King Diamond - Slippery Stairs

This record can't help but fall short of the first Abigail. Still some good guitars and vocals by the King.

Chthe'ilist - Le Denier Crepuscule

Still deciding how much I like this one... Haven't given it much time. It does sound rather promising and quite stimulating; though I'm not sure enough about the sources through which they're drawing inspiration from and the album's cohesitivity, the adaptation of ideas from others, into their own. It sounds like the band has a variety of different inspiration so I am inquiring about the success of the band in association ideas on the grand scale of the album.

Manilla Road - The Empire

At their best they create music that just feels like waves coming in over and over.

Slough Feg - Down Among The Deadmen

Perfection. Just perfection. Plus uniqueness - no other band sounds like Slough Feg. None.

Skeletonwitch - When Paradise Fades

Really digging the new record after three spins. The two long tracks are the real standouts, I think. But temple of the Sun and the title track are great, as well.

Pentagram - Mr. White

ol' time classic...

Mark Shelton - Burned

This album is great!

Saint Vitus- Prayer For the (M)asses


Holy crap, I was not expecting this album to sound like NWOBHM. This is pretty awesome!

Slayer - Live Undead

Why doesnt this album do anything for me?

Monster Magnet - Mindfucker

Last two studio MM albums are fucking modern masterworks of space rock. This one is pure garage rock. I still love it but it doesn't get me the way the epic melodies and atmospheres on Mastermind and Last Patrol did. Still catchy as fuck and perfect summer riot music.

Spiritus Mortis - The Year is One

Doom monsters on the loose!

Amorphis - Skyforger

Don't listen to Amorphis much, but this one at least is great. Might be my fave.

Sleater-Kinney - Jumpers

Incredible song off an incredible album. Love the softer hook section as well as the raucous rocking. They were fucking on point on this whole album.

Mercyful Fate - Evil

What a fucking monster of classic twin guitar metal.

Death Fortress - Triumph of the Undying

Great stuff, as is all of their material. Though I think that their second album is probably their best so far.

Metallica - Outlaw Torn

Titanic track lyrically and musically. Jason is the key to it.

Amaranthe - Exhale

If you're going to focus on writing 3 to 4 minute songs of vaguely metallic pop music, your choruses better be damn catchy. Fortunately this album (Massive Addictive) consistently delivers.

Pillorian - Obsidian Arc

I'm still not sure what to think of this. I don't dislike it, but it just makes me want to put on Agalloch...

Elderwind - The Magic of Nature

Essentially a better version of Lustre and Eldamar. Still airy and atmospheric but has a feeling of movement and has actual vocals reciting lyrics.

Vader- Welcome to the Morbid Reich.

Ho...ly...crap...the RIFFS! The velocity! Such savagery! This album fucking slays!

Riot - Fire Down Under

So good. This album should be praised daily. Dirty, rockin', powerful!

Nile - At the Gates of Sethu

This album is fucking insane. I don't understand the low reviews.

Blind Guardian- Grand Parade


Damn fine. A shame we never got it live.

Laura Branigan - Self Control, off the album of the same name

This is a killer fucking 80's pop tune. Definitely a product of its time, but rather timeless as well. Neon, loud music, bangin' clubs... fuckin' A.

Jungle Rot - Jungle Rot

Fave album of the year so far and I love the cover art.

Pantera- Use My Third Arm

Often imitated (to pathetic results), never duplicated, accept no substitutes!

Mercyful Fate - Nightmare Be Thy Name

Seriously, what an opening track. Should really listen Time more. Not my total fave from them, but what could rival albums like their two first ones.

Sellsword - ....And Now We Ride

What a record ! Saw them last weekend at Bloodstock, with a toy trebuchet - great sound, great attitude, great presence. Probably seemed better by comparison with the mainstage (Devildriver / Jasta rubbish), but bought the album with a great patch thrown in too. Turns out to have been a great bet !

U.D.O. - Make the Move

It's Living for Tonite all over again. And that doesn't matter in the least in this context!

Faith No More - RV

My theme song

Time is a great album!


Immolation - The Purge

Fast and heavy!

Manilla Road - Far Side Of The Sun

Really growing on me - got a cool surf rock groove to it and some catchy vocal lines. Good stuff.

King Diamond - Shapes of Black

Everything by KD is gold, everything!

Serenity - For Freedom's Sake

I enjoyed their newest album "Lionheart", despite its utterly ridiculous glorification of the Crusades, but "War of Ages" remains my favorite. For one thing, there's no ridiculous glorification of the Crusades.

Mercy's 90s material is all pretty underwhelming on the whole, possibly simply because they were the best band in existence in the 80s, but I'll cosign on Time and Into the Unknown at least being decently worthwhile. In the Shadows and 9 both have a handful of good tracks with mostly filler and Dead Again is a total whiff from my memory, but those other two are solid the whole way through.

...and my other Dad's Day gift:
Dayum Dead Souls, said to take its title from a game.
Great music.
Both these guys and Hara Kiri... are from Austria. The new hotspot, eh?
***
od(means 'on deck') Nile Unas, the Slayer of the Gods

Fifth Angel - We Rule

I'm on my first spin of Time Will Tell, and I'm enjoying this a lot more than the debut (which I've probably only heard 3-4 times; got them both recently). Cleaner production, catchier songs, and incredibly tight guitar solos by comparison. The album is starting to feel a little bit long, but I am really enjoying this. I can see it becoming a favourite quickly.

Bathory - Blood Fire Death

Time to unveil this total classic. If I don't remember wrong, A Fine Day to Die was the first song I really got into. That or Enter the Eternal Fire. Or One Rode... who cares.

Saint Vitus - Live

I fucking love this live album, so great. The live performance is awesome.
It was recorded by the end of 1989 at Circus Gammelsdorf, Germany.

Kreator - Shadowland

Endorama is enjoyable and underrated. Gothic Kreator is great!