Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives

Message board

* FAQ    * Register   * Login 



Reply to topic
Author Message Previous topic | Next topic
vegetable
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:05 am
Posts: 122
PostPosted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 2:20 am 
 

Nile's Those Whom the Gods Detest.

Yeah, it's all very clean and the music screams LOOK HOW EGYPTY PHARAOHSIANS WE ARE!!!! with the most obvious scale progressions, and overdone shouty vocals. But I just finally listened to it a few days ago and it's pretty catchy and enjoyable. I was pretty annoyed with it when it came out.

Just forget that it's the same band that put out Catacombs and Darkened Shrines.

Top
 Profile  
lord_ghengis
Still Standing After 38 Beers... hic

Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:31 pm
Posts: 5953
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 3:15 am 
 

I like THTGD a lot actually, definitely better than the crud on each side surrounding it, I think the biggest issue it has is consistency, tracks like "Utterances of the Crawling Dead" are a clear way above the meat of the album, which draws more attention to its shortcomings.
_________________
Naamath wrote:
No comments, no words need it, no BM, no compromise, only grains in her face.

Top
 Profile  
~Guest 292988
Metal newbie

Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 8:22 am
Posts: 312
PostPosted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 10:28 am 
 

Know


Last edited by ~Guest 292988 on Tue May 05, 2015 6:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Top
 Profile  
Riffs
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 1:48 am
Posts: 1077
Location: Montréal, Québec
PostPosted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 1:59 pm 
 

Black Sabbath's Born Again.

It's a flawed album because of the "Deep Purply", hard rock tracks but a bunch of the songs are amazingly powerful and dark. The muddy production, insane atmosphere and weird sound effects all contribute to making this one of my favourite Sabbath record just for songs like Disturbing the Priest, Zero the Hero and the title track. Iommi, Geezer and Ward are great if a little subdued and Gillan is absolutely stellar here.

I used to agree with others that a better production would help the album but I can't even imagine it being any different anymore. I just wish there was more to listen to from that lineup.
_________________
mjollnir wrote:
Noble Beast's debut album is way beyond MOST of what Priest did in the 80s.

Top
 Profile  
Lagartija
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:27 am
Posts: 2042
Location: Catalunya
PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:22 am 
 

Punishing wrote:
Will somebody please redeem Obituary for me???????????

I love every single Obie album although certain tracks - especially on the last couple - drag like fuck, and that rap song on 'Back from the dead' is indeed balls-in-mincer time, but apart from that their discography is pretty flawless for me.

Top
 Profile  
LordStenhammar
Veteran

Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:46 am
Posts: 3062
Location: Not in Sweden
PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:36 am 
 

MikeyC wrote:

Metallica - St. Anger

Yeah, the snare sounds like trash cans - it's obvious - but I can't help but love this. "Frantic" and "Dirty Window" come to mind as some choice cuts from the album. I understand the length of the songs and album as a whole can be a little off-putting, but it honestly doesn't phase me too much. It's raw and it's the absolute naked truth of what Metallica were circa 2003, and, despite its criticisms, shits all over the Load and Reload garbage.


I'm on the other side of the fence then. Load/Reload have some great songs, Bleeding Me, The Outlaw Thorn, Where the Wild Things Are, whereas St. Anger was an outright dissapointment. I'm not saying Load and its follower were perfect albums. They could've been 30 minutes shorter. But they surely defend their place.

Top
 Profile  
Riffs
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 1:48 am
Posts: 1077
Location: Montréal, Québec
PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:34 pm 
 

ScandalfTheShite wrote:

I'm on the other side of the fence then. Load/Reload have some great songs, Bleeding Me, The Outlaw Thorn, Where the Wild Things Are, whereas St. Anger was an outright dissapointment. I'm not saying Load and its follower were perfect albums. They could've been 30 minutes shorter. But they surely defend their place.


I like Load and Reload for what they are. Alternative/90s/Whatever hard rock. Lots of fun songs for that style of music plus a kickass production.

They only fail for me when judged as proper Metallica records.
_________________
mjollnir wrote:
Noble Beast's debut album is way beyond MOST of what Priest did in the 80s.

Top
 Profile  
Goatfangs
58.2% Metal

Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:02 pm
Posts: 2804
Location: United States
PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 3:42 pm 
 

In Flames - Sounds of a Playground Fading

It's no secret that I like In Flames' later albums. Even STYE has its moments, though that is their weakest album. Between A Sense of Purpose and Sounds of a Playground Fading, Jesper Strömblad left In Flames (and later formed the band The Resistance). This should have marked a major stylistic shift for In Flames. Instead what I found with Sounds of a Playground Fading was more or less an album that is A Sense of Purpose II with some further experimentation and some further delving into classic In Flames territory. The riffs are generally catchy and there are several moments that remind of Clayman and prior albums - such as the song A New Dawn. Björn Gelotte incorporated longer guitar solos (I like both solos in Darker Times, for example). It's not without its downsides, such as the song Liberation (this is In Flames going full alternative rock here). If you dislike In Flames for its modern influences and catchy songs, or even if you just find Anders Friden annoying, this album won't win you over. But it's not a bad album at all.

