Last.fm Group Journal: Death, Black, & Thrash

2012 Album Ratings

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:56:02 +0000

2011 was an excellent year. Logic says that 2012 won't be able to match it but you never know. Welcome to my continually growing list of 2012 albums (mostly metal albums), complete with links to my reviews. This list will only feature albums that I have written a review for. Recommendations encouraged.

All reviews originally written for Heavy Metal Haven.

9.5 - 10.0 - Masterpiece/Classic Album

8.5 - 9.4 - Very Exceptional Album

Pharaoh - Bury The Light - (Review) - 9.0

7.5 -8.4 - Really Great

6.5 - 7.4 - Pretty Good, But Could Be Better

5.5 - 6.4 - Above Average

4.5 - 5.4 - Middle of the Road

3.5 - 4.4 - Below Average/Fans Only

Voices of Destiny - Power Dive - (Review) - 4.3

2.5 - 3.4 - Bad

1.5 - 2.4 - Very Bad

Lacuna Coil - Dark Adrenaline - (Review) - 1.8

0.5 - 1.4 - Utterly Dismal

0.0 - 0.4 - Worse than 50 Cent

Enthroned In The Temple Of The Serpent Kings

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 01:25:52 +0000

Bal-Sagoth - Enthroned in the Temple of the Serpent Kings

Jako iż “Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule” okazał się nad wyraz ciekawą pozycją, nie pozostało mi wiele lat temu, nic innego, jak zapoznać się dotychczasową twórczością wojowników.
(...)

Na uwagę zasługują tu takie utwory, jak: “Enthroned in the Temple of the Serpent Kings”, czy “Witch-Storm”, którego już sam początek przyprawia o gęsią skórkę, oraz “The Ravening”

(...) Jak na poprzedniczkę (...) “Starfire Burning…”, pierwszy album Bal-Sagoth zaskakuje zadziornością, agresją i licznymi zmianami tempa. (...) Ode mnie leci mocna dziewiątka..

Pełna recenzja na moim video blogu Funeral Bone Army:

Live Report: Vader/Gorgoroth/Valkyrja/The Sickening @ The Underworld, London – 14th November 2011

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 21:54:00 +0000

4th November 2011 was the day when the tank PanzerVader666 once again bombarded everything in its way and, as they say, took no prisoners. The veteran death metal band left London leaving just the reek of death (…and alcohol). However, Vader was not the only band on the battlefield; Gorgoroth, the co-headliner, put on a bestial show and might have succeeded in resurrecting the devil, while the support Valkyrja and The Sickening gave the initial call for battle. As the show started earlier than scheduled, I have unfortunately missed The Sickening’s entire set (and their last on this tour) – also due to certain bus delays but that’s another story. However, from what I have heard they put on their best and most were pleased.

Read more here: http://metalrecusants.com/index.php/2011/11/20/live-report-vadergorgorothvalkyrjathe-sickening-the-underworld-london-14th-november-2011/

Vader
Gorgoroth
Valkyrja
The Sickening
Welcome To The Morbid Reich
De Profundis
The Art of War
Under the Sign of Hell
Kingdom
Litany
Black to the Blind

The Tome Of Broken Souls

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 15:18:48 +0000

Anthelion - The Tome of Broken Souls

Parę słów na początku: nie znam zbyt wielu zespołów black metalowych z zakątków będących dla mnie, no dość egzotycznymi, jak choćby z Azji, czy Bliskiego Wschodu. Przeglądając propozycje na laście, skrypt nieśmiało podpowiadał mi jakiś nieznany mi z nazwy zespół, co go zwią Anthelion.

A więc – Anthelion to tajwański projekt muzyczny, który powstał 10 lat temu w Taipei, stolicy Tajwanu. Zespół wydał jak dotąd trzy płyty, w tym dwie epki i jeden pełny album. Grają symfoniczny black metal, a w swoich tekstach poruszają tematykę duchów, przerażenia, strachu, pandemonium. W warstwie lirycznej można doszukać się nawiązań do horrorów.
(...)

No i cóż by tu począć – kompozycja utworów na krążku “Bloodshed Rebefallen” jest właściwie rzecz biorąc, wypadkową między twórczością Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir. Można odszukać także wpływy Borknagar, zwłaszcza na kilku utworach z pierwszej piątki.

Pełna recenzja na moim video blogu Funeral Bone Army:

Live Report: Anthrax, Testament, Death Angel @ Congress Theater, Chicago, USA – 15th October 2011

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:18:47 +0000

I recently caught Anthrax, Testament and Death Angel at the Congress Theater, Chicago (October 15th 2011) on the 1st leg of their US tour in support of their new album Worship Music – just released in September 2011.
The triple bill opened with thrash metal veterans Death Angel, known for their high energy shows since their days in front of Cliff Burton at Ruthie’s Inn. The band did not disappoint playing a set list that included fan favorites highlighted by, Evil Priest, a thrash metal classic from the 1987 album The Ultra Violence.

