Sheol

Jono! good to see you here!

I love Rom 5:12, other than that I think their latest albums "Frontschwein" and "Viktoria" are quite good. Marduk - The Blond Beast Marduk - June 44

Replicant - Caverns of Insipid Reflection Transcending Obscurity with seemingly another great signing. Heavy, slightly twisted death metal. Not too out there, but enough to keep things moving along. I liked this.

Mmm, Ihsahn is a good pick, if I had just composed "In the nightside eclipse" I would've considered I'd peaked.

The 11th Hour - Weep for Me Revisited this gem today. Ed Warby, the drummer of Gorefest, Hail of Bullets and Ayreon also happens to be a very talented singer and guitarist. The 11th Hour was his solo doom metal project that released 2 albums. Initially created to process some personal losses it turned out pretty damn great. Excellent stuff, especially Ed's mournful and fragile voice. I really wish he had continued. In fact, I don't know what he's up to now, other than Ayreon stuff, since Hail of Bullets bit the dust.

Living or dead, that's the question? I don't know if Pantera counts as extreme metal but I think Dimebag was extraordinarily talented; crunchy, big fat riffs and most of all groovy, coupled with shredding, melodic and memorable licks and solos. As for living, I think an unsung hero that has written countless great songs; both rhythm and lead work, is Andreas Björler of At the gates, The Haunted and as a solo artist. The same could be said for his comrade Jensen (Seance, Witchery, The Haunted). As for pure talent, Per Nilsson of Scar Symmetry is mindblowing to watch live. The man filled in for Fredrik Thordendal in Meshuggah, that should tell you how good he is.

Yeah I agree on paper, but in the real world I'd be nervous as hell playing something that is irreplacable. Then again, I've never earned 30 million dollars a year so who know how I'd feel then 😄 I got a slow-dance and a kiss from my crush in 5th grade dancing to "Still got the blues", so I owe that memory to Gary Moore's blues-phase 😀

So it's june, and just like the previous years, it's been a great year for metal. What is on your AOTY lists so far? Here's the strongest candidates for me from the first 5 months. Full lengths Malakhim - Theion Ninkharsag - The Dread March of Solemn Gods Spectral wound - A Diabolic Thirst Cult of Luna - The Raging River The Suns Journey Through the Night - Demo II Novae Militae - Topheth Saidan - Jigoku: Spiraling Chasms Of The Blackest Hell Ancient Wisdom - A celebration in honor of Death Ferriterium - Calvaire Mare Cognitum - Solar Paroxysm Midnight Odyssey - Biolume Part 2 - The Golden Orb Spectral Lore - Ετερόφωτος Splits Mnima / Spider god - Split Erzfeynd / Rraaumm - Split Gate Master / Reign - Split Celestial Sword / Erzfeynd - Split

Hell the cover and even the font of the band logo looks like Massacre. It's not bad though, I agree on the Swedish feeling.

Madonna

Wow, that's really cool. I had no idea that there was something unique with the guitar, much less that Kirk Hammet owns and plays it now! Man, I'd be so nervous carting a $2 million guitar around the world to play on stage, even though Metallica probably has Fort Knox level security. I also didn't know that Gary Moore played in Thin Lizzy.....😳

I think The Diplomat-album (was it Book Burner?) was the last Pig Destroyer album I truly liked. It was great though.

Just out of curiosity, what do you do for a living? Also, Scotland is fucking beautiful. The highlands remind me a lot of the Swedish mountain world. Same type of vegetation and climate too.

Yeah, I question to decision to keep this a 9 min track. But it's surprisingly competent doom. Like early Candlemass or Trouble with harsh vocals.

It just occured to me that I've never heard Archgoat or Blasphemy. Should probably remedy that sharpish.

That counts as win, I'd say

It blows my mind that Ihsahn was 22 when this was released, and like 19 or something for Eclipse... Agreed. Sometimes I think success is so very much up to luck and timing rather than talent or hard work. Ed Warby is still one of the very best metal drummers I've ever heard. His work with Gorefest, Hail of Bullets and in particular Ayreon is amazing.

Yeah, that's the Goatmaster General I remember. Massive album dumps n all.

Haha well, nothing really. But they have the reputation of being really jovial and happy and kind of smug, and really keen on word puns. All things considered a no-no if you're a grumpy, quiet northerner. But no, it's mostly some friendly ribbing. But of course, then there's always this atrocity that you can hold against the Gothenburgians. In Flames - Murders in the Rue Morgue And of course the crappiest swedish band of the 90's Broder Daniel - Luke Skywalker

So here's a funny one... I had initially pre-ordered Noctule and Svalbard LP's way back in the winter. But I got buyers remorse and cancelled my order. Got my money back and everything, no worries. Yesterday the vinyls showed up at my door. Thanks, I guess? Free vinyl.

A lot to live up to with a album name like that. Gonna give it a listen today, the teaser track was surprisingly mid-tempo

Quick, everyone, hide your political forums! Welcome Dead!

Haha That's a dad-joke level 10. I've always wondered what I'd think if I listened to Chinese Democracy now. I know that I hated it when it first came out.

Silver Talon - Deceiver, I am Modern American heavy metal which initially won me over, but today it bores me. Perhaps I need to be in the right mood? Mortum - Atlantean ouroborus Also American, New Jersey to be exact, but black metal. Though they have a heavy metal vibe to some of their riffs. Next up: Perturbator - Lustful sacraments Kinda dreading this one...

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