Speaking of albums that marked a major stylistic change for the band...

Soilwork - Figure Number Five

Soilwork had been incorporating modern influences in their brand of melodic death metal since they formed. With A Predator's Portrait Björn Strid started to do clean singing. There was even more of that with Natural Born Chaos, but both albums are generally melodic death metal with some modern influences. But with Figure Number Five, they pushed the "modern sound" slider all the way to 11. There are some glints of melodeath still, but it's generally less aggressive and more groove oriented than Natural Born Chaos. Lots of keyboards and clean singing here as well. The riffs are generally simple compared to previous (and later) albums. But the songs are catchy and several of them have been staples of Soilwork's set list, such as Distortion Sleep. In fact, I'd say this is one of my favorite Soilwork songs. It certainly helps that Björn Strid can actually sing. His growls aren't that special, but his clean vocals are among the best in modern metal. If you don't like modern metal, this won't be for you, but any Soilwork fan should really give this album a chance since it's still distinctly Soilwork (just with the modern elements at their maximum).

Still, I think Soilwork needs to do an album that has more riffs of the kind found on the song Entering Aeons. The Living Infinite also disproves the notion that a band only reaches their pinnacle once.

Disarmonia Mundi - Mind Tricks

I don't get why this album only has a 60% review average when it has pretty much all of the elements that made Fragments of D-Generation great.
_________________
LGBTQ+
Unashamedly colorful

And they'll tell you black is really white - The moon is just the sun at night - And when you walk in golden halls - You get to keep the gold that falls - It's Heaven and Hell

Top
 Profile  
Punishing
Delicious Penis Connoisseur

Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:28 am
Posts: 126
Location: Egypt
PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 12:16 pm 
 

Are you kidding me about In Flames????????????
_________________
from the ills of my whimsy rose Napero's poem

Top
 Profile  
Goatfangs
58.2% Metal

Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:02 pm
Posts: 2804
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 2:44 pm 
 

Punishing wrote:
Are you kidding me about In Flames????????????


Nope. :3
_________________
LGBTQ+
Unashamedly colorful

And they'll tell you black is really white - The moon is just the sun at night - And when you walk in golden halls - You get to keep the gold that falls - It's Heaven and Hell

Top
 Profile  
Smalley
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:06 am
Posts: 1327
PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 8:27 pm 
 

Punishing wrote:
Are you kidding me about In Flames????????????

His post was kind of the point of this thread, wasn't it?

:-P
_________________
Home Forum

ThStealthK wrote:
Thank god you're not a music teacher, the wisest decision you've ever made in your life.

Top
 Profile  
TheLiberation
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:56 pm
Posts: 615
Location: Poland
PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:28 pm 
 

MikeyC wrote:
Decapitated - Carnival is Forever

It's a miracle that this album even exists, but it does, and not many like it. I enjoy the groove they've put in their songs, and it's a nice step in direction for the band, even if it does exhibit more unpopular core elements. Now the drummer has left so I'm not sure on the future of this band, but I would like to see another album of this sort of style.

As my review of the album probably proves, I totally don't get the criticism this album gets and it's just pure fucking awesome from start to finish. It's loaded with awesome riffing, incredible passion and aggression, and flows absolutely perfectly, plus it has a few more atmospheric moments which are perfectly fitted in. I'm eagerly waiting for the next album (the lineup has rotated quite a bit since but it seems stable again), as this one is just plain excellent. One of the cases when a great personal tragedy became influence to create a powerful piece of art, in my opinion. (Even though everyone prefers that never happened and wonder what would a fifth album by the "classic" Decapitated sound like...)
_________________
Poisonfume wrote:
I marvel at the clusterfuck of confusion we have constructed.

Top
 Profile  
themicrulah
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:00 am
Posts: 1167
PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:39 pm 
 

Goatfangs wrote:
Punishing wrote:
Are you kidding me about In Flames????????????


Nope. :3

I feel you brother. If I'm feeling nostalgic I'll put on some STYE or Reroute, this is what made me love metal!!!
_________________
Treeweaver's new demo EP Aradia is now available!
Official Treeweaver Facebook Page
I SPREAD DISEASE LIKE A DOG, DISCHARGE MY PAYLOOOOAD
A MILE HIGH ROTTEN EGG AIR OF DEATH, ASSAULTS YOUR NOSTRILS!

Top
 Profile  
Ecliptik
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2006 4:58 pm
Posts: 513
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 11:13 pm 
 

Empyreal wrote:
Sonata Arctica - Unia. People constantly say they're tired of cliche in music but when something as unprecedented and progressive as this comes from a band like SA, they shit all over it...


