the song's entertainment value. Whoever handles guitar duties in this band is surely talented, and a good songwriter to boot, as the riffs are not only quite varied for the song's relatively average length, but also masterfully arranged. The vocalist? He's just fine, although pretty monotone. Sure, hoarse yells are cool and all, but they get stale quickly unless you are, say, Piotr Wiwczarek, but in the end, I can't honestly say he detracts from the song's overall quality, so it's okay. What truly won me over here though was the drumming; relentless, punishing, resourceful, and precise (he even reminds me a bit of Pete Sandoval in his approach). This guy sure has some chops and experience behind him, I'm telling you. I like his blast beats in particular, them being very violent and black metal-esque. Also, I have to remark that, for a demo, the production is very clear and allows for pretty much everything (save for the bass, predictably) to be heard without trouble. Now, for what unholy reason is this band absent from this website? Because they would be a great addition to the place.

I'd really like to see this reviewed. Guess who's the singer?

@Xlxlx:

@Dave_o_rama:

The Cursed - Generate Her

Bobby Blitz! No, I didn't guess it... I'm ashamed to say I looked it up It's official, this man can do no wrong. I absolutely love the new O'kill album, and now I come across this? This is an interesting mix of styles, with some slow verses with muted guitars parts that build up to a groovy chorus; not groovy in the stereotypical negative sense though. This is doom-groove done right. Dare I say Sabbath-esque? Yes! Fuck, I've been trying to think what this song reminded me of for the last fifteen minutes. Hand of Doom! Which is a very good thing. The way that song's bass verse-guitar verse structure works is very similar to the way this song works. And it works well. When the riff breaks out, it gives you that release you had been waiting for. And as if that wasn't enough, you also get a thrash break! At around 2:10 they go into a mid-paced break which just makes the song even more awesome.

As for the sound, the guitar tone helps the feeling of the song; it is thick and colorful, appropriate for the song's attitude. Blitz's vocal abilities surprised me once again. You'll hear some lower-end vocals here than what you're used to by this thrash legend's main band, but he pulls them off perfectly. He does some of his high-pitched screams also, notably at the moments when the guitar is about to break in. Fucking love that. Lets me know the riff is coming and I start headbanging before it starts. There is a single thing that I didn't like and it isn't even about the song itself. When the thrash break starts at 2:10, the guitar bounces back and forth from left to right speaker. If you're wearing headphones, that is annoying as FUCK. But it's only like 3 seconds, so who cares. The song itself is awesome stuff. Thanks for posting!

Great fucking album by this band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHwEFctE ... ure=relmfu

Unleashed - Hammer Battalion

Let me start off by saying, when I see that a band is from Sweden, I set my standards high, because Sweden has never failed to disappoint me before.

That intro guitar riff is great. It starts off the song with a big bang. It kinda just seems like its on a loop until about 1:30 though. At about 1:30, the guitar slows down and plays some more, crushing riffs that make the song flow at a perfect pace. The guitar sounds like it would fit a slower thrash song better than a death metal song here though. I will say, the guitar solo starting at about 2:00 blew me away though, I wasn't expecting that. It dragged on a little to far for my taste though, lasting from about 2:00 to about 2:45. Starting around 3:00, the guitar has almost a black metal sound to it, which is good because I'm a big black metal fan as well. The drumming is spot on throughout the entire song. The vocals fit the instrumentals very well, but the lyrics seem a bit too repetitive for my liking. Overall, its a good song, but definitely not Unleashed's best considering many of the previous albums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LhEGFGG1Ig

Kroda - Cry to Me, River

Hey, it's mid-1990s Amorphis! What jolly larks! What jolly keyboards! Oh no, wait, it's a cut-rate Ukrainian version. Obviously, there must have been a fairly notable Amorphis influence on these guys, but then some lame black metal elements, too. To be honest, I prefer the Amorphis-esque parts, which is saying something considering how much I dislike Tales from the Thousand Lakes. What a truly risible choice of electronic drum sound, too! It sounds like the cymbals are sampled from someone hitting a fork off a plate. I'm sorry, I just can't take this seriously... I don't generally like many Ukrainian metal bands, but this is rather limp. What toothless, hackneyed metal... Gads!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhVMcCi0Y-Y