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Empyreal
The Final Frontier

Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:58 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 1:06 am 
 

traxan wrote:
I'm just shocked at Visigoth coming in at #1 given this band has a clean vocalist. Every time clean vocals come up all I see around here is bitching about "pop vocals" (Cyhra for one example). I figured this place was allergic to actual singing.


Maybe like 7-10 years ago it was more skewed toward extreme metal, but I've found it to have balanced out a lot the last several years... it's helped that there have generally been a lot more awesome new melodic metal bands the last 4-5 years.
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narsilianshard
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Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:22 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 3:29 am 
 

Empath just refreshed their data today, so we can now compare review averages to this poll: http://www.furia.com/em/releases-year.html
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zeingard
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:49 pm
Posts: 659
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 4:09 am 
 

DoomMetalAlchemist wrote:
That is utterly ridiculous, and I'm not even much of a fan. I've only heard the first handful of albums, but there are all pretty distinct from each other at least until Am Universum. I know that is many albums ago, but it is also many albums past their debut which you name-dropped.


Woah, a pedant who doesn't understand hyperbole.

true_death wrote:
Finally, kind of shocked and disappointed that I'm the only person on the entire forum who voted for the new Unleashed...kind of a shame that an amazing band who's been around so long with so many quality releases can just get forgotten/ignored like this...oh well, they've never been much of a "top dog" kind of band in terms of popularity, but I assumed they were still big enough that they'd be on someone else's tongue besides mine...


In a year with so many varied and amazing death metal releases, simply doing more of the same will very quickly leave you forgotten. It's another solid Unleashed album, which is great if you were jonesing for another one because you needed a break from the others.

BastardHead wrote:
1: Visigoth - Conqueror's Oath
One of the best albums of the fucking decade as far as I'm concerned. Everybody who prefers the debut over this is objectively incorrect.


I am absolutely convinced we listened to entirely different albums. Are you sure you didn't just listen to 'The Revenant King' again? I mean you should, because it is objectively the better album. I would say more but I just remembered that caspian wrote a fantastic review that says what I think a lot better.
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Morrigan
Crone of War

Joined: Sat Aug 10, 2002 7:27 am
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 4:16 am 
 

traxan wrote:
I'm just shocked at Visigoth coming in at #1 given this band has a clean vocalist. Every time clean vocals come up all I see around here is bitching about "pop vocals" (Cyhra for one example). I figured this place was allergic to actual singing.

How the hell did you get to this conclusion? :scratch:
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e_ddi_e
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:00 am
Posts: 614
Location: Sweden
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 4:43 am 
 

FirebathDan wrote:
CoconutBackwards wrote:
1. Eneferens - The Bleakness of Our Constant


This album is outstanding.


Yes. We were only five people that voted for it though.

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Dustroy_Troly
Metal newbie

Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:29 pm
Posts: 162
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 5:32 am 
 

I gave that Visigoth album a listen when it was released, was thoroughly unimpressed, and moved on. I'm listening to it again now and I still have no idea why anyone would pick THIS as their album of the year?! Just a nothing album for me; spiritless, characterless, dull, barely better than the new Judas Priest. Bad job, MA, bad job.

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kybernetic
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:48 pm
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Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 8:50 am 
 

Some salty people in here. Visigoth gets a lot of hate too. There's some good positive reviews for it as well, I recommend Chairthrower or Twisted_Psychology for your reading.

Conqueror's Oath certainly isn't objectively worse, but I think that's more hyperbole on zeingard's part. It's hard to tell with his post though.
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Zdan
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 8:58 am 
 

The sole inclusion of "Traitor's Gate" make the second Visigoth album better than the first. And the first was a pretty solid slab of epic and melodic metal.

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Pitiless Wanderer
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Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 7:34 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 9:05 am 
 

I can't stand Visigoth and am disappointed that they won, but ah well.

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Empyreal
The Final Frontier

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 9:05 am 
 

The best Visigoth, as much as this makes me sound like a contrarian hipster or whatever, was that Final Spell EP so far. I've wanted them to strike that balance again and it hasn't happened yet.