I really love Sonata's new material. The Days of Grays is one of the best albums they've ever put together, and Stones is rock-solid and thoroughly excellent for the most part. If they keep on releasing albums in the vein of their new style, I would be more than fine with that. But that album, that one album, has never grown on me. I've really tried to like it more, and at times when the stars are aligned and the moon is blue, I'll be in the mood to listen to it. It has its moments, but I dunno, six years after its release and I'm still not enthralled by it as I am with the ones that came after. I think it just sounds too transitional and confused, like they're desperate to change but they don't have as clear of an idea of what they wanted to do as they do on the following releases.

Top
 Profile  
Goatfangs
58.2% Metal

Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:02 pm
Posts: 2804
Location: United States
PostPosted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 1:21 am 
 

THEMICRULAH wrote:
I feel you brother. If I'm feeling nostalgic I'll put on some STYE or Reroute, this is what made me love metal!!!


Since those albums were the first two albums I listened to from In Flames, they are definitely nostalgic for me. I blasted both back in 2005 and 2006 - when Come Clarity was released, I blasted that one too. Got pulled over for speeding while listening to that one. The version of Come Clarity I have is signed by all of the band members, so it's one of my most treasured CDs. I also beat that speeding ticket just by sending them a letter claiming that the vehicle I was driving can't go that fast. Though in the years since I've listened to a tremendous amount of albums that far surpass Reroute to Remain, Soundtrack To Your Escape and Come Clarity, I have also yet to hear anything quite like any of those albums. They aren't even like each other aside from unifying tropes and the vocals of Anders Friden. I get what is so disliked about Anders' vocals, but I personally prefer that over radio-rock and pop music released these days. He also improved considerably on ASOP and SOAPF.
_________________
LGBTQ+
Unashamedly colorful

And they'll tell you black is really white - The moon is just the sun at night - And when you walk in golden halls - You get to keep the gold that falls - It's Heaven and Hell

Top
 Profile  
suleiman
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:51 am
Posts: 553
Location: Pakistan
PostPosted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 3:56 am 
 

Metal_Jaw wrote:
A few of Priest's albums still rock my world despite the general consenious. "Turbo" comes to mind first, though the songs "Parental Guidance" and "Rock You All Around The World" can kiss my ass. But the moody buildup of "Turbo Lover", the dark sleaze of "Hot For Love", the pounding synths in "Out In The Cold", the catchy, rambunctious fun of "Reckless"...it just works for me. It's entertaining, harmless party metal!



Word ! I feel the same way, but you forgot "Locked In". Also, the videos for Turbo Lover and Locked In were ridiculously overtop pieces of lovable 80's cheese.

Top
 Profile  
Empyreal
The Final Frontier

Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:58 pm
Posts: 35177
Location: Where the dead rule the night
PostPosted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 7:25 am 
 

Ecliptik wrote:
Empyreal wrote:
Sonata Arctica - Unia. People constantly say they're tired of cliche in music but when something as unprecedented and progressive as this comes from a band like SA, they shit all over it...


I really love Sonata's new material. The Days of Grays is one of the best albums they've ever put together, and Stones is rock-solid and thoroughly excellent for the most part. If they keep on releasing albums in the vein of their new style, I would be more than fine with that. But that album, that one album, has never grown on me. I've really tried to like it more, and at times when the stars are aligned and the moon is blue, I'll be in the mood to listen to it. It has its moments, but I dunno, six years after its release and I'm still not enthralled by it as I am with the ones that came after. I think it just sounds too transitional and confused, like they're desperate to change but they don't have as clear of an idea of what they wanted to do as they do on the following releases.


Fair opinion for sure, but honestly I have to say - Days of Grays is only half as weird or proggy as Unia with the other songs being traditional Sonata songs, and Stones Grow Her Name is only reviled by people who don't like the songtitle "Shitload of Money" or are addicted to power metal purely as an orthodox form. Unia is the band boldly striding somewhere new and doing something nobody has done before, taking an idea to its extreme.
_________________
Cinema Freaks latest reviews: Black Roses
Fictional Works - if you hated my reviews over the years then pay me back by reviewing my own stuff
Official Website

Top
 Profile  
MikeyC
Official Greeter of Broken Hills

Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:16 am
Posts: 14211
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 6:59 pm 
 

TheLiberation wrote:
MikeyC wrote:
Decapitated - Carnival is Forever

It's a miracle that this album even exists, but it does, and not many like it. I enjoy the groove they've put in their songs, and it's a nice step in direction for the band, even if it does exhibit more unpopular core elements. Now the drummer has left so I'm not sure on the future of this band, but I would like to see another album of this sort of style.

