Hmm, while we're talking about idiotic mind-feces:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/r ... -1.1402010

Ride the Lightning and Kill 'Em All are the only Metallica albums I listen to again and again. Everything else just sounds really mediocre to me. I've always liked Megadeth a lot more. No more Dave, no more riff that is good.

Also, in the tradition of expressing unpopular opinions, I would take Circle the Wagons over Transilvanian Hunger any day.

That Cosmo-ish article reminds me of this Louis C.K. bit:



Absu rule. I'm pretty partial to Tara but there's honestly not a sore spot in their discography as far as I'm concerned. Looking forward to the next part of the self-titled...ish... trilogy.

I would agree, but I also loooove Leper Messiah and Harvester of Sorrow.

He defeats himself so fast that he deprives the world the pleasure of defeating him.

First time I heard Absu I didn't think much of them, wasn't particularly impressed. A few years later and I'm obsessed with them, they can do no wrong and Proscriptor is a beast.

Master Of Puppets contains some of the most potently crushing thrash metal tracks ever produced, however, the other half of the album is wildly inconsistent mid-paced metal. Damage, Inc. and Disposable Heroes are fucking crushing tracks, but I could totally do without the title track, Welcome Home, The Thing That Should Not Be and Orion.

I really like ...And Justice For All mainly because the progressive elements are spread throughout the entire thing and mixes in a hefty amount of thrash riffing. Kill 'em All is fantastic, as is Ride The Lightning, though I could do without Escape. That song is terrible. And I like the Black Album. At least that album is completely consistent and dedicated to what it's trying to do.

I've been waiting 2 months for a delivery of buttons from Hells Headbangers. Meanwhile Abyss Records took one week for the same thing.

Wow, glad you brought that up. Talk about the Metallica song that time forgot. Nobody ever talks about this one, although I do like the opening riff, until the vocals start.

@volute I used to live 40 minutes from their warehouse and I'd get my packages the next day or the day after no matter what shipping I chose.

I hate that opening riff so hard. Every time I listen to that album and accidently forget to skip it, I go, "shit, fucking goddamn it!" while I slam my finger on my device to get to the next track as quickly as possible.

I'm fairly positive the fault is with Australia Post, but I just can't be arsed to chase up or file a complaint for such a cheap item.

Absu rule and methinks 'Apsu' is slated for release sometime this December. I haven't seen any official press release but that's what some websites have published.

Fingers crossed.

These are the same lyrics that describe a man's eyes getting shot out of their sockets so that he can see his abdomen burst open or something. All this nonsense happens because the car ran over a person, too. You shouldn't expect sense.

Regardless, out of all the parts that make zero sense in that song, you pointed out one that does. The fourth child is on the way, that is unborn. Fetus on the road, with mangled little bones. The father has three children, and his wife is pregnant.

"Eyeballs ejected, his sight unaffected, he saw his own organs collapse." That's the line you're looking for, Ilwhyan.

As for Metallica, their first four albums are practically perfect metal records. Master of Puppets in particular is my favorite, with Disposable Heroes still being one of the most excellent pieces of thrash metal I've ever heard.

Thanks, Subrick, that's the one.

Damn straight, and apart from Abom nobody has mentioned the fucking awesome debut! Everything else is good to great, but for me the debut is another beast altogether, due to the rampant (and crushing) death metal elements. Behold:



Fucking brilliant.

I like Absu's debut a lot, actually. I'd take it over, say, Tara. But, for me, The Sun of Tiphareth and The Third Storm of Cythraul are masterpieces; fantastic epic atmospheres, instantly memorable songs and some of the strongest instrumental performances in black metal.

I need to see them live, Proscriptor's stage banter is hilarious.

I totally agree with those albums - The Sun of Tiphareth is close to being my favourite. I also really like Absu and Abzu, both are equally strong albums. My copy of Tara is a shitty copy protected Osmose press, which means I can't rip the damn thing, and it takes fucking ages to load on my player, if it loads at all...

Say what you will about Absu's albums, but as a live band, they absolutely slay. They actually managed to play such a crushing 45-minute onslaught of a gig that the evening's main band, Primordial, which I love, seemed unexpectedly bland after them. I will definitely go and see them live whenever I have a chance in the future.

Compared to Primordial they're superior in the studio, too!

Don't get me wrong I like Primordial, but their music can be a little static at times... good stuff if you're in the right mood, but I don't think that I could ever love them. Der's more to Ireland den dis.

That's quite a good definition of Primordial, I think. Static, atmospheric, and takes a special mood to listen to if you really want to concentrate on the music. But also pretty damn perfect driving music for a dark night or background music for doiong stuff. Kinda like Opeth, really, except, well, better.

Also, you're just jealous of the Irish, you Scotch loser.