The debut was over-ambitious in a fun way, though I just didn't feel the need to play it over and over. This new one just feels kind of stunted in comparison. I didn't remember any songs after it was done.
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joppek
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:00 am 
 

come to think of it, i'm a bit surprised that only 2 people besides me voted for slaegt's the wheel

i'd recommend it to all the people who (like me) voted for chapel of disease
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PorcupineOfDoom
Metal newbie

Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:52 pm
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Location: Scotland
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:56 am 
 

01. Cypecore - The Alliance (107th)
02. Deathbell - With the Beyond (rando)
03. Garganjua - Through the Void (rando)
04. Hinayana - Order Divine (169th)
05. Bleeding Gods - Dodekathlon (rando)
06. Black Moth - Anatomical Venus (rando)
07. Orbit Culture - Redfog (rando)
08. Silence Lies Fear - Shadows of the Wasteland (rando)
09. Altars of Grief - Iris (88th)
10. Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa - Tales from Hydhradh (rando)

Debut of the Year: Deathbell - With the Beyond (missing from debut of the year list, but presumably I would have been the sole vote anyway)

Welp, looks like I'm occupying the rando corner again :lol: Was a bit surprised that some didn't get more votes having seen them mentioned on the forum but it is what it is

Cheers again BH

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CoconutBackwards
Bullet Centrist

Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:02 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 11:44 am 
 

FirebathDan wrote:
CoconutBackwards wrote:
1. Eneferens - The Bleakness of Our Constant


This album is outstanding.


I liked this album almost immediately, but every time I listen to it I find something new I like.

My love for this album still hasn't plateaued.
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FirebathDan
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Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 2:32 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 11:51 am 
 

CoconutBackwards wrote:
FirebathDan wrote:
CoconutBackwards wrote:
1. Eneferens - The Bleakness of Our Constant


This album is outstanding.


I liked this album almost immediately, but every time I listen to it I find something new I like.

My love for this album still hasn't plateaued.


Bindrune doesn't fuck around, man :lol:
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Nazgul1974
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2017 5:22 am
Posts: 57
Location: Mexico
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 11:51 am 
 

Hey! What happened with my ballot? I voted for Eternal Lies "Burning The Nest" for 3rd place and I didn't see them anywhere !!

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Sick6Six
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 12:01 pm
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Location: Woodstock, IL
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:12 pm 
 

I listened to about 1.2 of the albums in the top 10. I guess the majority has wildly different tastes than me. Or like BH said the BM crowd never agrees on anything. Power Metal and "classic" metal like Satan just don't really do anything for me anymore. Satan does sound pretty good I just have to be in the right mood to listen to it. Any other good black metal stuff in the top 25 that I should check out? 1914 seems cool, but I only listened to a teaser song. I'm not even really familiar with a lot of the bands.
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Napalm_Satan
Ever-Opening Flower

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2015 4:27 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:20 pm 
 

Nazgul1974 wrote:
Hey! What happened with my ballot? I voted for Eternal Lies "Burning The Nest" for 3rd place and I didn't see them anywhere !!


If you look under the list, there's a section titled 'Rando Corner' - where all the albums that only got one vote are found. Burning the Nest is there with all the albums that got a 3rd place vote (meaning your ballot was most likely counted.)
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Nazgul1974
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Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2017 5:22 am
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:42 pm 
 

Napalm_Satan wrote:
Nazgul1974 wrote:
Hey! What happened with my ballot? I voted for Eternal Lies "Burning The Nest" for 3rd place and I didn't see them anywhere !!


If you look under the list, there's a section titled 'Rando Corner' - where all the albums that only got one vote are found. Burning the Nest is there with all the albums that got a 3rd place vote (meaning your ballot was most likely counted.)

Yeah I've noted that, sorry I didn't see it before.

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kybernetic
Metalhead

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Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:17 pm 
 

Empyreal wrote:
The best Visigoth, as much as this makes me sound like a contrarian hipster or whatever, was that Final Spell EP so far.


I think that's their best release as well. It's not that surprising. Lean, no nonsense powerful heavy metal with superb singing and vocal harmonies. Creature of Desire is far far better on the EP than the debut. I couldn't even recognize that song on the debut, they butchered it....their own song. Really bizarre.
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tomcat_ha
Minister of Boiling Water

Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:05 am
Posts: 5570
Location: Netherlands
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:22 pm 
 

Empyreal wrote:
traxan wrote:
I'm just shocked at Visigoth coming in at #1 given this band has a clean vocalist. Every time clean vocals come up all I see around here is bitching about "pop vocals" (Cyhra for one example). I figured this place was allergic to actual singing.


Maybe like 7-10 years ago it was more skewed toward extreme metal, but I've found it to have balanced out a lot the last several years... it's helped that there have generally been a lot more awesome new melodic metal bands the last 4-5 years.


wasnt 7-10 years ago also the peak uspm brotherhood era

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BeholdtheNicktopus
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2008 6:26 pm
Posts: 492
Location: Chicago
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:38 pm 
 

Here was my list.

