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[Laevateinn]

Album of the year voting thread is up, I hope you all will join!

These things are hard for me because even though I buy tons of music only about a 3rd of it tends to be new releases. It looks like I purchased somewhere between 11 and 15 new releases this year depending on your definition (comps probably don't count but what about previously unreleased stuff or a rarity/b-side release?) I'll listen to everything on repeat over the next few days before I come to a decision.

 

[DrM]

Another track from Kreator's new album
Satan is Real

 

[Corpsepyre]

Pallbearer just updated their profile picture on Facebook. New album incoming?!!

 

[ShaneB]

New Battle Beast track 'King for a Day' rocks.

 

[Regiruler]

Cry Venom - Wolfsbane

If you like listening to dragonforce as a guilty pleasure, you'll probably enjoy this. Trigger warning, has some short techno segments (although not to the degree as Universe on Fire) and quite a lot of autotune. I only found this because the album released today and Herman Li tweeted something about it.

The single has incredible cover art too:

The color gives off the impression of stained glass, but maybe that's just me.

Awesome! Was a fun thread to follow last year, even if my picks where nowhere near ... well, anywhere on the final list.

But I posted all the same.

It happens every year. I have to pick albums I didn't even buy, just listened to a few songs from. That said, this year's crop of albums was a lot better than I thought when I dug a little deeper.

 

[Laevateinn]

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Another track from Kreator's new album
Satan is Real

Jesus, it's sad how utterly boring Kreator has become.

 

[Regiruler]

The bottom portion did look vaguely familiar, but I was born after the genesis.

The main album art takes after the original castlevania cover.

 

[Bitanator]

Another track from Kreator's new album
Satan is Real

Did they have their five year old kids write this snoozer?

 

[Andrew Korenchkin]

Jesus, it's sad how utterly boring Kreator has become.

True.

 

[DrM]

Did they have their five year old kids write this snoozer?

Looks like it and the label found it good enough to be put into video form

And yes, it is not good at all. But I will wait for the rest of the songs from upcoming album.

 

[lordxar]

That Kreator tune felt like Maiden when they put lyrics on repeat and the video was a straight rip of the VVitch in a lot of ways. I'm not a Kreator fan though.

 

[Inkvoterad]

People here heard Anciients album? Pretty good stuff, the drums remind me of some of Tools's stuff at times.

Atleast this song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPlVVqbkiJ8

 

[eddievanclaylen]

Pallbearer just updated their profile picture on Facebook. New album incoming?!!

They're on the cover of Decibel this month, but I haven't had time to read the article

 

[OniBarubary]

Protest the Hero finally releasing their fucking album to non-funders. Cmon, gimme gimme gimme.

 

[Corpsepyre]

They're on the cover of Decibel this month, but I haven't had time to read the article

PALLBEARER Return With New Album

'PALLBEARER recently announced their third full-length album, "Heartless", which is due out in March 2017 via longtime label partner Profound Lore.'

Fuck yeah.

 

[wild wild rice]

Favorite Xasthur album? I think mine is Defective Epitaph. Doesn't seem to be a popular opinion, but it's the record of his I pull out most often. Something about the rawness of the drums adding a primitive layer to Xasthur's usual sound makes him sound at his most miserable.

 

[Quikies83]

Grabbed tickets to Periphery, The Contortionist and Norma Jean show early 2017.
Have reeeeeeeeeeeally been wanting to see The Contortionist live. Periphery should be good too.

I'd love to see one of the Pallbearer headlining shows.. saw them with Baroness a few months back and I need more. Shit was so good.

 

[Killer Queen]

New Death Angel is so good. Damn, what have I been missing.

 

[Bitanator]

New Death Angel is so good. Damn, what have I been missing.

I actually prefer their 2013 effort but new one is still killer

 

[Killer Queen]

I actually prefer their 2013 effort but new one is still killer

I'll be honest and say I've never listened to them outside of their one Metallica cover which I dislike so it was surprising to me to hear this much attitude from that same band and quality straightforward thrash and audible baselines.

 

[Bitanator]

I'll be honest and say I've never listened to them outside of their one Metallica cover which I dislike so it was surprising to me to hear this much attitude from that same band and quality straightforward thrash and audible baselines.

