Necrophobic - Nordanvind

This sounds like Necrophobic.

Brodequin - Harbinger of Woe

Killer album.

Iron Maiden - Hallowed be thy Name

It seems today is the 42nd anniversary of the release of NotB, so makes sense to play the jewel in the crown.

Yesterday I was listening to Maiden, what a coincidence. After listening to a bunch of power metal in the week I realized that more or less everything that those bands did Maiden did it first and with more class.

Type O Negative - Everything Dies

Despite the lyrics, I don't find this to be a depressing song. It's a rather jaunty bouncy absurdly catchy poppy doom tune. They were capable of these every now and then and no one could write 'em like them.

Type O Negative - ...A Dish Best Served Coldly

Peter Steele once again in his jealous jilted lover bag. It's a bit inane lyrically tbh (and those riffs and transitions are DULL) but his vocal personality is enough to carry it home.

My Dying Bride - The 2nd of Three Bells

Aaron Stainthorpe has entered his elder doom statesman phase. He sounds world weary and even his barks are mature and appropriate. If this sounds too comfortable musically, it's because the band has such a canny sense of what works.

Katatonia - Dance of December Souls
beautiful melodies and atmosphere

Overkill Feel The Fire

Top ten thrash album all time

Rotten to the core
Rotten to the core

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh

Demoniac - Nube Negra

The music is so manic and warp-speed intense, but the vocals are really great too, they're done with this urgent, ritualistic style. Everything about this is just so fiery and intense.

Black Sabbath - Headless Cross

Well, now that this is getting a reissue (as it should!), it's time for Pantera to reissue "Power Metal" as well, lol.

Corpus Offal - Demo 2024

Sad to hear that Cerebral Rot is no more but the new band sounds very promising. Looking forward to hearing more.

Ares Kingdom - Return to Dust

Sort of a band I lost touch with since about the last decade or so... this stuff really kills. Meaty, vicious riffs. I only heard the 2019 album once and never heard the 2022 one at all yet, so got to rectify that...

Today's (likely) playlist:

Sabbat – History of a Time to Come
Sabbat – Dreamweaver
Sabbat – Mourning has Broken
Sanctuary – Refuge Denied
Sanctuary – Into the Mirror Black

I've never come to really appreciate Sabbat because of their repetitive structures and shoreless wordiness but they're unquestionably unique. I think the best things about "Dreamweaver" are the cover art, the nature sounds in the intros and outros and "Advent of Insanity". More of those nature sounds to accompany the artwork would make it an even more unique album.

Don't remember much about "Mourning has Broken", only that it's a good tech thrash album that's much better than you'd expect considering Walkyier's absence.

Refugium - Monuments to Degradation

Sounds like a rough edged variant of early Anathema or something. I'm glad that this style has slowly made a comeback.

Cradle of Filth - Heaven Torn Asunder

Early COF is so awesome.

Human Fortress - Defenders of the Crown

This is one hell of a power metal album. Need to check out their debut too, though maybe I should stay away from their third album judging by the reviews lol.

Wormphlegm - Tomb Of The Ancient King

It's been a long time since a funeral doom metal album managed to grab me on first listen, it has a powerful ritualistic atmosphere as well as a sense of infectious filth, similar to what Infester tried to achieve on their only album, but done much better. The vocals are incredible, some of the most heartbreaking shierks I've ever heard, and the best thing is that they don't overuse it, it's so punctual that it really makes your skin crawl.

Whitecross - Whitecross

With a new album being out I thought I would revisit the classics. Rex Carroll shreds.

Been on quite a big power metal kick lately, never was my favorite genre although I liked quite a lot of albums during my later days of high school and early college ones in the late 90's, early 00's and I've been revisiting or rediscovering stuff.

Right now : Rhapsody - Legendary Tales

Man that was such a game changer back then. The massive wall of orchestra and choir, the epic feeling and the virtuosity were quite impressive for 17 years old me.

Djevel - Vi slakter den foerste og den andre, den tredje lar vi gaa mot nord

Great stuff, will be nice to see them live in August!

Hammerfall - Built to Last (cd)

I have loved Hammerfall for a long time now. Their later work is never as exciting as the older albums (up to and including No Sacrifice, No Victory) but still enjoyable. A pity Napalm Records hasn’t released their last albums as jewelcases, I’m not buying digipacks!

Iron Maiden - Lightning Strikes Twice

It seems today is the 26th anniversary of the release of Virtual XI. With a couple of good to very good songs, I have more of a sentimental relationship with the album, but still consider Angel and the Gambler the worst song they ever released.

