Metal Reviews

So, in the past few months I have done a considerable amount of Ukrainian Black Metal reviews, all of which I have collected the cd's. It is truly unfortunate that so many bands have to be left out due to their stances on Nationalistic issues, but besides Blood of Kingu (who have two albums) is there anything anyone can suggest from the Ukrainian scene that's allowable on this site. It definitely helps that I was recently made aware that I was part Ukrainian, which gives me an identity in the scene.

Basically I need Astrofaes, Lutomysl, Lucifugum, Hate Forest, and any other not totally obvious albums. I have been hunting for Kroda forever and cannot find much of it outside of their splits. May need to import.

I want to do more Ukr BM reviews so let me hear what you want or suggest.

Also, if any reviewers with any seniority on this site (Zad, Charles, Marty etc.) gives me the permission to review anything from Nokturnal Mortum or Dub Buk I'd be thrilled to. Some of their stuff is nastier than others.

Lucifugum - On the Sortilage of Christianity?

Sounds good if I can find it. I didn't like Acme Adeptum.

Please do it. This ban on NS is stupid. Everyone should have the right to be nationalist and a bit intolerant to other races and ways of thought.

I don't disagree, but I'm still one of the newer members on this site (going on a year I think this month) and I don't have the authority to lift or place a ban. Send Zad a PM. I PROMISE you I'll review every Nokturnal album I can find if that ban gets lifted. The lyrics don't even really matter to me, despite my similar lineage.

Tony,

There is a team yahoo email group where site policy would normally be discussed but you seem to be perpetually incommunicado so I'd better say it here.

Let us leave aside the discussion of whether NSBM should be reviewed here or not- a discussion which historically yields very little fruit indeed. Suffice to say this: You seem to be ascribing to me some power to dictate what you are allowed to do. I reject this responsibility entirely. However, if you are angling for me (or I suspect Goat) to give you our blessing and say 'way to go! That's just brilliant, carry on mate!' then sorry, it's not going to happen.

However, what I WOULD like to discuss is the following. When this site advertises for reviewers, one of the criteria it is very specific about is that people are prepared to review NEW ALBUMS. As opposed to developing these little pet bands that they just review a load of archives from. By my reckoning, since the start of this year you have reviewed one new album (and this was a big name). Considering the buildup of 2010 albums and the growing buildup of 2011 ones we have to get through here (see the request threads in the metalreviews.com forum) I'd say that is a far bigger problem than whether you get to do some NSBM archives.

Yeah I've been getting to a lot of archives. Part of that is due to my financial situation as a college student, with little money to yield to cd's which seem to go up in price every time I look, and part of it is that there are so many requests for older albums that are frequently overlooked. I remembered when we did the big hiring week (when myself and six others were hired) and there was an outcry for someone to visit almost exclusively highly requested archives so I did the favor of meeting many of those demands from my personal collection. I usually buy a shit ton of albums around Xmas time, but I usually only buy older ones. I'll make sure I keep site policy to the Yahoo group, as often I have so little time (finals week and monstrous research papers) to be on this site that I submit a review or two and ignore the forum. I've been a little more active lately, and will keep with the Yahoo group and make sure that once I get my investments secured and financially stable that I venture out for some new albums. Look forward to my Vomitory review soon!

drama...

Is NS banned or is Ukrainian patriotism banned? I don't get it?

If patriotism is banned lets censor Iced Earth!

Patriotism =/= nationalism although I wouldn't oppose banning Iced Earth.

Edit: Difference is kinda like ethnocentrism to racism. One is a simple love of, while the other gives a primacy which excludes or denigrates the rest. Honestly, I don't give a fuck about what is reviewed here. I won't listen to NS like I don't listen to flowery shit so then it comes down to the owners of the forums' personal preference. It's his medium which the views will be expressed through.

Dammit ! Ninja'd.

I think you have to look at each band on a case by case basis.

Nokturnal Mortum crossed the line in a way that Drudkh didn't.

Yes. Plainly, racist people are not banned from having their music reviewed at this site- we have Hate Forest reviews, Disiplin reviews, Kroda reviews, Drudkh reviews, Burzum reviews, and so on. I myself, funnily enough, have reviewed the latter two, which is something that is unlikely to happen again. There is no blanket rule.

Also, Alexander, this isn't a question of whether bands have the 'right' to be racist or whatever. As far as I'm concerned people have the right to believe what they like. On the street, do what thou whilst: the question is whether or not metalreviews.com wants to invite Nokturnal Mortum into our house or not, if you will permit an analogy. And as long as I am here, at least, there will always be some grumpy old uncle hanging a 'fuck off' sign on the gate and putting salt in their tea. Oh, and Lvivske: 'censorship' is a ridiculous way of describing a principled decision not to promote certain bands on a privately-run site.

And yes, thanks Tony, good to hear you have some reviews of new albums in the pipeline, I look forward to reading them.

Well the only discouraging thing is that the Vomitory is my only brand new album I'll be reviewing for a bit, but like Rio said, take policy decisions to the backstage. I'll run things by the site brass on an album by album basis. I may be getting a decent job though, which is right by the only FYE in this shoddy section of Florida, so worst case scenario I can pour some funds into some more or less mainstream releases. That being said, I did find the recent Krieg at the FYE by my home on the East Coast.

Uh... With regards to the new album situation: You can stream it from the likes of Grooveshark for free, and it's usually pretty up to date and works in Americaland. Also, we do get promos you know...

Actually, patriotism and nationalism are essentially one in the same, the only difference being in the definition of state as being an ethnic community or a political community. Nonetheless, they are essentially one in the same, especially in regards to a topic such as this (lyrical themes)

While some songs may be NSBM or right-wing nationalism, in most cases songs by these bands are simply nationalistic or patriotic. In the case of the most recent Nokturnal Mortum album, for example, it would be hard pressed to say the band is NS in any way.

For these Ukrainian bands, especially those of the Kharkiv school of black metal, they are "social-nationalists" which on the exterior sounds like they just flipped the words around by ideologically its entirely different and not Nazism. Maybe a little hateful at times, but hell, this is metal we're talking about.

Maybe it would be more apt to disallow an album if it has NS themes, but not a blacklist a band entirely based on past albums.

Ummm no? Patriotism is a love of one's country while nationalism generally says one's country is better than all others. That's kinda a huge difference.

I have yet to meet one person who calls himself a nationalist that did not have right wing views. On the other hand I consider myself a patriot of sorts, but my political views lean so far to the left they are off the charts.


So, yeah. There is a difference.

Yup.