Metal Reviews

I'm giving it another listen right now through the headphones. It is everything we have come to expect from Epica but I think the sound and compositions are more dynamic. There are some very nice uses of Arabian influences, the mix is very good, and there's a great balance of symphonic/classical tones, choirs, and the death metal bits. Simone, of course sounds fantastic however I think she's projecting her voice much better, more power. Lyrics are timely and thoughtful. As I predicted in a different thread, Epica and Xandria are making me forget all about Nightwish.

Funny thing is 2/3 of the tracks on that album are utter tedium. I know Future Breed Machine is incredible, but the rest of the album?

I emphasize consistency with Meshuggah: from their beginnings until now they release an album with a few great tracks and a few dreadfully boring ones, and finally a few somewhere in between. I'd say Chaosphere was the closest they came to a great album.

I agree with your assessment. I like Destroy, Erase, Improve but a lot of it is boring when you actually listen to it and as such is ignored as mere background sound.

Meshuggah are one of those bands I never understood the appeal. Only guy I ever met who actually loved them also regularly consumed enough speed and ecstasy to kill an elephant.


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NP:

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I fucking know, right?

I can't believe nobody else has mentioned this except you. It's fucking awesome. Like Black Future only better.

that album is fucking awesome. For serious.

@ebd: Interesting, I completely agree with your assessment on Meshuggah despite the fact that we have gotten into it over them several times now. Odd.

Lord Mantis' Pervertor. Just released blackened sludge metal, I guess would be the label to give it. Sounds like Indian minus the shrieking vocals.

First listen.

Sweet cover art for that Necros Christos album. Quality band but never blew me away to be honest.


Austin Lunn of Panopticon doing some ambient project, I guess.

Yeah, the cover art leads you to believe the album will be better than it actually is, but it's exactly the kind of music i was in the mood for. Really enjoying it so far.

I've only heard Triune Impurity Rites by them and it's decent. They sound best when they really master incorporating doom elements into their blackened death metal sound. They aren't Nunslaughter; they don't have the riffs to do anything faster than midtempo and it is when they scale it back in pace that it works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSU3rQ9OwhQ

I laughed uncontrollably at the penguins. I adore penguins.

Most people would label this crap, but I think they misunderstand. This the old men showing the children how to thrash like it the 80s. This is pure metal for pure metal fans. It just has the wall of sound that Exciter has always been good at, but the album makes it all seem bigger and more relentless. I think its Dan Beehlers return.

edit - excuse the piss poor grammar, typed on my phone.

That cover is awfully done. For one thing, half of the girl's arm is normal sized, but the other half that's divided by the chainsaw is fucking huge and doesn't make any sense at all. Plus, her neck is abnormally long and she looks like she could care less that her arm is about to be chopped off. Awful, just awful. I haven't listened to the album though.

But you have to admit she has some nice tits

Too big of nipples for my taste.

You said the same thing when the album first came out. My response then was, who gives a shit, Dan Beehler is back.