As my review of the album probably proves, I totally don't get the criticism this album gets and it's just pure fucking awesome from start to finish. It's loaded with awesome riffing, incredible passion and aggression, and flows absolutely perfectly, plus it has a few more atmospheric moments which are perfectly fitted in. I'm eagerly waiting for the next album (the lineup has rotated quite a bit since but it seems stable again), as this one is just plain excellent. One of the cases when a great personal tragedy became influence to create a powerful piece of art, in my opinion. (Even though everyone prefers that never happened and wonder what would a fifth album by the "classic" Decapitated sound like...)

Couldn't have said it better myself, mate. :thumbsup:
_________________
ZarathustraHead wrote:
That person is me. ZarathustraHead.

ZarathustraHead wrote:
You can find me listening to the good, real shit. The real good shit. I'll be here.

Top
 Profile  
slayrrr666
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:47 pm
Posts: 194
Location: United States
PostPosted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 12:25 pm 
 

Okay, I think it's time to defend one:

Judas Priest-Jugulator
So much of the hate I've seen for this is what's not there (and granted, it's a 50-ton elephant in the room): the lack of Rob. Frankly, if this was the first album I heard from the band, I wouldn't have known that. Far more vicious and aggressive than anything they've ever done, packed with tons of great riffs (the title track, Blood Stained and Death Row), a stellar production job that not only lets the instruments come through loud and clear but gives the songs whatever's needed (a touch of class on Bullet Train or a dirty, aggressive vibe on Dead Meat) and frankly, it's Tim's best vocal performance ever where several of his lines in Abductors really sound like Rob was doing it all along. Sure, you have a few clunkers in there, but Cathedral Spires more than makes up for it and overall, this remains in my top 5 of Priest albums for those reasons.
_________________
joppek wrote:
enigmatech wrote:
I don't consider Portal to be a death metal band, because I haven't heard their albums, and I'm not interested in their music


i don't consider gordon ramsay to be a chef, because i haven't been to his restaurants, and i'm not interested in his food

Top
 Profile  
Evoken
Metalhead

Joined: Thu May 13, 2004 11:02 am
Posts: 970
Location: United States
PostPosted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 2:55 pm 
 

Dissection - Reinkaos

This album kicks ass. I know a lot of Dissection fans don't feel that way, but that's their loss. I find it to be a well written, well played, and well recorded album that is memorable and a great way to end Dissection's career. You can tell that Jon put a lot of thought and time into the arrangements, lyrics, and songwriting. It's a real pity that many Dissection bands were so focused on what it wasn't than what it was that they missed out. Yes, it's not Storm of the Light's Bane Part 2, and while that would have been nice to hear, I think what we got instead is equally as interesting...just different. I think people who didn't like it when it came out should give it another try.

Top
 Profile  
AnimeDad
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2013 6:08 am
Posts: 40
PostPosted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 3:07 am 
 

Quote:
Point Of Entry is my favorite 80s Priest album. I am not sorry.


That's ok. Only 70s Priest is worth a damn. But that's another story for another thread.

Back on topic, huh, most maligned metal albums are maligned for a good reason. I guess Gorgoroth's Destroyer doesn't get quite enough due. It continues the songwriting style of the previous albums (including their distinctly classy, non-cheesy melodicism) but aesthetically evolves into something almost like noise rock at times. Also, the revolving lineup gives it an interesting "best of" vibe--we hear every dimension of the band. Their last worthwhile album IMO.
_________________
IT'S OKAY TO BE GAY! HOMOPHONES!

Top
 Profile  
HorrorMetal
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 2:14 pm
Posts: 137
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 12:45 am 
 

I'll gladly defend the three Testament albums without Alex Skolnick (Low, Demonic, The Gathering). They seem to get a lot of crap but I find them to be some of Testament's best work. It definitely sucks that Skolnick is absent (he's one of my all time favorite guitarists) but these albums are among the heaviest released by the band and have some truly great tracks. Actually the band as a whole seems to get constantly trashed as it is, which I find truly unfathomable.

Also, all the Exodus albums from the Rob Dukes era are a whole lot better than most people realize. Okay I get it, Dukes isn't Paul Baloff or Steve Souza and does sound a bit reminiscent of most nu metal vocalists, can we move on please? Shovel Headed Kill Machine and The Atrocity Exhibition Exhibits A and B are very underrated in my opinion, there are some damn good songs to be found here! They're definitely not up to par with their thrash masterpieces from the past, but are quite enjoyable nonetheless. The band also got significantly darker and more serious both musically and lyrically during this era, which I greatly appreciate.

Oh and God Hates Us All by Slayer. That album ruled and, for me, would rank as their sixth best album behind the first five. For those who say it sounds like a nu metal album, sorry but I just don't hear it.
_________________
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dismal-Descent/423874327649136

Top
 Profile  
Lagartija
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:27 am
Posts: 2042
Location: Catalunya
PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:47 am 
 

'The gathering' is a monumental cracker of an album, the same goes for Exodus' 'Atrocity' part 2 (I haven't heard Part A properly). Very different from their classic records, but that is obvious, there are a lot of years, dollars and improvements between them so it doesn't make any sense to compare them.