1. Solstice - White Horse Hill (3rd)
2. Satan - Cruel Magic (4th)
3. Lethean - The Waters of Death (175th)
4. Mare - Ebony Tower (31st)
5. Cultes Des Ghoules - Sinister (47th)
6. Esoctrilihum - Inhuma (181st)
7. Ungfell - Mythen, Maren, Pestilenz (214th)
8. Sacral Rage - Beyond Celestial Echoes (65th)
9. Esoctrilihum - Pandaemorthium (212th)
10. Pagan Hellfire - At the Resting Depths Eternal (176th)

Debut of the year: Lethean - The Waters of Death

___

I am glad to see Solstice and Satan up high. They deserve it for sure! I wasn't floored with Visigoth, though it is a good album. Depending on my mood (black metal or trad), I'd switch out a few of my last picks (say, 8-10) for Wytch Hazel, Gatekeeper, and/or Storrsson. And maybe I'd put Svartidaudi or Carpe Noctem on if I was in the mood. Eh, honorable mentions, then!

Solstice, though, oh man, they really swept the year for me. No contest whatsoever! I wish Lethean got more love, though! Excellent epic metal in that sort of vein, kind of.
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Twisted_Psychology
Metal freak

Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 8:22 pm
Posts: 6260
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 3:12 pm 
 

My top ten for 2018:
1) Visigoth - Conqueror's Oath
2) Wolftooth - Wolftooth
3) Wayfarer - World's Blood
4) Witchkiss - The Austere Curtains of Our Eyes
5) Pale Divine - Pale Divine
6) Voivod - The Wake
7) Judicator - The Last Emperor
8) Sergeant Thunderhoof - Terra Solus
9) The Skull - The Endless Road Turns Dark
10) Iron Void - Excalibur

Debut of the year: Wolftooth - Wolftooth

I'm pretty cool with the overall top ten as voted by the forum. I can live with two of my picks showing up on it and I probably would've voted for Chapel of Disease if I'd been more acquainted with it. Satan and Varathron were borderline, Solstice, Priest, and Amorphis were in the great but not quite top shelf category, and I hadn't really listened to Primordial or Horrendous.

Also amused to see Spirit Division in the rando corner.
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Ace_Rimmer
Metal freak

Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2017 11:30 am
Posts: 4603
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 3:15 pm 
 

Dustroy_Troly wrote:
I gave that Visigoth album a listen when it was released, was thoroughly unimpressed, and moved on. I'm listening to it again now and I still have no idea why anyone would pick THIS as their album of the year?! Just a nothing album for me; spiritless, characterless, dull, barely better than the new Judas Priest. Bad job, MA, bad job.


It’s not bad but it pales next to the debut. I expected to love it but it just didn’t do much for me.

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Xenophon
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Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:07 am
Posts: 1184
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 3:19 pm 
 

DrummingEdge133 wrote:
Empyreal wrote:
The best Visigoth, as much as this makes me sound like a contrarian hipster or whatever, was that Final Spell EP so far.


I think that's their best release as well. It's not that surprising. Lean, no nonsense powerful heavy metal with superb singing and vocal harmonies. Creature of Desire is far far better on the EP than the debut. I couldn't even recognize that song on the debut, they butchered it....their own song. Really bizarre.

I don't know about "far far better," but it is definitely better and feels more aggressive. Just compare the "yeah-ah-ah" part about a minute and a half in. On the EP, it sounds exuberant and fun, but the vocals seem slightly subdued on the LP, and the guitars somehow sound more jangly and less heavy on the album. The Revenant King on the whole just sounds a bit lethargic and monotonous.

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Empyreal
The Final Frontier

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 3:59 pm 
 

It seems like they're trying a bit too hard on both full lengths really. They'd be better if they just let out their inner 80s Priest again like on that one. Just sounds more natural.
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Empyreal
The Final Frontier

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Location: Where the dead rule the night
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 4:04 pm 
 

tomcat_ha wrote:
Empyreal wrote:
traxan wrote:
I'm just shocked at Visigoth coming in at #1 given this band has a clean vocalist. Every time clean vocals come up all I see around here is bitching about "pop vocals" (Cyhra for one example). I figured this place was allergic to actual singing.


