Metal Reviews

Err, no.
The parallels between the Christian god and Marduk isn't exactly an unheard of novelty, and some even say that the Hebrew bible was a plagiarization (at least as far as the Creation Epic is concerned) of the Enuma Elish.

Keep grasping at those straws.

Marduk was a pagan god first and foremost though. But it doesn't ultimately matter! Who cares? King Diamond's name is much sillier, and you don't criticise him.

Because King Diamond doesn't suck, perhaps?

Naming your "evil' "Christraping" "fist fucking God's planet" fuck me Jesus "Black Metal" band after the Babylonian equivalent of the Christian god is fucking (unintentionally) hilarious. C'mon, it's fucking retarded.
With song titles like that, they gotta be, anyway.

Just reading through this, and I can't help but wonder ...
V, here is my question. Ever since you assumed 'cry of the banshee' moniker, which happened in Jan 2008, you are now up to 2394 messages. At the assumed rate of 1 min per message you have devoted almost 40 hrs to this forum in the last year and a half. Given that it probably takes 1/2 hr to an hour to write a solid review, don't you think your time would have been better spent doing that?
Just a reminder, when you quit, after just a few reviews, you cited the workload and family obligations. Maybe you have a constant access to the computer as a part of your job (which I don't), but guess what, workload and family obligations is something that many of us (including yours truly here) have tried to juggle to be able to post reviews. Perhaps my measly 422 forum messages since 2004 have something to do with it.
In no way I am in a position to tell you when and how much to post. But what I can't get over is the fact that you had the whole forum to yourself as a "black metal MR reviewing specialist" to get on it and blast Marduk to pieces. You felt like assigning it the Crap of the Century, you had it going for it. You felt like reviewing Burzum then, why didn't you? It was way after you left and upon some discussion b/t Misha, Mike and myself, Mike instituted this not-so-well-thought-through policy. I have said it before, and let me repeat it again. You had a chance to be the most renowned and celebrated MR reviewer, due to how this board shaped up, and you blew it.
Now, when others who put the time and dedication into it voice their opinion about Marduk, Burzum, etc. you lecture them wasting forum space using Wikipedia links? Who really cares how that band is called. I don't like Marduk either, of which I often made reference in my reviews, and they could be called "Alex the Metal God" or "Darkthrone" or "Gehenna", I still would not like them, yet to devote all this energy to hammer home (until Zad submits or what) the message that their name sucks???? Sorry, man. From the one who once told me it is our duty and obligation as metal reviewers that we have to "separate the wheat from the chafe", to enlighten those who know less what good music really is, you have been wasting your writing acumen in the wrong spot.
Now, I have devoted to this 10 min more than I really should have.

ownage

WTF does this have to do with anything?

Oh, and I didn't "blow it"... you assume a lot.


Since we are dealing low blows here, should I state the real reasons why I felt that a departure from the team was best for all concerned?
Not gonna make the "team" look very good, though.
Ahh, but that would get me banned, wouldn't it?
Nahhh, I'll just leave it be; what happened and the words that were exchanged between Chris and myself are between Chris and myself. And we parted amicably enough, at least as far as I recall.

Wrong.
What I do with my spare time and whether or not I would use it to write reviews is none of his or your damned business.
Apparently Alex forgets that I stated explicitly to him that there was alot more to my departure from the "team" than that, I was being polite.
But that's between myself and Chris, nobody elses business.

owned

"The Levelling Dust" is a really badass song.

But that's about all I know as far as Marduk is concerned.

No more ridiculous than naming your band after Lord of the Rings (Gorgoroth, Burzum, Isengard, Nazxul) or picking random english words that sound cool (Immortal, Mayhem, Enslaved, Behemoth, Emperor, Enthroned) or just putting random words together that don't make sense or are unpronounceable (Dark Funeral, Xasthur, Sear Bliss, Deathspell Omega, Funeral Mist)

Some of those names are kinda lame, true.
Emperor is a cool name, the rest, meh.

Xasthur (pronounced kas-ter, BTW) is one of The Abominations, offspring of the Ancient Ones, according to lore.

"And XASTUR is a foul demoness who slays Men in their Sleep, and devours that which she will. And of her no
more may be said, for it is unlawful; but know that the worshippers of TIAMAT know her well, and that she is
beloved of the Ancient Ones."

Yes most of those names are kinda weak, but... but, they at least convey the image / message relative to the band, right?
Would you name a BM band, especially one that goes so far out of it's way to be as "blasphemous" as possible, after a deity that is equivalent to the Christian god?

That's honestly the first time I've actually found out how to pronounce Xasthur.


Personally my favourite bm name is Leviathan, along with Ulver, Krieg, Darkthrone and Primordial.

A powerful nation state's concept of 'good' is decidedly relative in the context of its enemies. Hence the conviction by pagans and the like that the history and future of christianity is largely 'evil' and must be opposed.

For a band with an anti-christian agenda, choosing the conquering god of an ancient pagan religion makes sense. Their mission is to oppose christianity, not to institute an eternal reign of 'evil'.

The only problem with that argument is the Christian god came after... don't mean to be rude, but read dammit, read:
Marduk conquered the equivalent of what would be the christian concept of Satan, Leviathan, etc... oh fuck it, never mind.

I read some ..

I see a parallel of being banished to an underworld for a misdeed .. but other than that the mythology doesn't seem to be morally divided along good/evil as in christianity. Marduk's ascendency seems more like a corporate takeover.

Enslaved always made me imagine some kind of all male bondage party. I suppose it's meant to mean enslaved by Christianity or something.

Old Marduk, like "Those of The Unlight" was actually pretty good to me. Never really bothered with the new stuff, after hearing some individual songs.

It looks like this thread has been relocated to the border between Ridiculousville and Hilariousland!

I bought an ungodly dresser from Ikea that was called Marduk a little while ago. Maybe the band named themselves after that...