Top
 Profile  
warewolf95
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:03 am
Posts: 33
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:18 pm 
 

Megadeth - Cryptic Writings

I understand why people dislike the album, but I think its far better than most give it credit for.

For one, they "went commercial" but still sounded like themselves. None of that Metallica "oh we gotta not sound like ourselves" shit

The lyrics are a high point as well, often pissed and angry. I mean Sin, I'll Get Even, Use The Man

There's even a thrash song or two - FFF, Vortex, Disintegrators, She-Wolf

The last point I want to make is that, regardless of the fact that they made a commercial album that was a plain bid for commercial acceptance, it really feels like an honest album for me. Like, "Ok, we're gonna pull a Black Album, but people are still gonna clearly know its us" etc.

Plus, if you're an all around music listener that listens to anything from folk to death metal etc, you can appreciate that, when the chips fall, the songs are good

I didn't say great. I said good. Enjoyable. Pleasant. etc.


It's no masterpiece of an album by any means, but I think it gets unfairly aligned with Risk. Risk was jumping in the deep end - CW was dipping their toes in the water.

This album is a pretty good example, imo, of how to "go commercial" successfully. Seriously, Cryptic Writings is enjoyable as fuck.

Top
 Profile  
warewolf95
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:03 am
Posts: 33
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:21 pm 
 

HorrorMetal wrote:
I'll gladly defend the three Testament albums without Alex Skolnick (Low, Demonic, The Gathering). They seem to get a lot of crap but I find them to be some of Testament's best work. It definitely sucks that Skolnick is absent (he's one of my all time favorite guitarists) but these albums are among the heaviest released by the band and have some truly great tracks. Actually the band as a whole seems to get constantly trashed as it is, which I find truly unfathomable.

Also, all the Exodus albums from the Rob Dukes era are a whole lot better than most people realize. Okay I get it, Dukes isn't Paul Baloff or Steve Souza and does sound a bit reminiscent of most nu metal vocalists, can we move on please? Shovel Headed Kill Machine and The Atrocity Exhibition Exhibits A and B are very underrated in my opinion, there are some damn good songs to be found here! They're definitely not up to par with their thrash masterpieces from the past, but are quite enjoyable nonetheless. The band also got significantly darker and more serious both musically and lyrically during this era, which I greatly appreciate.

Oh and God Hates Us All by Slayer. That album ruled and, for me, would rank as their sixth best album behind the first five. For those who say it sounds like a nu metal album, sorry but I just don't hear it.


What about Christ Illusion? I fucking love that album yet it gets shit on all over, it seems. Some weak tracks, but on the whole a solid-as-fuck thrash album. Also Diabolus In Musica. That record gets beat to shit. I mean, they experimented a shitload on that album, but there is still enough heaviness and quite a few thrash songs/moments on it for it to be acceptable. I really truly love Diabolus - there is enough experimental variation to keep it interesting, but not so much to make you think they've lost the plot. Seriously. Heavy shit.

Also, the 3 Testament album you mentioned. Low is my shit.

Top
 Profile  
warewolf95
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:03 am
Posts: 33
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:25 pm 
 

slayrrr666 wrote:
Okay, I think it's time to defend one:

Judas Priest-Jugulator
So much of the hate I've seen for this is what's not there (and granted, it's a 50-ton elephant in the room): the lack of Rob. Frankly, if this was the first album I heard from the band, I wouldn't have known that. Far more vicious and aggressive than anything they've ever done, packed with tons of great riffs (the title track, Blood Stained and Death Row), a stellar production job that not only lets the instruments come through loud and clear but gives the songs whatever's needed (a touch of class on Bullet Train or a dirty, aggressive vibe on Dead Meat) and frankly, it's Tim's best vocal performance ever where several of his lines in Abductors really sound like Rob was doing it all along. Sure, you have a few clunkers in there, but Cathedral Spires more than makes up for it and overall, this remains in my top 5 of Priest albums for those reasons.


Jugulator lover and supporter here.

Great stuff. The problem though is that it doesn't sound like Priest. If it was say, a debut by another band or something, Im sure it wouldve been better received - because the album is certainly heavy as all fuck. Dead Meat, Burn In Hell, Jugulator, Cathedral Spires, etc.

Great shit, but the album lacks the melodicism associated with Priest. I think that's why its so hard for so many to "get" the album etc.