Bloodlust - Guilty As Sin

Old school speed/thrash from 1986. Maybe not up there with Kill 'Em All or Bonded By Blood but still pretty cool.
Found this on a still-sealed new old stock cassette! I was thinking it might not even play, but it does and actually sounds decent. This original copy has a completely different cover and song order than the CD.

The best contemporary norwegian band…

Mekong Delta Tales of future past

My new fav band….

In the car...

Judas Priest - Stained Class
Riot - Fire Down Under
Riot - Rock City

The new Priest is a lot of fun but there's just no comparing it to the classics. Riot, just one of the best ever, so many cool, tight as fuck songs, great hooks. Vibrant sound.

Now...

Necrot - Mortal

Storming stuff - puts you through the meat grinder. Just great dark, take-no-prisoners death metal. Done right.

Children - Hard Times Hangin at the End of the World

Easy to forget about sometimes since they sort of just released this one thing and then faded away. But it's some of the most interesting newer thrash. Real thought put into these wild, rollicking songs. The genuinely anarchist, leftist sort of lyrics are so great too. Real personality to them. Adds to the whole package.

Hearse - In These Veins

Been ages since I last listened to this band. Fucking cool death 'n' roll, with other influences, too.

Deathwards - The Key

Atmospheric thrash metal mayhem that resembles Infernal Majesty or perhaps Hell Awaits-era Slayer. Love the tension and thrilling riff gallore.

Grand Belial's Key - Prayer Shawl of the First Born Donkey

Latest album is excellent!

Lionsheart - Lionsheart

Steve Grimmet doing mid to late 80's Whitesnake style rock. Grimmet sounds great here.

Ratt - Dancin' Undercover

For me this is the neglected Ratt album. It's good and I enjoy when I listen to it.

I love about half the songs on XI. The Angel and the Gambler could have been shorter but I like it for what it is. Never cared for the album closer, though.

Here:

Triptykon- Goetia

That long, brooding buildup and explosive release. The heaviness. The sound. What is not to love? The album is now 14 years old and its follow-up 10 year, I hope to hear more in the near future.

Mercyful Fate - At the Sound of the Demon Bell

This is one of those songs from a great album that takes longer to appreciate, maybe because of how many parts there are in it. But it might be as good as the first three songs on the album.

Civerous - Maze Envy

2024 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for death/doom apparently, ominous and crushing like you would expect from this subgenre.

Shonen Knife - "Burning Farm", from their 1992 "Let's Knife" album.

Despite never quite chasing more albums from the band, this album got a fair amount of playtime by me over the years. It's not very metal at all, being a very Japan-esque pop punk. (Since they are from Japan!) But despite the very kitschy tone, the punk aesthetic really makes it appealing to me. I never knew it at the time I encountered this album, but according to Wikipedia, Kurt Cobain was a fan of theirs and was able to get them to be openers on a European tour with Nirvana.

Applehead - The Light Side of the Apple

An under rated album from last year. Greg Minier from The Crucified. A little 90'sish but well done.

Brocas Helm – Into Battle

First listen to this battle metal classic since… the 80s. Back then I didn't like it, I didn't understand it. Thirty five years later, the album still sounds like some jammy 70s combo that accidentally slipped into the 80s. As if the guys from Motörhead decided to play epic metal. Don't know if I'll understand it in the near future, but I can see why it's a cult album to some.

Awesome stuff!



Portrait - At the Ghost Gate


Great heavy metal, in the vein of King Diamond!

Phase IV- S/T

I don't see these guys listed here, but I found a cheap copy of this one and have been checking it out.
This is weird stuff for sure, the closest band I can think to compare them to is Oranssi Pazuzu, but I still feel that's not close. I will give it a little more time, these dudes are obviously thinkers.

Stahlsarg-Under the Shadow of the Silver Runes

Uk based bm band who I'm going to see at a freebie next weekend, pretty no-nonsense and straight forward in sound, not genre breaking but worth a listen.

Brodequin - Harbinger of Woe

Awesome album, bloody legends of brutal death metal. Very listenable, even melodic in its own twisted way. The medieval component is still there, almost hearing Latin Christian chants in some songs like Theresiana. One of the best albums of the year so far.

Acid Bath - Paegan Love Song

Both Acid Bath albums are my most listened albums as of late. All these different influences, and how seamlessly they come together. It's a thing of beauty. You always find new favorites while listening to them. This one is just a brutal, crushing song.

The Obsessed - Stranger Things

I just love this song...such a great, catchy, punchy stoner done right!