There speaks an old man that can't play fast anymore and I'm all bitter about it.. ;P
― SeanWayne, Friday, 20 January 2012 07:03 (twelve years ago) link
poor sean wayne. now get your next album out.
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 08:00 (twelve years ago) link
To help those who want to make predictions here are some EOY magazine results
DECIBEL EOY List:
1. Tombs - Path of Totality2. Opeth- Heritage3. Mastodon - The Hunter4. In Solitude - The World. The Flesh. The Devil.5. Brutal Truth- End Time6. Hate Eternal - Phoenix Amongst the Ashes7. YOB - Atma8. 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room9. Inquisition - Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual.......10. Junius - Reports From The Threshold of Death11. Graveyard - Hisingen Blues12. Primordial - Redemption at the Puritan's Hand13. Exhumed - All Guts, No glory14. False - False15. Autopsy - Macabre Eternal16. Revocation - Chaos of Forms17. Trap Them - Darker Handcraft18. Obscura - Omnivium19. Drugs of Faith - Corroded20. Subrosa - No Help for the Mighty Ones21. Ulcerate - The Destroyers of All22. Fucked Up - David Comes to Life23. Atriarch - Forever the End24. Disma - Towards the Megalith25. Moab - Ab Ovo26. Gridlink - Orphan27. Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination28. Vallenfyre - A Fragile King29. Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand30. Mournful Congregation - The Book of Kings31. Machine Head - Unto the Locust32. ABSU - Abzu33. Negative Plane - Stained Glass Revelations34. Origin - Entity35. Darkest Era - The Last Caress of Light36. Deafheaven - Roads to Judah37. Hammers of Misfortune - 17th Street38. Krallice - Diotima39. Rwake - Rest40. Graf Orlock - Doom Box
Rock-A-Rolla Top 50 Albums
01 The Book Of Knots - Garden Of Fainting Stars (Ipecac)02 Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (Rock Action)03 Earth - Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1 (Southern Lord)04 Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage (Southern Lord)05 Boris - Attention Please (Sargent House)06 Obake - Obake (Rarenoise)07 Black Cobra - Invernal (Southern Lord)08 Barn Owl - Lost In The Glare (Thrill Jockey)09 Loss - Despond (Profound Lore)10 Wooden Shjips - West (Thrill Jockey)11 Mike Patton - The Solitude Of Prime Numbers (Ipecac)12 Grails - Deep Politics (Temporary Residence Ltd)13 Tombs - Path Of Totality (Relapse)14 Alva Noto - Univrs (Raster-Noton)15 Asva - Presences Of Absences (Important)16 Enablers - Blown Realms And Stalled Explosions (Exile On Mainstream)17 Hexvessel - Dawnbearer (Svart)18 Today Is The Day - Pain Is A Warning (Black Market Activities/Good Fight Music)19 Bloodiest - Descent (Relapse)20 Killl - Killl (Fysisk Format)21 Fire! With Jim O' Rourke - Unreleased? (Rune Grammofon)22 Boris - Heavy Rocks (Sargent House)23 Remember Remember - The Quickening (Rock Action)24 Hella - Tripper (Sargent House)25 Årabrot - Solar Anus (Fysisk Format)26 The Atlas Moth - An Ache For The Distance (Profound Lore)27 Mamiffer - Mare Decendrii (Sige/Conspiracy)28 Gridlink - Orphan (Hydra Head)29 Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (Temporary Residence/Bella Union)30 Circle - Infektio (Conspiracy)31 YOB - Atma (Profound Lore)32 Dale Cooper Quartet & The Dictaphones - Metamanoir (Denovali)33 Blut Aus Nord - 777: The Desanctification (Debemur Morto)34 A Storm Of Light - As The Valley Of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade (Profound Lore)39 Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraisoufo - The Ripper At The Heaven Gates Of Dark (Riot Season)40 Amebix - Sonic Mass (Easy Action)41 Mika Vainio - Life (...It Eats You Up) (Editions Mego)42 Birds Of Passage - Winter Lady (Denovalii)43 Rwake - Rest (Relapse)44 Conquering Animal Sound - Kammerspiel (Gizeh)45 Zombi - Escape Velocity (Relapse)46 Terra Tenebrosa - The Tunnels (Trust No One)47 Raoul Sinier - Guilty Cloaks (Ad Noiseam)48 Ovo - Cor Cordium (Supernatural Cat)49 Rising - To Solemn Ash (Exile On Mainstream)50 Skullflower - Fucked on A Pile Of Corpses (Cold Spring)