Also, Owens got a lot of shit he didnt deserve, imo. He fucking sounds like a heavier Halford and can scream higher than a dog can hear. Filling the shoes of the metal god would be easy for nobody. Owens4lyfe

Top
 Profile  
warewolf95
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:03 am
Posts: 33
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:27 pm 
 

suleiman wrote:
Metal_Jaw wrote:
A few of Priest's albums still rock my world despite the general consenious. "Turbo" comes to mind first, though the songs "Parental Guidance" and "Rock You All Around The World" can kiss my ass. But the moody buildup of "Turbo Lover", the dark sleaze of "Hot For Love", the pounding synths in "Out In The Cold", the catchy, rambunctious fun of "Reckless"...it just works for me. It's entertaining, harmless party metal!



Word ! I feel the same way, but you forgot "Locked In". Also, the videos for Turbo Lover and Locked In were ridiculously overtop pieces of lovable 80's cheese.


Out In The Cold is heavy as fuck.

"IM OUT IN THE COOOOOOOLLLLLLDDDDDDD! YOU HEAR ME CALLLLLLLLIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!!!!"

I'd like to hear that song with an orchestra

Top
 Profile  
warewolf95
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:03 am
Posts: 33
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:29 pm 
 

Riffs wrote:
ScandalfTheShite wrote:

I'm on the other side of the fence then. Load/Reload have some great songs, Bleeding Me, The Outlaw Thorn, Where the Wild Things Are, whereas St. Anger was an outright dissapointment. I'm not saying Load and its follower were perfect albums. They could've been 30 minutes shorter. But they surely defend their place.


I like Load and Reload for what they are. Alternative/90s/Whatever hard rock. Lots of fun songs for that style of music plus a kickass production.

They only fail for me when judged as proper Metallica records.


^This

Load/Reload actually have some of Hetfield's best lyrics, imo. The key to enjoying the two albums is to forget it's Metallica. If you can appreciate a good song, or a catchy chorus, you'll find something to like. etc.

Top
 Profile  
warewolf95
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:03 am
Posts: 33
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:34 pm 
 

JT Rager wrote:
Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity

I really think this album is still suffering from a backlash it got back during the time of it's release. You have to realize, Dream Theater had just released two CLASSIC albums that people still consider AMAZING, Images & Words and Awake. When you compare FII to either of those, yes, the songs have simpler instrumentation and song structures which is a minus for the prog metal crowd. That, and after the first track you get an absolutely terrible pop track. But, hey, you got that in Images & Words too and most people don't care. Now listen to the opener, "New Millenium", and you'll hear Dream Theater actually GROOVING, getting some feeling behind the music. Same thing with the epic "Lines in the Sand". There's no instrumental wank anywhere on this album, which is the criticism DT gets the most for their music. The one time they go overboard is in the absolutely gorgeous "Hell's Kitchen", with emotional shredding and chords along the lines of Buckethead. Put in their greatest ballad track in "Hollow Years", the energetic "Just Let Me Breathe", a heart-wrenching closer epic "Trial of Tears", and a few other great tracks and you get this album. Despite a few pop songs here and there, I consider this one of my favorites of DT.

I would go on to say why it's so much better than Scenes from a Memory, but this isn't a "Trash those overrated albums" thread.


THIS ALBUM SO MUCH^

This is another album where it comes down to whether or not you can simply enjoy a good song. Also, the fact that it wasn't their fault it came out the way it did redeems the album even more.

Listen to the official bootleg of the original double album - Its almost, maybe as good, as Awake.

Seriously maligned album - this album is a true case to be made for not judging a book by its cover. Blame the record company for how it came out (I still love it anyway)

:)

Top
 Profile  
The Infamous Bastard
Metal newbie

Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:47 am
Posts: 310
PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 12:48 pm 
 

I don't know if Slayer's "Undisputed Attitude" is something "maligned" (not really), but it's something that I value a lot more than many others and much more than other records by them, for the reason that the album had initially put me on the verge of hardcore/punk music.

Top
 Profile  
Mojo Bundy
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2013 10:28 pm
Posts: 39
PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 3:09 pm 
 

I've always been a big Load fan. I'll admit that it was the first Metallica I heard when I was a kid other than Enter Sandman, but I don't think that has much to do with it, since Reload also fits in that category, but even though I liked the singles off of it when it first came out (including The Unforgiven II, which to this day, I think gets a much worse rap than deserved), when I first heard the complete album, I considered it a subpar album with Load leftovers that mostly should have stayed in the studio. But Load itself has a ton of great songs like King Nothing, Poor Twisted Me, Outlaw Torn, Ronnie...totally different from what I heard when I actually purchased my first Metallica albums in 98, which were Kill Em All And Ride The Lightning on a used rack at the local store...but they still stand up on their own, in my mind. I think it comes down to how much you can tolerate/enjoy Hetfield on his 90's-alt-metal-outlaw-country kick, but Load may be my 4th favorite Metallica album after MOP, RTL, KEA...I've never been able to feel TOO warmly towards AJFA...just feels a little too unfocused and forced at times, and Black Album has always been too sterile for me besides a few killer tracks like Wherever I May Roam.