They are a pretty varied band thrash wise, Act III is one of my favorite thrash albums of 90s check that one out if you go back through their discography

 

[HashtagLapsed]

Favorite Xasthur album? I think mine is Defective Epitaph. Doesn't seem to be a popular opinion, but it's the record of his I pull out most often. Something about the rawness of the drums adding a primitive layer to Xasthur's usual sound makes him sound at his most miserable.

Mine is still Nocturnal Poisoning, I think.

 

[eddievanclaylen]

Favorite Xasthur album?

Gonna have to go with anything hes done with twilight. Now thats a good band.

 

[MezzoForte]

Favorite Xasthur album? I think mine is Defective Epitaph. Doesn't seem to be a popular opinion, but it's the record of his I pull out most often. Something about the rawness of the drums adding a primitive layer to Xasthur's usual sound makes him sound at his most miserable.

Telepathic with the Deceased.

 

[wild wild rice]

Mine is still Nocturnal Poisoning, I think.

Yeah I need to give this more listens.

Gonna have to go with anything hes done with twilight. Now thats a good band.

Couldn't really dig twilight tbh. Never felt cohesive to me.

Telepathic with the Deceased.

Probably my second fave. Vicious stuff on there.

 

[Andrew Korenchkin]

http://www.stereogum.com/1902979/opeth-albums-from-worst-to-best/franchises/counting-down/

Interesting list.

 

[MezzoForte]

purchase

as with their last, a new Arizmenda album has come out of nowhere. First CD release by the band. No preview yet unfortunately, but you'll bite immediately if you know what's up with this band. I've been playing their closer off their third LP a ton lately. Check it out if you haven't heard them yet. Incredibly scathing and maniacal USBM.

 

[wild wild rice]

purchase

as with their last, a new Arizmenda album has come out of nowhere. First CD release by the band. No preview yet unfortunately, but you'll bite immediately if you know what's up with this band. I've been playing their closer off their third LP a ton lately. Check it out if you haven't heard them yet. Incredibly scathing and maniacal USBM.

Fuck, this is sick, somewhat reminiscent of Leviathan in certain places on first listen. I'm not too familiar with BTC outside of Volahn. Thank you for sharing.

 

[MezzoForte]

Fuck, this is sick, somewhat reminiscent of Leviathan in certain places on first listen. I'm not too familiar with BTC outside of Volahn. Thank you for sharing.

glad you're into it. Yeah that's actually a pretty good comparison. The warping guitars and overall deranged atmosphere is totally Leviathan-esque. Arizmenda takes those things and just kinda dials back the experimental/ambient elements I think. The thing about BTC I love is that the guys clearly did their homework on everything black metal. They pay tribute to just about all major scenes of the past.

by the way I think the Kallathon-Volahn split gets overlooked way too much so if you haven't heard it already check that one out also. The Volahn tracks are insanely catchy. Also you'll probably like Dolorvotre. Their contribution to the Tliltic Tlapoyauak comp is fucking ace. I really hope the next big BTC release is a new full-length.

 

[HashtagLapsed]

I'll have to check that album out.

BTC is good stuff. Ashdautas album was fantastic.

 

[obin_gam]

Anyone listened to Trees Of Eternity? They're like slightly faster Ahab or Pallbearer, but with clean female vocals.
The riffs though are pure Ahab.

Gallows Bird https://open.spotify.com/track/2eLaWl1vuZ1KS3oqc8g4eX

 

[Tankard]

Anyone listened to Trees Of Eternity? They're like slightly faster Ahab or Pallbearer, but with clean female vocals.
The riffs though are pure Ahab.

Gallows Bird https://open.spotify.com/track/2eLaWl1vuZ1KS3oqc8g4eX

I did, posted about them here on the album release date.

Definitely a top 10 album for me this year, too bad we will never see another one.

 

[MezzoForte]

I'll have to check that album out.

BTC is good stuff. Ashdautas album was fantastic.

never thought I'd see that LP recommended here haha. I love everything BTC, that one is no exception however it is a bit of a challenge at first. The vocals are some of the most tortured I've heard and they're right at the top of the mix. Where the Sun Is Silent is little easier to get into, and my favorite Ashdautas is the split with Bone Awl.

 

[wild wild rice]

never thought I'd see that LP recommended here haha. I love everything BTC, that one is no exception however it is a bit of a challenge at first. The vocals are some of the most tortured I've heard and they're right at the top of the mix. Where the Sun Is Silent is little easier to get into, and my favorite Ashdautas is the split with Bone Awl.