Terrorizer Top 40 Albums
1 Mastodon - The Hunter2 Autopsy- Macabre Eternal3 Trap Them - Darker Handicraft4 Devin Townsend - Ghost / Deconstruction5 Amebix - Sonic Mass6 Altar of Plagues - Mammal7 Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage8 Blood Ceremony - Living With the Ancients9 Necros Christos - Doom of the Occult10 In Solitude - The World. The Flesh. The Devil11 Today Is The Day - Pain Is A Warning12 Primordial - Redemption at the Puritan's Hand13 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room14 The Devil's Blood - The Thousandfold Epicentre15 Solstafir - Svartir Sandar16 Fucked Up - David Comes To Life17 Tombs - Path of Totality18 Machine Head - Unto the Locust19 Negative Plane - Stained Glass Revelations20 Vallenfyre - A Fragile King21 Ancient Vvisdom - A Godlike Inferno22 Opeth - Heritage23 Craft - Void24 Sonne Adam - Transformation25 Brutal Truth - End Time26 Disma - Towards The Megalith27 Leviathan - True Traitor, True Whore28 Yob - Atma29 All Pigs Must Die - God is War30 Cave In - White Silence31 Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning32 Will Haven - Voir Dire33 Decapitated - Carnival is Forever34 Obscura - Omnivium35 Rwake - Rest36 Morbus Chron - Sleepers in the Rift37 Maim - Deceased To Exist38 Absu - Abzu39 Esoteric - Paragon of Dissonance40 Shining - VII: Fodd Forlorare
Metal Hammer Top 50 albums of 2011
50 Trap Them - Darker Handcraft49 Primus - Green Naugahyde48 Arabrot - Solar Anus47 Hammers Of Misfortune - 17th Street46 Cerebral Ballzy - S/T45 YOB - Atma44 TessaracT - One43 Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning42 Vallenfyre - A Fragile King41 Times Of Grace - Hymns Of A Broken Man40 The Dwarves - The Dwarves Are Born Again39 Anvil - Juggernaut Of Justice38 Ken Mode - Venerable37 Altar Of Plagues - Mammal36 Blood Ceremony - Living With The Ancients35 Will Haven - Voir Dire34 Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination33 Wormrot - Dirge32 Nightwish - Imaginaerum31 Devin Townsend - Ghost30 Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events29 Solstafir - Svartir Sandar28 Foo Fighters - Wasted Light27 Trivium - In Waves26 Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist25 In Solitude - The World,The Flesh,The Devil24 The Damned Things - Ironiclast23 Pentagram - Last Rites22 Autopsy - Macabre Eternal21 Steel Panther - Balls Out20 Motorhead - The World Is Yours19 Black Stone Cherry - Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea18 Ancient VVisdom - A Godlike Inferno17 Primordial - Redemption At The Puritan's Hand16 Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage15 Devildriver - Beast14 Amebix - Sonic Mass13 The Devil's Blood - The Thousandfold Epicentre12 Gentleman's Pistols - At Her Majesty's Pleasure11 Evile - Five Serpents Teeth10 Graveyard - Nuclear Blast9 Skindred - Union Black8 Black Spiders - Sons Of The North7 Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction6 Hell - Human Remains5 Megadeth - Thirt3en4 Opeth - Heritage3 Anthrax - Worship Music2 Machine Head - Unto The Locust
1 MASTODON - THE HUNTER
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 08:11 (twelve years ago) link
Djevel, Turisas, Absu, Vastum and Burzum also still to come I guess?
― Siegbran, Friday, 20 January 2012 08:15 (twelve years ago) link
smh at there being a band called Dopethrone
they had *better* be good with a name that uninspired
― I knew a guy in a local metal band called "Bangin' Moon" (DJ Mencap), Friday, 20 January 2012 08:29 (twelve years ago) link
not heard it. Got any predictions mr mencap? I would like to see all of you have a go at predictions so we can see who is closest!
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 08:38 (twelve years ago) link
Of the 50ish to 25 run, I really liked Barn Owl, Earth, Old Silver Key, Elder, Cauldron, Grayceon and Blut Aus Nord. I want to hear Morne, In Solitude and Autopsy.
