Metal Reviews

Shining - IX

Shining is definitely one of my favorite modern metal bands.

I always have. Please respect my consistency.

Really enjoy half of this album, Withstand the Fall of Time, Solarfall, title track.

That's true, you're a lifer for it.

been listening to Shining non-stop the past week. So good.

I'll see your Battle Hymns and raise you one Hail to England!



I care not what the naysayers may think, this is a solid fucking record. Maybe the best in the band's colorful career. Listening to it again, the Sword by Bathory sounds eerily similar to Blood of My Enemies.

They actually only just clicked for me with Battle Hymns, somewhat hated them before! Definitely going to do a discography exploration.

The band produced some really solid stuff during the Ross Friedman days, especially on Hail to England. That record really showcases the band's best qualities while also downplaying the more comical elements of their image. The He-man posturing thing makes them look like major toolbags, Demaio in particular, whereas a more self-effacing approach would have passed it off as just good, dumb fun.

Rain Upon the Impure right? The metal-archives image I am looking at actually has Ruins of Beverast and the title visible.



Sarcamentum's Far Away from the Sun isn't exactly underrated anymore (I've noticed many justifiably praising it to the heavens online recently), so instead, I will take Lord Belial's Enter the Moonlight Gate as my final Jeopardy answer to the question: 'An underrated Swedish album recorded in the mid 90s featuring moody cover art," Alex.