Metal Reviews

we need more threads here so I thought I'd start this.

go nuts!

Somewhat in order:

Paradise Lost - In Requiem
Devin Townsend - Presents: Ziltoid the Omniscient
Akercocke - Antichrist
Behemoth - The Apostasy
Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Sigh - Hangman's Hymn
Danzig - The Lost Tracks
Candlemass - King of the Grey Islands
Angel Corpse - Of Lucifer and Lightning

I haven't bought many new albums this year, but Systematic Chaos and Hangman's Hymn have been amazing

here's my top 5, all metal albums surprisingly enough :O:

#1. Reverend Bizarre - III: So Long Suckers - they basically went out on a high note, which considering how good their debut and Return to the Rectory were is definitely saying something (I didn't like their second album quite as much). It sucks they've broken up now but at least the members already have other projects up and running

#2. Devin Townsend - Ziltoid The Omniscient - probably the second or third best album of his career.

#3. Neurosis - Given to the Rising - Not as good as some of their other masterpieces (Souls at Zero, The Eye of Every Storm) but still a great return to the heaviness of their pre-00s work.

#4. Canvas Solaris - Cortical Tectonics - Not a big evolution from Penumbra Diffuse, but they're still not repeating themselves and its still an awesome album.

#5. Odious Mortem - Cryptic Implosion - Technical death metal that doesn't forget to kick ass amid all the instrumental wankery.

You guys realize we're probably having the strongest years in metal probably in it's history. Heaps of amazing releases waiting to be classics. It's been like this since 2004.

Anyway in no order other than alphabetic

Akercocke - Antichrist
Alcest - Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde
Candlemass - King Of The Grey Islands
Cephalic Carnage - Xenosapien
Darkestrah - Epos
Enter Shikari - Take to the Skies
Lifelover - Erotik
Lunar Aurora - Andacht (god this one is just amazing)
Moonsorrow- Viides Luku: Hävitetty
Municipal Waste - The Art of Partying
Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb
Profanatica - Profanatitas De Domonatia (FUCK YEAH!)
Sigh - Hangman's Hymn
Trelldom - Til Minne
Watain - Sworn To The Dark


And Desthspell Omega - F.A.S. isn't even out yet. OH GAWD!

I only have 2:

1) Devin Townsend -- Ziltoid The Omniscient

Cinematic, epic, and over-the-top, but it doesn't take itself seriously at all. Badass.

2) Dir en Grey -- The Marrow Of A Bone

Heavier than all their other albums and unbelieveably aggressive at parts. It still manages to be catchy, and the songwriting still rules.

I only have 2 at the moment:

1. Nile - Ithyphallic
2. Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb

No order:

Angelcorpse - Of Lucifer And Lightning
End Of Level Boss - Inside The Difference Engine
Lugubrum - De Ware Hond
Corpsing - The Stench Of Humanity
Red Harvest - A Greater Darkness
Rotting Christ - Theogonia
Ostinato - Chasing The Form
Therion - Gothic Kabbalah
Tarot - Crows Fly Black

Last year Zaddy poo. I don't know where that came from...

Anyway, in no order

Devin Townsed - Ziltoid
3 Inches of Blood - Fire Up the Blades
Behemoth - The Apostasy
Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Manticora - The Black Circus II
Rush - Snakes and Arrows
Light This City - Facing the Thousand
BloodBound - The Book of the Dead
Spheric Universe Experience - Anima

...there are more.

Bah. I was reminding myself with some of the reviews I did, and that only came to us this year.

In order:

Cage - Hell Destroyer
Vital Remains - Icons Of Evil
Morgana Lefay - Aberrations Of The Mind
Darkestrah - Epos
Rebellion - Miklagard
Rotting Christ - Theogonia
Immolation - Shadows In The Light
King Diamond - Give Me Your Soul
Paradise Lost - In Requiem
Powerwolf - Lupus Dei

Dark Tranquillity - Fiction
Virgin Black - Requiem - Mezzo Forte
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
Nile - Ithyphallic
Lunar Aurora - Andacht
Saxon - The Inner Sanctum
Behemoth - The Apostasy
Monstrosity - Spiritual Apocalypse
Messiah's Kiss - Dragonheart
Gorefest - Rise To Ruin
Aborted - Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture
November's Doom - Nouvella Reservoir
Pelican - City Of Echoes
One Man Army And The Undead Quartet - Error In Evolution

Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omniscient A brilliant fusion of several of his earlier styles. SYL-lite aggression on Ziltoidia Attaxx!, Ocean Machine style moody melody on Hyperdrive, all spun together with that dreamy Terria ambience. And its piss funny too.