Yes! Ashdautus/Bone Awl split has some of the best work from either band. I liked BA's forays into more midtempo stuff there. I saw them on a show together with Akitsa and it was unfuckingbelievable.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

In Mordor Where the Shadows Are now available.

Mine's on it's way.

It's better than I hoped. Elderwind's cover of Flammifer is so good. It's all great, but man what a way to end this set.

From the bandcamp page: "Aprox 3 hours of finest music."

Yes. Yes it is.

edit 2:

Caladan Brood killed it in their cover of Farewell. I was anxious about how he would pull off the choral part, but it sounds awesome. Great version of one of my favorite Summoning songs.

 

[HashtagLapsed]

never thought I'd see that LP recommended here haha. I love everything BTC, that one is no exception however it is a bit of a challenge at first. The vocals are some of the most tortured I've heard and they're right at the top of the mix. Where the Sun Is Silent is little easier to get into, and my favorite Ashdautas is the split with Bone Awl.

Yeah I like all Ashdautas' material. The solit with Bone Awl is wonderful.

And damn Bone Awl and Akitsa would be a great show. Akitsa's Aube de la misanthropie 2LP is another one of my favorite things.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

In Mordor Where the Shadows Are now available.

Listening, and it's pretty damn underwhelming so far (I'm at track 12 as of writing this). No track stood out as interesting so far (the acoustic guitars for The Passing of the Grey Company is an interesting novelty, but that's it), and some are simply awful, like track 12 which has absolutely shit production and sound mixing. They completely butchered it.

Edit: track #13 with the male vocals is kinda neat I guess. Still not great, but probably the best "cover" so far. The vocals are good and for once they (obviously) don't try to imitate the original style.

So far it's really "a bunch of Summoning songs done by mediocre and infinitely inferior black metal bands". Shame.

 

[Aizo]

Anybody know of any Folk or Power Metal bands touring in Japan any time soon? My friend wants to see a show with me, but I only really know that she loves Eluveitie and was also interested in seeing Galneryus (but it didn't work for her schedule).

In fact, any good Metal bands touring through Japan soon in general?

Edit: Oh, shit. I just checked Eluveitie's website to see they're announcing a new lineup in two weeks. What happened? How many members did they lose?

 

[Laevateinn]

Anybody know of any Folk or Power Metal bands touring in Japan any time soon? My friend wants to see a show with me, but I only really know that she loves Eluveitie and was also interested in seeing Galneryus (but it didn't work for her schedule).

In fact, any good Metal bands touring through Japan soon in general?

Edit: Oh, shit. I just checked Eluveitie's website to see they're announcing a new lineup in two weeks. What happened? How many members did they lose?

Three including Anna Murphy.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Listening, and it's pretty damn underwhelming so far (I'm at track 12 as of writing this). No track stood out as interesting so far (the acoustic guitars for The Passing of the Grey Company is an interesting novelty, but that's it), and some are simply awful, like track 12 which has absolutely shit production and sound mixing. They completely butchered it.

Edit: track #13 with the male vocals is kinda neat I guess. Still not great, but probably the best "cover" so far. The vocals are good and for once they (obviously) don't try to imitate the original style.

So far it's really "a bunch of Summoning songs done by mediocre and infinitely inferior black metal bands". Shame.

That's pretty surprising, especially the panning of Wedru's production (track 12). That's kind of a part of their thing. Now I'm curious to read more reviews.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

That's pretty surprising, especially the panning of Wedru's production (track 12). That's kind of a part of their thing.

*shrugs* Whatever their thing is, it sucks.

I finished listening to the album earlier. It's underwhelming at the very best. It's often straight-up garbage. Not a single song is improved, or at least different-but-equally-good kind of thing (I could say the latter might apply to Where Hope and Daylight Die, the male vocals are quite good at least, but that's literally the only positive example). Even the Caladan Brood song, while at least competent, doesn't add anything (and the black-metal vocals on the "and at the gates, the trumpets rang..." line were goofy and totally unnecessary).

Why anyone would listen to this over original Summoning songs is beyond me. What a wasteful project.

 

[choodi]

Listening, and it's pretty damn underwhelming so far (I'm at track 12 as of writing this). No track stood out as interesting so far (the acoustic guitars for The Passing of the Grey Company is an interesting novelty, but that's it), and some are simply awful, like track 12 which has absolutely shit production and sound mixing. They completely butchered it.

Edit: track #13 with the male vocals is kinda neat I guess. Still not great, but probably the best "cover" so far. The vocals are good and for once they (obviously) don't try to imitate the original style.