Don't you dare talk ill of Orion!

Another fine example of Napero's Swedish humour, folks. Jealous of what, exactly? The eyebrows on their cheeks or the fact that they're still searching for that ever elusive recipe for ice cubes? My mother's half-Irish... and I'll never forgive her for it!

I didn't know you were quarter-Irish. It's OK. Just say aloud "I'm black and I'm proud".

The weather here in Stockholm's Rinkeby seems nice, I think I'll go for a stroll, pop in IKA to buy some surströmming and folköl, and then watch Solsidan på TV.

Men ska vi tala lite svenska och gå til Åland för en öl eller två?

Also, Absu's only worthy album is the debut, written before Proscriptor's rather tepid writing took over the band. I suppose it's the early, occult death metal stylings that really draw me to the debut rather than anything else. Though it's been a while since I've listened to that one. The later albums are alright too, I guess, but rather ho-hum. Goes in through one ear and out through the other.

A Nordic MA meet on the Åland islands would be nice. Neutral ground, no armed forces, half way to everything... A bit on the expensive side, but trips there would be cheap-ish from virtually every spot in the Nordics.

Agreed. Journey's End is perfect for those foggy, rainy mid-fall days (or 50% of the year in Nordic countries.) One of my favorite albums to listen to in that weather alongside Thyrfing's Hels Vite.

You can tell tey really like Celtic Frost with that album.

Will echo the Absu love going down over the past couple pages, band can truly do no wrong. I think musically I enjoy Tara and Cythraul the most and equally but for different reasons. I think the overall mix on Tara is better, with the drums slightly lower but still prevalent, but the way the vocals sound on Cythraul is pure. fucking. magik.

Can't wait for Apzu. Also, Frog, you should maybe check the self titled if you haven't. There's quite a bit of electronics in there that kinda set it part from the rest which may appeal to you.

*edit: and Ride the Lightning > all... except Jump in the Fiiiiyah!

*Obligatory "It's only good because Dave Mustaine!" comment.*

Is Apzu gonna be the last of the "variations on Absu" named albums? I only ask because I'm struggling to think of what further ones would be called outside of "Apsu".

I think it only applies to Polish people.

I've done a fair bit of pondering about Primordial lately and I've come to the conclusion that they're just....not as good as they should be. Despite being very much a mood band that's easy to describe in a certain way that makes it seem like they're a band that rides on atmosphere and raw emotion more than anything else, the songs that really have staying power for me are the ones that really stand out riff-wise. The songs that float along entirely on atmosphere and Alan's voice can be alright if you're in the mood and they're currently playing, but they really just don't have much staying power.

For example, just listen to something as masterful and melodically powerful as "The Coffin Ships" then compare it to, well, the whole rest of the album. "The Golden Spiral" is sorta similar but not quite as powerful; the title track, "The Song of the Tomb", and "End of All Times" are just kinda of...bleh. The last two tracks have some neat ideas but aren't all that consistent. To the Nameless Dead suffers from similar inconsistency.

Maybe the new album's better all around, though. Still haven't heard it.

It should be the last. The upcoming album 'Apsu' is the Sumerian spelling. The previous albums 'Abzu' and 'Absu' are the Mesopotamian and English versions respectively.

I generally find it silly when bands seem to think that their music can subsist on atmosphere alone. Atmosphere is a pretty static attribute. It's like the setting of a story. You can't have just the setting and be done with it. Something needs to happen in the world you're building. Something such as riffs.

I think I can agree with you regarding Primordial. Especially the later albums are guilty of this.

Have you heard Spirit the Earth Aflame? Probably their "riffiest" and it plays with more triumphant themes aside from their normal grit and melancholy, as well as having a sharp, reverb-y production. Very much my favorite and doesn't sound quite like anything else they've done. Listen to "Glorious Dawn" - It's my favorite Primordial song by a longshot.

Redemption has some GREAT songs (The opener, Lain With the Wolf and Bloodied Yet Unbowed, my second-favorite Primordial song) but the rest just sort of amble around. I'm a pretty big fan of the band but I'd say it's their weakest after Storm Before Calm.

I've heard everything up to TTND. Yeah, I do miss their riffier earlier bits, but they hadn't quite figured out how to really milk that emotional weight yet back then. I want both at once, and consistently, damnit!

Now if only he could have stayed in Metallica so I could have enjoyed his riffs without having to hear his stupid fucking voice...

Leaving for the Katatonia / Cult of Luna show in a little bit. My buddy bailed on me so I'll have an extra ticket with me. It's a two hour drive, so if anyone is bored and wants in, shoot me a PM. Doesn't seem like the kind of show that scalping tickets would do any good for, especially since it's not sold out!

EDIT: It's the Pittsburgh show by the way.