Top ten prediction (rough order):
LiturgyYOBUncle AcidMastodonCorruptedWolves in the Throne RoomTombsGates of SlumberSkeletonwitchEsoteric
Wildcards: Fen, Hammers of Misfortune, 40 Watt Sun
― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 20 January 2012 09:21 (twelve years ago) link
Tombs was #52
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 09:31 (twelve years ago) link
Would have started a bit earlier 2 but I had to make a doctors appointment and its for 12 so I'll start when I get back.
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 09:32 (twelve years ago) link
lol oh dear maybe swap out for Gates of Slumber?
― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 20 January 2012 09:41 (twelve years ago) link
lol again, make that Hammers of Misfortune. It's too early!
Guessing that Arabrot is still to come. Maybe Batillus?
― Derartu Cthulhu (NickB), Friday, 20 January 2012 10:03 (twelve years ago) link
69. Witch MountainIt’s getting called doom because it leans toward the slow and heavy sound of the early 70s, but there are some things they do that other doom bands rarely aim for or achieve. Firstly, they swing like motherfuckers (something Sabbath doesn’t get enough credit for, by the way). Nate Carson’s drumming and Dave Hoopaugh’s bass are one unit, the pocket so enveloping it’s like a 40 Hz womb. Secondly, Rob Wrong’s guitar is one of the least Iommi-inspired of anyone mining that “Hand Of Doom” vein; there is a lot of psychedelic rock in his sound (listen to that fuzz and feedback), to these ears owing more to the Hendrix/Uli Jon Roth lineage than the Iommi/Wino side of things. Top that off with vocalist Uta Plotkin’s power blues delivery and this ain’t your everyday doom band.
It’s getting called doom because it leans toward the slow and heavy sound of the early 70s, but there are some things they do that other doom bands rarely aim for or achieve. Firstly, they swing like motherfuckers (something Sabbath doesn’t get enough credit for, by the way). Nate Carson’s drumming and Dave Hoopaugh’s bass are one unit, the pocket so enveloping it’s like a 40 Hz womb. Secondly, Rob Wrong’s guitar is one of the least Iommi-inspired of anyone mining that “Hand Of Doom” vein; there is a lot of psychedelic rock in his sound (listen to that fuzz and feedback), to these ears owing more to the Hendrix/Uli Jon Roth lineage than the Iommi/Wino side of things. Top that off with vocalist Uta Plotkin’s power blues delivery and this ain’t your everyday doom band.
EZ Snappin -- you get it, and you are too kind!
― Nate Carson, Friday, 20 January 2012 10:59 (twelve years ago) link
One last reminder to vote in the big ILM poll. Voting closes tonight and without giving anything away, there are a good number of metal albums that would benefit from one or two extra votes...
― Angrrau Birds (seandalai), Friday, 20 January 2012 13:10 (twelve years ago) link
Glad you liked my description Nate! A year after our long talk about "the pocket" it was nice to see you guys come out with the best example in ages.
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:03 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah I forgot about Arabrot and Amebix. Substitute them for Lo-Pan and White Wizzard in the 21-25 slot. Maybe Megadeth? Didn't even know Anthrax had an album. I forgot to check out the Shining album. It must not be making as much impact as Blackjazz.
xp I love the sound of that Green & Wood album, just the kind of rough around the edges distortion I like. They sure don't sound very L.A. to me. I wish I were in L.A. right now. I hate snow.
― Fastnbulbous, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:12 (twelve years ago) link
25. Loss - Despond (670 Points, 24 Votes)http://luminousdeluge.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/loss-despond.jpghttp://www.last.fm/music/Loss
Funeral Doom
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:16 (twelve years ago) link
on profoundlore. Awesome album.
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:22 (twelve years ago) link
Profound Lore will probably have the most entries in this year's poll, I think?
― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 20 January 2012 14:23 (twelve years ago) link
Of course that made it, dammit. I had that sandwiched between Skeletonwitch and Machine Head on my metal list, but didn't make my top 50.