So far it's really "a bunch of Summoning songs done by mediocre and infinitely inferior black metal bands". Shame.

Tribute/cover albums rarely work because they mostly feature bands that have a sound inspired by the band they are covering.

The best tribute albums i have heard are the Metal Militia (Metallica) and Slaytanic Slaughter (Slayer) albums from Black Sun Records from back in the 1990s.

The quality of the bands was exceptionally high and they all had a different enough sound to the originals to make their interpretations sound fresh and fun.

The Slayer tribute is unbelievable and features Dissection, Hypocrisy, At The Gates, Enslaved, Edge of Sanity and others.

 

[Killer Queen]

Mastodon is gearing up for their next release, they talked about it a little today. Album has no title as of yet but they have song titles AND it looks like it's a concept album about terminal illness and death.

So I'm really excited about this one. Musically they've already said it's in vein of Once More Round the Sun but pushing that sound further and adding more weird elements

But I'm incredibly excited to hear and see more, hopefully they're still working with Skinner on the album artwork but him and the band seem to be great friends so I can't see why they wouldn't be.
Some snippets from Rolling Stone

Like 2014's Once More Around the Sun, the new album will match the band's patented epic heaviness with a deeply emotional message on survival and death. The main protagonist within the new album's lyrics is handed a death sentence from a desert ruler, and then wanders an arid wasteland – a metaphor for illness and doom.

"At the end of the story, the person simultaneously dies and is saved," says Dailor. "It's about going through cancer, going through chemotherapy and all the things associated with that. I didn't want to be literal about it. But it's all in there. You can read between the lines."

Song titles in the article are:
"Show Yourself"
"Precious Stones"
"Steambreather"
"Your Own Blood"

Other notable things:
-Theres acoustic guitar (Perhaps something in vein of Whitewalker)
-Produced by the producer of "Crack the Skye"

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/inside-mastodons-dark-emotional-new-lp-w456143

 

[lordxar]

Tribute/cover albums rarely work because they mostly feature bands that have a sound inspired by the band they are covering.

The best tribute albums i have heard are the Metal Militia (Metallica) and Slaytanic Slaughter (Slayer) albums from Black Sun Records from back in the 1990s.

The quality of the bands was exceptionally high and they all had a different enough sound to the originals to make their interpretations sound fresh and fun.

The Slayer tribute is unbelievable and features Dissection, Hypocrisy, At The Gates, Enslaved, Edge of Sanity and others.

I am jamming Slaytanic right now! Thanks for mentioning this. Volume 1 and 2 are on Google Play and other streaming services I'd suspect.

 

[choodi]

I am jamming Slaytanic right now! Thanks for mentioning this. Volume 1 and 2 are on Google Play and other streaming services I'd suspect.

Volume 2 had good bands, but wasn't as good music-wise as far as I remember.

Actually, the lineup for volume 2 is phenomenal...Necrophobic, Luciferion, Cradle of Filth, Sinister, Benediction, Malevolent Creation, Vader, Anathema.

 

[parrotbeak]

That's funny, i just came across my Slaytanic double cd yesterday and was thinking I should rip it so I can listen to it in the car. Haven't listened to it in years but just remember loving it back in the day. Good to hear it holds up. Edit: oh it's not a double cd, I just stuck both volumes in a 2cd case.

 

[MezzoForte]

Yes! Ashdautus/Bone Awl split has some of the best work from either band. I liked BA's forays into more midtempo stuff there. I saw them on a show together with Akitsa and it was unfuckingbelievable.

those two together sounds incredible, that's awesome that you got to witness that!

that you mentioned the Bone Awl side of that split reminded me that I need to recommend Harassor. I'm linking their latest LP for new listeners' sake but just go back to the s/t and Hater of Man for the ultra raw stuff.

Harassor (CA) - Into Unknown Depths

also I will be trying to catch this show early January although it will be tough given that my new job is a little unforgiving with time off.

 

[Dangerblade]

So TeamRock Radio, maybe best known in the UK for owning Metal Hammer and Classic Rock magazines, have gone into administration...

http://radiotoday.co.uk/2016/12/teamrock-enters-administration-after-four-years/

I haven't read MH in yonks but that sucks, especially so close to Christmas.

 

[Corpsepyre]

Weʼre raising £20,000 to help the staff of Team Rock who have all been made redundant 6 days before Christmas with no pay.