I wouldn't say that it's a big community, but I discovered that album thanks to Tik Tok, and I kind of understand why people there liked it. It's because is very melodic and it remind me of bands like Slowdive or My Bloody Valentine, like some Alcest albums that have obvious shoegaze and post rock influence.

I think the same, the album ventures in outside territory of the black metal mould, like Deafheaven did in the 2010s. The lyrics are full depressing and school-shootery. But it's easier to listen to than stuff like Silencer or Xasthur.

Thanks for all the recommendations will add those albums and artists to my playlist and audio library.

adrian smith - silver and gold CD. did not remember how poppy this is. closer to INXS and then jericho than maiden...

Aegrus - Those Who Hide from Light

I saw them live last February, I was really disappointed they did not play this and Nocturnal Rites of Faust . Great concert anyway, if short.

Liege Lord - Master Control

Some of the finest Speed/USPM albums around.

Veil - "Mater Maternis"
Music for the sensitive Aryan

Xasthur - Nocturnal Poisoning
Been an age since I last heard this, but it holds up pretty well. Forgot how there are these segments that basically sound like a frantic, headlong gallop into hell. Surprisingly 'muscular' and massive flourishes for a depressive sort of metal. There are some killer riffs on this. Suffocating guitars, nightmare vox. Interesting how the MA reviews for this back in the day were mostly trashing it and the more recent ones are the opposite.

Overkill Deny the Cross


~Life!~ The living danger
~Death!~ The welcome stranger
~In sin!~ You deny the cross, deny the cross

For me Taking Over is better than Feel the Fire

Heavenwood - Suicidal Letters

Wow, what a great, simple and catchy gothic tune. I almost forgot how great this sounds. For the fans of Paradise Lost, Sentenced, Moonspell, Tiamat....

Morgana Lefay - Symphony of the Damned

Maybe their most Savatage-esque one... raw, gritty howling, massive meaty riffs, I love it. Even back then they were fully formed.

Now spinning The Mandrake Project again too - completely enamored...

Megadeth - The System Has Failed
Good comeback that could have been great with a stronger B-side and slightly more vigor from Chris Poland, he seems to be holding back a lot. A bit underrated, whereas I feel United Abominations is overrated. Also one of the few 2019 remasters that made an actual difference: clearer and punchier, more visible bass

Wigrid - Hoffnungstod
This is such a great take on the Burzum formula. I'm not even a Burzum fan but this smokes. The guitar tone is so harsh and overwhelming. Songs flow well, moving from more furious moods to these huge depressive sections, with some repetitive harmonizing guitar meditations that leave you drained. Massive stuff, always liked this so much more than actual Burzum. I'd say the student really outdid the master here.

Crypt Sermon - The Ruins of Fading Light

Really ambitious work. Lots of lurching, epic riffs, lots of blistering leads. It all sounds mysterious and urgent. I think some of the longer songs could use better hooks - while they're affecting musically, they sometimes lack a big hook like the shorter ones... particularly "Christ is Dead," fuck, what a song. A whole album like that and it'd be 5 stars easy. That said I do find it endearing when some bands like this sort of bite off more than they can chew, with songs slightly overcomplicated, etc. It's cool to hear the clear passion, at least when the riffs, vocals etc are so good...

Smashing Pumpkins - To Forgive

Just grabbed tix for their show in August so had to put Mellon Collie on. A laid back track in between more metallic fare.

Praise the Flame - Endless Scourge

Pissed-off, faithful and metal-to-the-bone. Think of Sadistic Intent / Morbid Angel with a far thrashier edge.

Brian Eno - Baby's On Fire

Great Eno track with a sexy strut to it but I'm really here for that scathing Robert Fripp solo. So so good!

Swans - Michael Is Done

I'm not as keen on the wall of impenetrability that the lengthier material on these recent albums have as I was but the shorter more elegiac tunes like this are welcome.

Esoteric - Descent

Now this is the sort of bruising length I require because no one gives heady bleak contemplation like Esoteric.

Solitude and desperation never sounded so good….

Judas Priest Night Crawler

Nightcrawler
Beware the beast in black
Nightcrawler
You know he's coming back
Night Crawler

Solo

What song!!!!!

Of course it is!



Judas Priest- Escape From Reality

Amazing what one can accomplish with restraint and an editor.

The Priest album is a shitload of fun, but the fact that it sounds so restrained and edited is actually marks against it for me. But it works just because it's so fun and loud and charismatic anyway.

Sun Ra - Strange Strings

This is really something.

Dark Angel - Trauma And Catharsis

Always thought this song should've been placed at the end of Time Does Not Heal, just a fantastic song and I love the chorus. It wouldn't be a happy ending at all but there'd be a flicker of hope.

Angelcorpse - Hammer Of Gods

A wonderfully chaotic and apocalyptic blend of Altars of Madness and Obsessed By Cruelty.
When Order From Chaos sadly split in '95 two great bands were born, Angelcorpse and Ares Kingdom.
Angelcorpse were a real force to be reckoned with back in '96.

Whitecross - Hammer and Nail

A classic!