― Fastnbulbous, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:28 (twelve years ago) link
Direct Link to poll recap & full results
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:34 (twelve years ago) link
24. Burzum - Fallen (699 Points, 22 Votes, 1 #1)http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EXihUu7bbR0/TVqATWwM_eI/AAAAAAAAA2g/gd99UYmGI44/s1600/burzum-fallen.jpgSpotifyhttp://www.last.fm/music/burzum
Reviewby Eduardo RivadaviaVarg Vikernes' real-life rehabilitation for murder may have taken close to two decades (in case you've been living under a rock, he's that Norwegian black metal dude who stabbed that other Norwegian black metal dude in 1993), but the creative rehabilitation of his lonesome black metal enterprise, Burzum, took just a few years. Yes, loathe him or loathe him there was simply no denying the return to musical form exemplified on 2010's maddeningly brilliant Belus album, and the same is almost but not quite true of its quickly recorded and suggestively named successor, Fallen, which arrived in stores by early 2011. Here, once again, Vikernes methodically assembles a series of mid-paced, gradually developing black metal movements (see "Jeg Faller," "Valen," "Enhver til Sitt," "Budstikken") out of multiple layers of interlocking riffs and melodies over which he can then improvise additional guitar runs and grunt or shriek or murmur or whisper his Norwegian lyrics to his dark heart's content. The resulting hellish hymnals are at once hypnotically successful (for the most part, barring some odd vocal choices and iffy repetitions) yet also border on predictability by now, and for all their individual merits, all of them uniformly fall short of career-defining precursors like "Stemmen Fra Taarnet," "Jesus' Tod," or even Belus counterpart "Glemselens Elv." For anyone who's wondering, Fallen's only blastbeats are housed in the otherwise like-minded "Vanvidd," and the biggest surprises are found in the meaningless percussive twaddle (some drums, some mysterious stringed instruments) that bookend the album as intro "Fra Verdenstreet" and outro "Til Hel Og Tilbake Igjen." This combination of staying the course and failing to impress when risks are taken ultimately gives Fallen something of a leftover taste and suggests that Varg might want to invest a little more time in conjuring Burzum's next opus…after all, he is now finally free to do so at whim.
by Eduardo Rivadavia
Varg Vikernes' real-life rehabilitation for murder may have taken close to two decades (in case you've been living under a rock, he's that Norwegian black metal dude who stabbed that other Norwegian black metal dude in 1993), but the creative rehabilitation of his lonesome black metal enterprise, Burzum, took just a few years. Yes, loathe him or loathe him there was simply no denying the return to musical form exemplified on 2010's maddeningly brilliant Belus album, and the same is almost but not quite true of its quickly recorded and suggestively named successor, Fallen, which arrived in stores by early 2011. Here, once again, Vikernes methodically assembles a series of mid-paced, gradually developing black metal movements (see "Jeg Faller," "Valen," "Enhver til Sitt," "Budstikken") out of multiple layers of interlocking riffs and melodies over which he can then improvise additional guitar runs and grunt or shriek or murmur or whisper his Norwegian lyrics to his dark heart's content. The resulting hellish hymnals are at once hypnotically successful (for the most part, barring some odd vocal choices and iffy repetitions) yet also border on predictability by now, and for all their individual merits, all of them uniformly fall short of career-defining precursors like "Stemmen Fra Taarnet," "Jesus' Tod," or even Belus counterpart "Glemselens Elv." For anyone who's wondering, Fallen's only blastbeats are housed in the otherwise like-minded "Vanvidd," and the biggest surprises are found in the meaningless percussive twaddle (some drums, some mysterious stringed instruments) that bookend the album as intro "Fra Verdenstreet" and outro "Til Hel Og Tilbake Igjen." This combination of staying the course and failing to impress when risks are taken ultimately gives Fallen something of a leftover taste and suggests that Varg might want to invest a little more time in conjuring Burzum's next opus…after all, he is now finally free to do so at whim.