Read More:
http://metalrecusants.com/index.php/2011/10/25/live-report-anthrax-testament-death-angel-congress-theater-chicago-usa-15th-october-2011/

Release Review: Perversity – Ablaze

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:15:14 +0000

Perversity is a death metal band from Slovakia which has been grinding out extreme music for over 15 years. During this incredible span the group has managed to release just 4 albums: In the Garment of Lust (2003), Words like Poison (2004), Beyond the Reach of Heaven (2008), and Ablaze (2001). This is largely due to the constant lineup changes that have plagued the band since its formation in 1995. Currently, guitarist Jozer “Dodi” Kosc is the only original member of the group. The other members of the current lineup are: Kazatel – Vocals, Elvis – Guitar, Sly – Bass Guitar, Mystik – Drums.

Read More:
http://metalrecusants.com/index.php/2011/10/25/release-review-perversity-ablaze/

Perversity
Ablaze
death meta

Interview: Unmasking the Betrayer

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:12:03 +0000

For all those unfamiliar with “Unmasking the Betrayer”, they are a 5 piece Modern Death Metal act formed in late 2008 in
Athens (Greece). So far the band has supported giant Death(Core) act Heaven Shall Burn, as well as Caliban. Apart from that, “UTB” have also
released a self-financed EP in 2011, entitled, “Unmasking the Betrayer”. In my Honest opinion a SICK band, with truly genuine and new ideas, not to mention in-your-face heavy-as-fuck songs!

http://metalrecusants.com/index.php/2011/10/21/interview-unmasking-the-betrayer/

Unmasking the Betrayer

Live Report: Phoenix Rising Tour @ Stodoła, Warsaw, Poland – 21st October 2011

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:28:16 +0000

Fri 21 Oct – Phoenix Rising Tour 2011
The lights go off and one by one the band members enter the stage. First we can see Inferno behind his monstrous drum kit raising his drum sticks in the shape of an upside down cross. The following members to appear illuminated by the spotlights would be: Seth, Orion and finally Nergal. The crowd goes crazy. All you can hear in Club Stodoła is screams and “BEHEMOTH, BEHMOTH, BEHEMOTH, BEHEMOTH…!”. Even before the appearance of the band, the Warsaw crowd was pumping up the atmosphere with “get on the stage” (in a slightly more slang-ish and vulgar style), Christmas carols (don’t know where that came from), birthday songs and shout outs like “where’s the cross?!” (referring to the recent situation in Poland – read here). Nevertheless, Behemoth were not the only band to perform that night. Therefore, some patience before I go on examining the 20th anniversary show of the headliner.

Read more:
http://metalrecusants.com/index.php/2011/10/23/live-report-phoenix-rising-tour-stodola-warsaw-poland-21st-october-2011/

Ride for Dime Pre Party 2011: The Rail Club - Fort Worth, TX

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 01:42:28 +0000

The Ride for Dime Pre Party was held at the Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday July 19, 2011. Bands performing a tribute to the fallen were Klause, Habit of Force, Warbeast, Saint Vitus, Crowbar and Faded Grace.

Klause is a family metal band from Amarillo, Texas. This performance marked their third appearance at the event. The band is comprised of father and vocalist Steve "KLEEVER" Klause, and his three sons Stevie Ray (15) guitartist, Josh (16) drums and Jon (17) Bass and backup vocals. There is a great video put up by Metal Over Texas that interviews the family here [youtube]http://youtu.be/p-uULnISZLE[/youtube]. Catch their performance at the Ride For Dime 2011 Pre Party 2011 here [youtube]http://youtu.be/0pzaw3YNg0o[/youtube]. The Klause and Habit of Force performances can be seen at Starmadillo's Youtube channel here http://www.youtube.com/user/starmadillo#g/u . Crowbar can be seen here [youtube]http://youtu.be/huC4ztXQ3eU[/youtube].

Ride for Dime proceeds go to "Little Kids Rock" charity, providing instruments to childrens schools. Getcha' Pull!!

Interview with Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy.

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 06:27:02 +0000

Arch Enemy is a band that does not need any kind of introduction as most of you metalheads know them and what they play. Arch Enemy is renowned for releasing classic melodic death metal albums like “Wages of Sin“, “Anthems of Rebellion” or “Doomsday Machine” and for the powerful vocal which Angela Gossow provides. Currently, the band is touring in support of their newest full-length “Khaos Legions” – the MetaLmorphosiS Festival in Cyprus (28th October 2011) being one of the dates of that tour. At MetalRecusants we had the opportunity to ask one of the most well-known death metal growlers some questions, so enjoy the chat below…

http://metalrecusants.com/index.php/2011/09/16/metalmorphosis-2011-preview-interview-with-arch-enemys-angela-gossow/

Arch Enemy
Wages Of Sin
Doomsday Machine
Khaos Legions
Anthems Of Rebellion
death metal