Agreed with warewolf on Cryptic Writings also, although I'd say Megadeth had gone mainstream with Countdown, and if you consider the deep cut thrashy tracks on CW, it might be less mainstream overall than Youthanasia. Don't get me wrong though...I really like all three of those albums.

I'm also a fan of Opeth's Heritage...as a prog album more than a metal album, but that can be said for a lot of Opeth at this point I think. Again, a case where I don't get the backlash in the scope of the bands entire career.

Top
 Profile  
Diamhea
Eats and Spits Corpses

Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2007 7:46 pm
Posts: 9275
Location: At the Heat of Winter
PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 4:17 pm 
 

Overkill's W.F.O. gets a lot of shit for supposedly being one of Overkill's groove albums. Other than the vehement production, the album thrashes harder than any other Overkill album from the 90's save for Horrorscope. It also has quality thrashers like "Where It Hurts", "Fast Junkie", "They Eat Their Young", and the anthemic "Bastard Nation". In fact the album only slows down enough to be considered groove on maybe 2 tracks. Definitely an underrated album that doesn't fit the public perception of itself.
_________________
nuclearskull wrote:
Leave a steaming, stinking Rotting Repulsive Rotting Corpse = LIVE YOUNG - DIE FREE and move on to the NEXT form of yourself....or just be a fat Wal-Mart Mcdonalds pc of shit what do I give a fuck what you do.

Last.fm

Top
 Profile  
Unity
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 5:42 pm
Posts: 1886
Location: Portugal
PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 4:30 pm 
 

Satyricon's "Rebel Extravaganza" and Moonspell's "The Butterfly Effect". Both very cold and industrial records that get a lot of hate for not having the atmosphere that albums like "Dark Medieval Times" and "Wolfheart" have. I love industrial metal though, so I find them thoroughly enjoyable. =)
_________________
Stand rigid for the next battle,
Peace means reloading your guns

Top
 Profile  
LVB
Metal newbie

Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:26 am
Posts: 204
PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 11:02 am 
 

Burzum - Dauði Baldrs: Thinking of maligned albums, this is the only one that springs to mind that I enjoy but suffers a poor reputation. First, put it into context. This was all that Varg was able to do behind prison walls, then imagine the music as a soundtrack to some ms dos adventure/fantasy game from the early 90's. The music still has the haunting Burzum melodies and feeling. I rank music this way: concept and expression first - delivers that ancient, melancholic feeling typical of Burzum; production/sonics - albeit poor, doesn't ruin the the concept/expression criteria. While not a favorite album, I would probably rate it no higher than 70; it's still far more interesting than Varg's post prison releases (even though I haven't heard them all, it just seems he lost his fire.)

Top
 Profile  
Abominatrix
Harbinger of Metal

Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2003 12:15 pm
Posts: 9311
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:39 pm 
 

Mojo Bundy wrote:
I've always been a big Load fan. I'll admit that it was the first Metallica I heard when I was a kid other than Enter Sandman, but I don't think that has much to do with it, since Reload also fits in that category, but even though I liked the singles off of it when it first came out (including The Unforgiven II, which to this day, I think gets a much worse rap than deserved), when I first heard the complete album, I considered it a subpar album with Load leftovers that mostly should have stayed in the studio. But Load itself has a ton of great songs like King Nothing, Poor Twisted Me, Outlaw Torn, Ronnie...totally different from what I heard when I actually purchased my first Metallica albums in 98, which were Kill Em All And Ride The Lightning on a used rack at the local store...but they still stand up on their own, in my mind. I think it comes down to how much you can tolerate/enjoy Hetfield on his 90's-alt-metal-outlaw-country kick, but Load may be my 4th favorite Metallica album after MOP, RTL, KEA...I've never been able to feel TOO warmly towards AJFA...just feels a little too unfocused and forced at times, and Black Album has always been too sterile for me besides a few killer tracks like Wherever I May Roam.

Agreed with warewolf on Cryptic Writings also, although I'd say Megadeth had gone mainstream with Countdown, and if you consider the deep cut thrashy tracks on CW, it might be less mainstream overall than Youthanasia. Don't get me wrong though...I really like all three of those albums.

I'm also a fan of Opeth's Heritage...as a prog album more than a metal album, but that can be said for a lot of Opeth at this point I think. Again, a case where I don't get the backlash in the scope of the bands entire career.


I don't entirely disagree, Load is certainly an all right rock album. I don't hear much "modern" inflection in it though...to me it just sounds like Metallica is going further into their past and embracing the sounds of AC/DC and Lynard Skynard rather than Diamond Head and Judas Priest....
_________________
Hush! and hark
To the sorrowful cry
Of the wind in the dark.
Hush and hark, without murmur or sigh,
To shoon that tread the lost aeons:
To the sound that bids you to die.