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:37 (twelve years ago) link
noone ever seems to have an opinion on Burzum, just varg
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:45 (twelve years ago) link
That particular Burzum album is not too shabby, but I didn't vote for it.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:47 (twelve years ago) link
23. Opeth - Heritage (786 Points, 22 Votes)http://bandmill.net/bandmill/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Opeth-Heritage.jpgSpotifyhttp://www.last.fm/music/opeth
Reviewby Thom JurekHeritage, Opeth's tenth studio offering, finds the Swedish band abandoning death metal: no growled vocals, no blistering fast power riffs, no blastbeats. Mixed by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson) and engineered by Janne Hansson, Heritage is easily Opeth's most musically adventurous -- and indulgent -- recording. Written primarily by vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt, these ten songs are drenched in instrumental interludes, knotty key and chord changes, shifting time signatures, clean vocals, and a keyboard-heavy instrumentation that includes Mellotrons, Rhodes pianos, and Hammond organs -- ironic since keyboardist Per Wiberg left the band after Heritage was completed. Opening with the title track, a haunting solo piano instrumental, it careens into the explosive "The Devil's Orchard," with spectacular, arpeggiatic guitar work by Fredrik Åkesson and matching drums by Martin Axenrot. With a huge, swirling B-3 in the backdrop, it melds progressive metal to prog rock, with Åkerfeldt's clear, clean singing. "I Feel the Dark" marries Åkerfeldt's classical guitar to piano, flute, a droning Martin Mendez bassline, and double-timed, quietly tense drum kit work. "Slither" sounds like Motörhead meeting early-'70s Deep Purple. "Nepenthe" begins as a ballad but shifts toward jazz-rock in the instrumental break before finding its way back to a middle ground with sparse instrumentation and taut dynamics. "Haxprogress" draws real inspiration from King Crimson; Mellotrons and nylon-string guitars give way to Åkerfeldt's crooning, thundering basslines, and syncopated drums. At eight-and-a-half minutes, "Famine" is the album's most abstract cut, with guest Alex Acuña adding Latin percussion to the mix, creating spaciousness in a long intro before giving way to colliding prog rock at the seam where King Crimson's "Larks Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 2" meets Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick." "The Lines in My Hand" is the set's most aggressive cut, with a deeply satisfying guitar crunch. "Folklore," with its myriad instrumental and vocal parts, complex melody, and breakbeats, comes off as an eight-minute suite before closing with another jazz- and folk-inflected instrumental entitled "Marrow of the Earth." Love it or hate it, Heritage, for its many excesses -- and stellar conception and execution -- is a brave album. It opens the door for Opeth to pursue many new directions and reinvent themselves as a band.
by Thom Jurek
Heritage, Opeth's tenth studio offering, finds the Swedish band abandoning death metal: no growled vocals, no blistering fast power riffs, no blastbeats. Mixed by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson) and engineered by Janne Hansson, Heritage is easily Opeth's most musically adventurous -- and indulgent -- recording. Written primarily by vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt, these ten songs are drenched in instrumental interludes, knotty key and chord changes, shifting time signatures, clean vocals, and a keyboard-heavy instrumentation that includes Mellotrons, Rhodes pianos, and Hammond organs -- ironic since keyboardist Per Wiberg left the band after Heritage was completed. Opening with the title track, a haunting solo piano instrumental, it careens into the explosive "The Devil's Orchard," with spectacular, arpeggiatic guitar work by Fredrik Åkesson and matching drums by Martin Axenrot. With a huge, swirling B-3 in the backdrop, it melds progressive metal to prog rock, with Åkerfeldt's clear, clean singing. "I Feel the Dark" marries Åkerfeldt's classical guitar to piano, flute, a droning Martin Mendez bassline, and double-timed, quietly tense drum kit work. "Slither" sounds like Motörhead meeting early-'70s Deep Purple. "Nepenthe" begins as a ballad but shifts toward jazz-rock in the instrumental break before finding its way back to a middle ground with sparse instrumentation and taut dynamics. "Haxprogress" draws real inspiration from King Crimson; Mellotrons and nylon-string guitars give way to Åkerfeldt's crooning, thundering basslines, and syncopated drums. At eight-and-a-half minutes, "Famine" is the album's most abstract cut, with guest Alex Acuña adding Latin percussion to the mix, creating spaciousness in a long intro before giving way to colliding prog rock at the seam where King Crimson's "Larks Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 2" meets Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick." "The Lines in My Hand" is the set's most aggressive cut, with a deeply satisfying guitar crunch. "Folklore," with its myriad instrumental and vocal parts, complex melody, and breakbeats, comes off as an eight-minute suite before closing with another jazz- and folk-inflected instrumental entitled "Marrow of the Earth." Love it or hate it, Heritage, for its many excesses -- and stellar conception and execution -- is a brave album. It opens the door for Opeth to pursue many new directions and reinvent themselves as a band.
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:51 (twelve years ago) link
I've not heard this record, but the consensus was it was a bit underwhelming, correct? Amazing/ terrible cover though!
― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 20 January 2012 14:52 (twelve years ago) link
I was initially disappointed, but it ended up really growing me. The band is pretty much 0% metal at this point, but thats not a bad thing.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:53 (twelve years ago) link
reception was mixed. Lack of metal pissed off a lot of people but was welcomed by others.