Maybe like 7-10 years ago it was more skewed toward extreme metal, but I've found it to have balanced out a lot the last several years... it's helped that there have generally been a lot more awesome new melodic metal bands the last 4-5 years.


wasnt 7-10 years ago also the peak uspm brotherhood era


Maybe, but that was just like a handful of dudes in the one thread. Just seems like there's way more love for melodic/trad/power stuff now than there used to be.
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Zdan
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Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2004 6:05 pm
Posts: 2762
Location: Poland
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 4:31 pm 
 

As for trad/power/speed metal I too feel that there is more love for the genre/s nowdays. Tons of quality albums being released and re-releases of classic albums help too.

As for Visigoth - the second album felt to me like a big "hit single" heavy metal marathon. The thing was just so damn catchy and the vocal lines were MUCH better than on "Revenant King". Case in point - "Traitor's Gate" - probably my favourite trad metal song from a new band along with Enforcer's "Undying Evil".

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Goatfangs
58.2% Metal

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 7:35 pm 
 

I've been listening to Cease the Day by In The Woods... a lot lately and I think this album somehow flew under everyone's radar. It's in the Rando Corner, but for how good it is, it likely would have placed in my top ten if I had listened to it just a month earlier.
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Opus
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Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2002 11:06 am
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 7:45 pm 
 

One vote for Unleashed?! You are all a bunch of christians!
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IntoNevermore
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Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 11:31 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 9:17 pm 
 

I'm a bit shocked Augury ended up in the rando corner, for me it was a better than the new Obscura and Alkaloid. I also thought it would be a bit more hyped given that it was 9 years since they made new music, and both of their previous records are absolute classics for me, but well, I didn't voted for them so I should just shut up haha.
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AuldAnxiety
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Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:53 am
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 9:45 pm 
 

Here are the 2018 albums I submitted to Metal Archives. Throaat ‘Reflections in Darkness’ would have been on the list but it was released on the last day of 2017.

1. Funeral Mist ‘Hekatomb’
2. Scorched ‘Ecliptic Butchery’
3. Hyperdontia ‘Nexus of Teeth’
4. Infernal Coil ‘Within a World Forgotten’
5. Witherfall ‘A Prelude to Sorrow’
6. Sacral Rage ‘Beyond Celestial Echoes’
7. Cultes des Ghoules ‘Sinister’
8. Voivod ‘The Wake’
9. Perpetrator ‘Altered Beast’
10. Skeletal Remains ‘Devouring Mortality’

After I Submitted the list I realized that I forgot Spite ‘Antimoshiach’ - it would have been placed among my top choices. Also, I sent in my list early so I hadn’t taken in the new Sulphur Aeon and given an earlier release date it definitely would have been among my favorites.

Two of my favorite songs of the year that happen to be on albums that didn’t make my best of list:
Madame Satan by Warrel Dane
Blade of Cimmeria by Gatekeeper

The Warrel Dane song is perfect. I’ve played it over and over and my wife who hates metal even sings along.

I was disappointed when I discovered that the other songs on the Gatekeeper record didn’t have the Powermad energy of the first track. This isn’t a criticism of the band, just a case of my expectations getting in the way of appreciating what it is.

I also dig the new Peste Noire despite the controversial artwork. I personally think it is directed towards Antifa types moreso than a commentary on Famine’s racial views. He’s been pretty clear in interviews and despite some of his collaborators and the label it is being released on I’m choosing to see it as another provocation which is in character with what the band has been doing since the start. I think they stand out in a crowd and do it with heart and style and they remain one of my favorite bands even though this one made me feel dirty throwing money in its direction.

Last but not least... my favorite non-metal records of this year are:

Tropical Fuck Storm ‘A Laughing Death in Meatspace’
Luke Haines ‘I Sometimes Dream of Glue’
Walker Phillips ‘My Love Sunday’
Eminem ‘Kamikaze’
JPEGMAFIA ‘Veteran’

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narsilianshard
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 11:31 pm 
 

joppek wrote:
come to think of it, i'm a bit surprised that only 2 people besides me voted for slaegt's the wheel

I was one of them! Such a catchy and unique record, it's really a shame how little attention it got. But that's just sometimes how it goes if you release an album in Q4.
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pfk505
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Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:04 am
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Location: Canada
PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 12:51 am 
 

CoconutBackwards wrote:
FirebathDan wrote:
CoconutBackwards wrote:
1. Eneferens - The Bleakness of Our Constant


This album is outstanding.


I liked this album almost immediately, but every time I listen to it I find something new I like.