Revolution Saints - Against the Winds

A beauty. This is just outstanding. Melodic rock, not metal but total mastery of the style.

Impaler Charnel Deity

Someone complain about production but I love it(have the remaster)sound like a black metal album…

Very good for nostalgic of dm nineties

.....you...want Priest to make unnecessarily long songs like Maiden and Metallica?



Accept- London Leatherboys

This is definitely Udo at his most Udo, but goddamit that vocal bridge is lethal.

Accept- The Abyss

And this showcases what Tornillo can do that Udo can't do (also why I like Mark more than Udo).

What does "necessary" mean in terms of art? Priest's recent stuff all sounds so stiff and overly focus-grouped. I actually do like the new album quite a bit, but even then none of these tunes can match anything off Painkiller or before - which is a mark against it since it's trying to be exactly like that stuff... I'd love to see them just cut loose and do something that sounds different from what I expect them to sound like.

Maiden didn't do this because they went long in the most excessive ways that actually made it good - not trying to just recreate their older sound again. I like it.

My problem with all this stuff is exactly your post. I don't care if people like or don't like these albums by the legacy bands... I just don't want to champion stuff sounding like what we expect is all - producers cutting stuff down and going "listen to these old albums again" just seems kinda lame to me. I like all three of the albums we're talking about to varying extents.

Previously:

Apocrypha – The Forgotten Scroll
Apocrypha – The Eyes of Time
Apocrypha – Area 54

Varney and Shrapnel were such a go-to. This is, of course, shred metal, but rather thrashy and full of villainous, magisterial riffs. A backyard axe brawl between Cacophony, Vicious Rumors and a pissed-off late 80s Mustaine. The songwriting isn't that special or memorable but, oh, those riffs… If metal was originally meant to be hungry and dangerous, this is a good example of that wolfish attitude. 8/10

Slauter Xstroyes – Winter Kill

US metal band with subtle influences from 70s prog (e.g. Genesis, King Crimson, Gentle Giant – but really very subtle) without becoming prog metal. Technical, atmospheric, weird. And great. 8/10

Currently:

Exxplorer – Symphonies of Steel

Prog-tinged US metal with influences from the 70s (Wait, was that a Rush part right there? And wasn't that Iommi?) that's like a side alley to what Fates Warning were trying to do in the 80s. There's a lot more to say about this album but this is only a first listen. Interesting stuff and probably also an 8 out of 10.

Metallica - Low Man's Lyric

Well...I'm loving it! Love that haunting western vibe...yeeehaw!

Regurgitation Excrement - Acts of Putrefaction

Some great slamming parts.

YOB - 2000 Demo

Really meat and potatoes Black Sabbath worship, in the best way possible.

Thy Catafalque - Microcosmos

Incredible. First time listening through, I love the instrumental folk, piano and electronic sections that let my mind completely wander and get lost in the whole thing. The production is less polished compared to later works but gives it an atmospheric charm to it.

Only really discovered and started listening to Thy Catafalque last year, but they're quickly turning into one of my favourites. Everything I've heard has been stellar.

Iron Void - Doomsday

Awesome doom metal!

Insania - Carry On

Man there's not a lot of bands that encapsulate my high school years like this one - almost purely stuck back in that time since they vanished for the entire 2010s. Very retro PM. High Stratovarius-like vocals and Helloween light, melodic galloping. Really catchy, though overall not really substantial enough to be a masterpiece or whatever.

Insania - V (Praeparatus Supervivet)

Aside from the extremely annoying to try and write album title, sounding cool - a little heavier and sharper than before, not bad at all.

Kommodus Meridians of Sacrifice

Boom!!!!

Dark Angel - Leave Scars

The one that got away. If it wasn't for the notoriously shit production and a couple of useless filler tracks (Immigrant Song & Worms) this would be their best album.

Insania - My Revelation

This actually might be their best album overall. Nice PM with the extra level of cool guitars going on. More inventive than the old shit.

Morgana Lefay - Knowing Just As I

Such a great band and a very good early album from them. Just this perfect mix of thrash and trad/power. Could've done without the pointless, out of place cover of Razamanaz tho.

The Lord Weird Slough Feg - The Lord Weird Slough Feg
The Lord Weird Slough Feg - Twilight Of The Idols

I'm not sure what I'm listening to, they are clearly trad heavy metal albums but there are hints of punk and Celtic folk music, the vocals and compositions also have a very particular approach. Even if it wasn't love at first listen I really want to keep listening to more of them.

Stryper - God Damn Evil

Their best album after The Final Battle. I especially love the insane opener and I got to admit that Matthew Sweet has a pretty good death growl.

I think James and Jason should have done something based around the more acoustic country stuff they flirted with on the Loads.

Metallica - Fixxer

Metallica - The Outlaw Torn (a top 10 Metallica song for me easily and the pinnacle of the Load era. I love the way Lars moves around the kit and the accents he puts in. I think his drumming on Load is excellent. His snare cracks on Load, I love it.)

I'm glad Metallica decided to make some detours in the 90's. We got some great songs out of it.

Megadeth - My Darkest Hour

Must have been a rough relationship for Dave. That fucking riff!!