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:53 (twelve years ago) link
This is the Opeth record I've been waiting for them to unleash; same themes as always, minus the death metal trappings that have, at times, seemed tacked on to the last couple of records. Great dark prog with heavy moments and motifs.
Plus they wrote a song for Ronnie James. Can't get more metal than that.
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:54 (twelve years ago) link
Consensus is that it's #23! It's my #4. Mainly 70s inspired prog, but still sounds modern, and Opeth will always be metal, even with acoustic guitars.
― Fastnbulbous, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:56 (twelve years ago) link
Was my #9.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:57 (twelve years ago) link
i dunno, tell that to death metal fans/puristsxp
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:57 (twelve years ago) link
Ooh looks like the full album is open on youtube. Lovely piano led opener. Not v metally so far.
― pandemic, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:59 (twelve years ago) link
my #7
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 20 January 2012 14:59 (twelve years ago) link
open=upxp
Okay, some strong recommendations, I will seek it out, thanks! Metal threads are great for people explaining why they like records minus the snark and meta commentary you get on certain other threads.
― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 20 January 2012 15:00 (twelve years ago) link
Unsurprisingly, the material was much heavier live than on the record.
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 20 January 2012 15:03 (twelve years ago) link
Excited for this today, tbh. Half of my top ten is yet to place.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, 20 January 2012 15:04 (twelve years ago) link
dont post ballots or anything but predictions are welcome.
― Your Host For The Top 25 Countdown for Metal Poll (Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker), Friday, 20 January 2012 15:06 (twelve years ago) link
22. Turisas - Stand Up and Fight (796 Points, 22 Votes, 3 #1s)http://hangout.altsounds.com/attachments/reviews/7301d1298834176-turisas-stand-fight-album-turisascd.jpghttp://www.last.fm/music/turisas
Reviewby Tim DiGravinaWith Stand Up and Fight, Turisas offer another rousing, invigorating bevy of epic symphonic metal ballads centered on ninth to 11th century Baltic Vikings. Think Andrew Lloyd Webber mashed up with GWAR and a Disney ride. Battle metal crooner/leader Mathias "Warlord" Nygård's boom-and-doom voice commands his Norse warriors to "stand up and fight," "hoist the sails," and protect the front line like Scott Walker or Peter Murphy playing a William Wallace personality type on Broadway. Nygård's rich voice centers and seems to conduct the chugging guitars, pounding drums, and all manner of symphonic accompaniment. Whether he's quietly addressing his clan, calling out for battle, or leading a rousing chant of backup Vikings (singers), Nygård is always a compelling frontman. Where some of their symphonic metal peers linger in evil vibes, Turisas always uplift. There's a Queen-like motivational power throughout the album, and the Viking genre, with its old-world pub atmosphere, is loads of fun. Stand Up and Fight is a delightful ride that gets better and better with each listen.
by Tim DiGravina
With Stand Up and Fight, Turisas offer another rousing, invigorating bevy of epic symphonic metal ballads centered on ninth to 11th century Baltic Vikings. Think Andrew Lloyd Webber mashed up with GWAR and a Disney ride. Battle metal crooner/leader Mathias "Warlord" Nygård's boom-and-doom voice commands his Norse warriors to "stand up and fight," "hoist the sails," and protect the front line like Scott Walker or Peter Murphy playing a William Wallace personality type on Broadway. Nygård's rich voice centers and seems to conduct the chugging guitars, pounding drums, and all manner of symphonic accompaniment. Whether he's quietly addressing his clan, calling out for battle, or leading a rousing chant of backup Vikings (singers), Nygård is always a compelling frontman. Where some of their symphonic metal peers linger in evil vibes, Turisas always uplift. There's a Queen-like motivational power throughout the album, and the Viking genre, with its old-world pub atmosphere, is loads of fun. Stand Up and Fight is a delightful ride that gets better and better with each listen.
Cant find a jeff review but he can post one himself.If he says it's too low then please SB him!
― Your Host For The Top 25 Countdown for Metal Poll (Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker), Friday, 20 January 2012 15:12 (twelve years ago) link
Three number 1 placements! Outstanding!
Though I have to admit, I only had it at #8.