My love for this album still hasn't plateaued.


Well said. It's a terrific album. I had it in my top 10 but now I don't think quite high enough ;)

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Xenophon
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Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:07 am
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Location: United States
PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:09 am 
 

narsilianshard wrote:
joppek wrote:
come to think of it, i'm a bit surprised that only 2 people besides me voted for slaegt's the wheel

I was one of them! Such a catchy and unique record, it's really a shame how little attention it got. But that's just sometimes how it goes if you release an album in Q4.

I heard it. Didn't make much of an impression though :/.

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Twisted_Psychology
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Location: United States
PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:15 am 
 

AuldAnxiety wrote:
I was disappointed when I discovered that the other songs on the Gatekeeper record didn’t have the Powermad energy of the first track. This isn’t a criticism of the band, just a case of my expectations getting in the way of appreciating what it is.


Funny enough, I thought the opener was also different from the other songs on the album but it seems more out of place to me. It's not a bad song but something about the way it's structured is a little awkward. Things really pick up at Warrior Without Fear for me.
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AuldAnxiety
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Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:53 am
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:39 am 
 

Yeah the pacing on the record in general is odd. That said, the songs are great and while I have difficulty getting into a band like Visigoth I eagerly await more from Gatekeeper. There is more energy and the vocals are powerful.

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Empyreal
The Final Frontier

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:41 am 
 

Gatekeeper isn't quite Top 10 material for me yet but damn I'm digging this debut... the writing seems more textured and intriguing, and they have a shitload of ambition on songs like "Ninefold Muse" and "Bell of Tarantia." Real feel for groovy, hooky guitars. The singing is excellent. I am very confident they will tighten up the writing and produce catchier tunes in the future to make a real classic.
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Ashaant
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:53 pm 
 

My sent list was :

Top 10 of the year

1) Mare - Ebony Tower
2) Tribulation - Down Below
3) Akitsa - Credo
4) Burial Invocation - Abiogenesis
5) Amorphis - Queen of Time
6) Aorlhac - L'espirit des Vents
7) Cultes Des Ghoules - Sinister, or Treading the Darker Paths
8) Spectral Wound - Infernal Decadence
9) Chapel of Disease - And As We Have Seen The Storm, We Have Embraced The Eye
10) Deceased - Ghostly White

This was a great year for Black Metal with some genuine quality which didn't make my list like Basalte and Kriegsmachine, along with those which did. However, the biggest disappointment was from the same genre pool. Funeral Mist - Hekatomb. What the hell was that ?! They've completely killed off their atmosphere and made the guitar tones crisp. Unfortunately, they don't have the song structures to pull that off. Marduk, modern Mayhem, Immortal I understand, but FM was all about absolute fury. This is not it. Boring !

*Goes back to listening to Salvation*

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burnroasted
Metal newbie

Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:00 am
Posts: 292
PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:26 pm 
 

Empyreal wrote:
Gatekeeper isn't quite Top 10 material for me yet but damn I'm digging this debut... the writing seems more textured and intriguing, and they have a shitload of ambition on songs like "Ninefold Muse" and "Bell of Tarantia." Real feel for groovy, hooky guitars. The singing is excellent. I am very confident they will tighten up the writing and produce catchier tunes in the future to make a real classic.

What was your top 10?

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Empyreal
The Final Frontier

Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:58 pm
Posts: 35177
Location: Where the dead rule the night
PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:31 pm 
 

Quote:
1. Seasons Of The Wolf - Last Act Of Defiance - immaculate, flawless, snappy writing; endlessly entertaining songs
2. Deceased - Ghostly White - some of the most genius traditional metal riffs I've heard in ages, and songs that are full of life and vibrancy and curiosity
3. Horrendous - Idol - simply their most advanced, complex work yet; fascinating
4. Solstice - White Horse Hill - massive, soul-searing epics
5. Akitsa - Credo - raw, sharp, riff-raging mayhem; love it
6. Chapel Of Disease - …And As We Have Seen The Storm, We Have Embraced The Eye - insane progressivism, genuinely surprising and affecting writing
7. Sulphur Aeon - Scythe Of Cosmic Chaos - crushing and relentless, like a massive wave of sound
8. Arrayan Path - Archegonoi - epic, strident, forward-thinking and well put together
9. Thaurorod - Coast Of Gold - sparkling with life and energy, catchy as hell
10. Black Majesty - Children Of The Abyss - their best album in a decade, heavy as fuck and complex


Here it is.
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