Top
 Profile  
Acrobat
Eric Olthwaite

Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:53 am
Posts: 8854
Location: Yorkshire
PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:43 pm 
 

HorrorMetal wrote:
I'll gladly defend the three Testament albums without Alex Skolnick (Low, Demonic, The Gathering). They seem to get a lot of crap but I find them to be some of Testament's best work. It definitely sucks that Skolnick is absent (he's one of my all time favorite guitarists) but these albums are among the heaviest released by the band and have some truly great tracks. Actually the band as a whole seems to get constantly trashed as it is, which I find truly unfathomable.


Low's pretty boring from what I've heard, but the problem is definitely not the lead guitar. James Murphy's more than capable of filling Skolnick's boots. The problem is the dull riffing, which, to be honest is exactly what one would expect from a 1990s Testament album. 'Trail of Tears' is an excellent song, however, one of their very best.
_________________
Uncolored wrote:
non 80's wodos members are enemies of teutonic beatles hairstyle thrash

Top
 Profile  
~Guest 98976
Metal Pounder

Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 2:08 pm
Posts: 8000
PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:05 pm 
 

warewolf95 wrote:
Megadeth - Cryptic Writings


To be fair, Cryptic Writings has a few redeemable songs whereas Risk is just a clustershitfuck. There is no denying Risk's shittiness. Nothing. At all. Nope.

Top
 Profile  
Unity
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 5:42 pm
Posts: 1886
Location: Portugal
PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:15 pm 
 

LVB wrote:
Burzum - Dauði Baldrs: Thinking of maligned albums, this is the only one that springs to mind that I enjoy but suffers a poor reputation. First, put it into context. This was all that Varg was able to do behind prison walls, then imagine the music as a soundtrack to some ms dos adventure/fantasy game from the early 90's. The music still has the haunting Burzum melodies and feeling. I rank music this way: concept and expression first - delivers that ancient, melancholic feeling typical of Burzum; production/sonics - albeit poor, doesn't ruin the the concept/expression criteria. While not a favorite album, I would probably rate it no higher than 70; it's still far more interesting than Varg's post prison releases (even though I haven't heard them all, it just seems he lost his fire.)


Very good example. It gets a lot of criticism but it's a damn good Dark Ambient album in my opinion, and certainly much better than most of the stuff of that genre.
_________________
Stand rigid for the next battle,
Peace means reloading your guns

Top
 Profile  
warewolf95
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:03 am
Posts: 33
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:55 pm 
 

FasterDisaster wrote:
warewolf95 wrote:
Megadeth - Cryptic Writings


To be fair, Cryptic Writings has a few redeemable songs whereas Risk is just a clustershitfuck. There is no denying Risk's shittiness. Nothing. At all. Nope.



Its funny to talk about Risk for me because I, personally, enjoy the album - even though I can clearly see/hear that it is mostly shit

I listen to everything from smooth jazz and bluegrass, to black metal and grindcore, so I think I'm a lot more open to certain albums than a lot of people. I can still recognize that an album is shitty, but I guess you could say that im able to "take it for what it is" rather than what it isnt, and I'll find it enjoyable when im in the right mood or on the right day, etc.

Top
 Profile  
Jophelerx
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 2:22 pm
Posts: 1462
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:19 pm 
 

Demons & Wizards - Demons & Wizards. Okay, so it's obviously not as maligned as the vast majority of Schaffer's work in Iced Earth (basically anything after 'Burnt Offerings'), but I still feel that people gloss over it as mediocre just because Schaffer's involved. Ordinarily I'd be in the same boat, but being a big Blind Guardian fan I checked it out, and was not disappointed. This is by far Schaffer's best work, obviously helped by Hansi's hand in the songwriting but that's not the only thing that puts this above Iced Earth. Demons & Wizard's follow-up effort, 'Touched by the Crimson King', sounds like generic Iced Earth crap with slightly better vocal melodies. There's something special about the debut - I'm not sure if it's that Hansi had a hand in the riff-writing or that Schaffer was just really inspired, but it's mostly really damn good, with dark power/thrashers like "Heaven Denies" and "The Whistler", the epic final trilogy that grows progressively darker, and of course the amazing ballad "Fiddler on the Green".

Sanctuary - Refuge Denied. I understand some of the complaints about this album, but not really to the extent that people make them. I don't love the album but I do like it; with choice USPM cuts like "Die For My Sins" and "Battle Angels" and dark, moodier epics like "Sanctuary" and the brilliant "Veil of Disguise". Yeah, so the other half of the album sounds like O:M-era QR, whatever. It's decent but forgettable, while the first half I mentioned is fucking awesome. Album needs some more love.
_________________
Check out my new Comprehensive Guide to USPM!

macmoney wrote:
Isn't there a little mindshadow in all of us? I like to think so.

Top
 Profile  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 41 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

  Print view
Jump to:  

Back to the Encyclopaedia Metallum


Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group