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 20 January 2012 15:15 (twelve years ago) link
j3ff will be happy. Don't really get into these dudes much, but I love the cover.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, 20 January 2012 15:15 (twelve years ago) link
someone wake that lazy bastard up and tell him he owes those voters money
― Your Host For The Top 25 Countdown for Metal Poll (Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker), Friday, 20 January 2012 15:18 (twelve years ago) link
and no, one of the voters wasn't a hamster (afaik)
― Your Host For The Top 25 Countdown for Metal Poll (Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker), Friday, 20 January 2012 15:20 (twelve years ago) link
Okay, just listened to the title track 'Stand Up and Fight'. It is preposterous, but in an enjoyable way. I dunno, surprised myself by liking it. Not too sure if I could last an entire album.
― pandemic, Friday, 20 January 2012 15:23 (twelve years ago) link
These guys are fun; I was beginning to think they'd be a surprise top 10 placing, but am happy with this. I voted for it.
― uncle acid and the absquatulators (Drugs A. Money), Friday, 20 January 2012 15:25 (twelve years ago) link
Blimey, 'Fear The Fear' is good too! In a Sweeney Todd The Musical kinda way.
― pandemic, Friday, 20 January 2012 15:26 (twelve years ago) link
"Hunting Pirates" is so over the top I laugh and sing along like a giddy kid.
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 20 January 2012 15:27 (twelve years ago) link
21. Argus - Boldly Stride the Doomed (800 Points, 24 Votes, 2 #1s)http://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/ARGUS_boldlyCD.gifhttp://www.last.fm/music/argus
Reviewby Eduardo RivadaviaPennsylvania's Argus made a very strong first impression with their superlative eponymous debut of 2009, but unfortunately not too many people outside a small group of underground heavy metal cognoscenti got word of it. Now, one can only hope that the group's even more accomplished sophomore outing, Boldly Stride the Doomed, will rectify this unjust state of affairs. By all rights, it damn well should -- although using the word "doom" in the album's title actually sells short its much broader creative scope, since Argus, as they did the first time around, stick to slower, dramatic tempos only occasionally (see "The Ladder," the piano-enhanced "42-7-29," the epic-length "Pieces of Your Smile"). In fact, more often than not, and as exemplified by "A Curse on the World," "Wolves of Dusk," and even the album's title track, the band is heard galloping by in full jousting chain mail regalia, twin guitars ringing in unison, in the long tradition of everyone from Iron Maiden to Isen Torr to Grand Magus. No matter what tack they employ, though, perhaps Argus' wisest decision on this second LP was procuring a huge but cleanly separated production that showcases both their songwriting strengths and instrumental prowess, production where even the bass guitar can hold its ground. And when even less distinctive offerings like "Fading Silver Light" and the Crusades-inspired "Durendal" can so easily be rescued from good to great status by emotional guitar solos, it becomes obvious that Argus are firing on all cylinders. Or at least it should be obvious to anyone who actually gets wind of Boldly Stride the Doomed‘s existence -- here's hoping word spreads far and wide.
Pennsylvania's Argus made a very strong first impression with their superlative eponymous debut of 2009, but unfortunately not too many people outside a small group of underground heavy metal cognoscenti got word of it. Now, one can only hope that the group's even more accomplished sophomore outing, Boldly Stride the Doomed, will rectify this unjust state of affairs. By all rights, it damn well should -- although using the word "doom" in the album's title actually sells short its much broader creative scope, since Argus, as they did the first time around, stick to slower, dramatic tempos only occasionally (see "The Ladder," the piano-enhanced "42-7-29," the epic-length "Pieces of Your Smile"). In fact, more often than not, and as exemplified by "A Curse on the World," "Wolves of Dusk," and even the album's title track, the band is heard galloping by in full jousting chain mail regalia, twin guitars ringing in unison, in the long tradition of everyone from Iron Maiden to Isen Torr to Grand Magus. No matter what tack they employ, though, perhaps Argus' wisest decision on this second LP was procuring a huge but cleanly separated production that showcases both their songwriting strengths and instrumental prowess, production where even the bass guitar can hold its ground. And when even less distinctive offerings like "Fading Silver Light" and the Crusades-inspired "Durendal" can so easily be rescued from good to great status by emotional guitar solos, it becomes obvious that Argus are firing on all cylinders. Or at least it should be obvious to anyone who actually gets wind of Boldly Stride the Doomed‘s existence -- here's hoping word spreads far and wide.
― Your Host For The Top 25 Countdown for Metal Poll (Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker), Friday, 20 January 2012 15:29 (twelve years ago) link
Glad to see this place so high, since I completely forgot to vote for it!
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, 20 January 2012 15:32 (twelve years ago) link