WASP- Dominator - Blackie's best effort in fuck knows how long. Heaven's Hung in Black is one of the best power ballads, like, ever.

Ensiferum - Victory Songs - Jari who? They really proved the doubters wrong with this one. Still aggressive, but possibly 'folksier' than ever. Great mix of styles again, with power metallish stuff like Deathbringer from the Sky up against party folk stuff like Ahti and One More Magic Potion, and a big fuck off epic in Victory Song. The Uriah Heep cover is great as well.

Turisas - The Varangian Way - still an overrated band, but now more concise and with improved songwriting.

Morgana Lefay - Abberations of the Mind - classic case of 'the same, but different.' Heavier and more modern, but without losing their own sound. A nice counterpoint to Grand Materia, with the former being all doom and gloom and this one being aggressive from start to finish.

More to follow? I guess.

Finally somebody remembered the new Cage album!

Here are my favorites until now:

Cage - Hell Destroyer
Bloodbound - Book Of The Dead
Kamelot - Ghost Opera
Masterplan - MK II
Scooter - The Ultimate Aural Orgasm
Sonata Arctica - Unia
Gotthard - Domino Effect

Not in any particular order and not too excited by all of them but I consider those to be good releases for the first half of 2007.

Threshold - Dead Reckoning
Rush - Snakes And Arrows
Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
Devin Townsend - Ziltoid The Omniscient
Waltari - Release Date
Xandria - Salome The Seventh Veil

The new Entombed is going to come pretty high for me.

Really a lot of great albums so far this year but two stand out for me:

Masterplan - MKII
Turisas - The Varangian Way

1) Dark Tranquillity : “Fiction”
2) Dimmu Borgir : “In Sort Diaboli”
3) Symphony X : “Paradise Lost”
4) Dream Theater : “Systematic Chaos”
5) Machine Head : “The Blackening”
6) In This Moment : “Beautiful Tragedy”
7) Therion: "Gothic Kabbalah”
8) 3 Inches of Blood: "Fire Up The Blades"
9) After Forever : “Self Titled”
10) Kamelot : “Ghost Opera”
11) Paradise Lost : "In Requiem"
12) Megadeth : "United Abominations"
13) Candlemass: "King Of The Grey Islands"
14) Anterior : "The Age Of Silence"
15) Behemoth : "The Apostasy"
16) Devildriver : "The Last Kind Words"
17) Nightrage : "New Disease Is Born"
18) Epica : "The Divine Conspiracy
19) The Agonist : "Once Only Imagined"
20) Within Temptation : "The Heart Of Everything"

I missed on so many '07 albums so the list could change at any moment.

Korpiklaani - Tervaskanto
Finntroll - Ur Jordens Djup
Machine Men - Circus of Fools
Therion - Gothic Kabbalah
Omnium Gatherum - Stuck Here On Snakes Way
Ensiferum - Victory Songs
DGM - Different Shapes
Kamelot - Ghost Opera
Raintime - Flies & Lies
Xystus - Surreal

So far The Dogma - Good day to Die is one of the best for me.

1.Reverend Bizarre - III: So Long Suckers.

From here they go in no particular order:

2.Doomsword - My Name Will Live On.
3.Symphony X - Paradise Lost .
4.Candlemass - King of the Grey Islands.
5.Municipal Waste - The Art of Partying.
6.Manticora - The Black Circus II.
7.Saxon - The Inner Sanctum.
8.Pink Cream 69 - In10sity.
9.King Diamond - Give Me Your Soul... Please.
10.Cage - Hell Destroyer.
11.Morgana Lefay - Aberrations Of The Mind.
12.WASP- Dominator.
13.Rush - Snakes And Arrows.
14.Nightingale - White Darkness.

I still need to listen to the new Evil Angel wich im sure its gonna kick some serious amount of ass and the new Slough Feg is surely to be on the list also, and a special mention should go to Warning - Watching From A Distance wich didnt make the list for a month, but still one of the best Doom albums ive ever heard.