At first I was like, "Great, another album by Opeth that does the same stuff as the others I've heard." But then track 3 and 4 (the first 2 songs under 10 minutes) were very different and track 3 in particular called "Beneath the Mire" actually didn't sound like an exercise in multi-parted prog complexity for once and actually had a groove and a uniqueness that I found great and refreshing. Track 4 as well.
Don't get me wrong, the other tracks here, the long ones, the ones that their fans really worship, are cool and well played, but generally I notice that the songs that are massive and winding and suite-like, just bore me and seem to have something important missing - I can't put my finger on what... maybe I just like songs that have more traditional structures or, barring that, have some heart and soul and elicit real strong feelings in me. The long ones here - including maybe their most famous song ever the huge opening track "Ghost of Perdition" - generally left me feeling impressed yet somewhat cold. Maybe requires a few more listens to unpack, but also it may be (and its more likley) that this style of metal and prog isn't my jam. Still, looking ahead on this metal albums list, and considering that outside of Iron Maiden there is no other more persistently appearing metal band on this RYM metal albums list, I will have several more chances to "dig" this music. For now, much like with the last 2 albums nominated for this game, I am only impressed and not really moved.
Okay and I am going to add more, because I want to say that this band may slowly be growing on me, despite how my comment so far may come across. I enjoyed the most of the 3 (Blackwater, Still Life being the others) and even the other 2 were really solid and beautifully orchestrated. Yet, the music isn't radically different - which is why I think I'm just starting to vibe a bit more with Opeth. This album was consistently very good, even on the long, and unnecessarily shifting every 2 minutes songs, there were many parts that actually features tangible grooves and some emotion - like actual bluesy emotion - and that is impressive. Very cool album over all. Won't sniff a decade or overall chart, but will be remembered fondly and, who knows, maybe even revisited.
EDIT: as I listen again, a lot of my thoughts are changing. This is still a bit too clean for my tastes metal-wise. But hot damn, even the long winding pieces of work are starting to sound pretty solid-to-great. The shorter songs are still the best parts and the most focused, but yeah this is solid and this goes in some weird and unexpected directions. Very cool.
RYM metal of any kind since 1995 - and I just said fudge it and now I will simply include every album even if by Death and Neurosis and Morbid Angel and even if there are more than 1 album per artist.
1. Storm of the Light's Bane by Dissection/1995/RYM #31 metal album of all time (classic melodic black metal album I can't remember hearing.)
2. Close to a World Below by Immolation/2000/RYM #41 metal album of all time (okay, now that a spot has freed up, this brand new listen of this classic DM album is now a possible Nom)
3. Times of Grace by Neurosis/1999/RYM #69 metal album of all timenice(another totally classic Neurosis album. apparently atmo sludge but unlike Through Silver In Blood I've never heard this album past track 1.)
4. Imaginations From the Other Side by Blind Guardian/1995/RYM #80 metal album of all time (first power metal choice woohoo. i guess. I mean something about power metal just seems so corny, but maybe I will hear it differently after listening to this classic.)
5. My Arms, Your Hearse by Opeth/1998/RYM #92 metal album of all time (apparently this was the first of the new Opeth sound that they developed over half a dozen classics from 1998 to 2005 - that patented Prog metal/Prog Roc and Death metal sound that all associate with Opeth. So, despite being kinda generally bored by Opeth, this could be interesting and maybe great.)
6. Pierced From Within by Suffocation/1995/RYM #94 metal album of all time (another BRUTAL death metal album woohoo! I liked that None So Vile listen so maybe I'll dig this too.)
7. Here In After by Immolation/1996/RYM #113 metal album of all time (another classic death metal immolation album. Nice!)
8. A Sun That Never Sets by Neurosis Omega/2001/RYM #118 (Much like Opeth, Neurosis released a string of bangers that are loved by RYM crowd. I happen to be a little more on board with the hype surrounding Neurosis, however. Atmospheric Sludge per these genre tags)
9. Fas – Ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum by Deathspell Omega/2007/RYM #119 metal album of all time (here is another Deathspell Omega. I was pretty impressed with their blend of Black metal with some avant garde and other stuff that I heard on Paracletus. Lets hgope this is also good to great.)
10. Diabolical Conquest by Incantation/1998/RYM #116 metal album of all time (and yes! Incantation is back on the selections list! LedZep suggested this death and doom death/death doom/etc band as one of the bands I maybe should do a deep dive on in the 1990s. HOWEVER I honestly had never heard of them. But apparently this is great.) _________________ -Ryan
Can see why lots were talking about this album. For my experience it was like Aphex Twin, SAULT, and a little Moby. Pretty good.
2. Deathspell Omega sounds metal. May it be metal.
3. LedZep top 100 of 2010s (2 picks left)
10. Autumn Bells by Gidge
11. Queen of Time by Amorphis
13. All Bitches Die by Lingua Ignota
21. Everywhere At The End Of Time by The Caretaker
25. Lost by Trentemøller
35. Vanilija by Svemirko
26. Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis by Matana Roberts
27. Veronica Falls by Veronica Falls
32. Monolith Of Inhumanity by Cattle Decapitation
33. Magdalene by FKA twigs
Enigmatic UK ambient release from the early 80s with some intereting atmosphere. This is the kind of music that just seems to have just came right out of the ether. It doesn't even seem like it was made by people; I can hear this music just being in the background of some seedy alley someplace late at night. The lone saxophone seemingly possessed. I couldn't listen to every track, but what I listened to scratched a particular itch.
RTB, CATTLE DECAP. 😈
AD- Conspiracy
ADN' Ckrystall- Jazz' Mad
Agencement- Agencement
Amber Route- Snail Headed Victrolas
Andy Giorbino- Lied an die Freude
Anima- Stürmischer Himmel
Anna Homler- Dō Ya Sa' Di Dō
Anna Själv Tredje- Tussilago Fanfara
Anthony Davis- Epistēmē
Anton Bruhin- InOut
RoundTheBendI miss the comfort in being sadProfile Ground Control
Just went from listening to Billie Holliday to the first Cattle Decap track.
Me can haz ogre.
Actually, for the style of singing, I find this one kinda more "believable"?
Although I'm glad I can't really hear the lyrics based on the titles of the tracks. They either would creep me out or make me laugh more for their obvious want to be "scary" but failing.
Just went from listening to Billie Holliday to the first Cattle Decap track.
Me can haz ogre.
Actually, for the style of singing, I find this one kinda more "believable"?
Although I'm glad I can't really hear the lyrics based on the titles of the tracks. They either would creep me out or make me laugh more for their obvious want to be "scary" but failing.
For context, if you have not researched it, Cattle Decapitation is a Vegan band whose whole purpose is to make music that pertains to the environment and animal abuse/factory farming/climate change.
For context, if you have not researched it, Cattle Decapitation is a Vegan band whose whole purpose is to make music that pertains to the environment and animal abuse/factory farming/climate change.
huh, you've convinced me that I should check it out too
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No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith by Motörhead
Unfortunately I gotta say that this didn't appeal to me much. This is the kind of live set where if I was there, I would be having a ball. But listening to it at home with headphones, it's a little weak. Nothing sounds quite as good as it does in the studio, and quite frankly I've never been a huge fan of Motörhead's studio albums. "Ace of Spades" is classic, and while on the studio album its speed is perfect for speed metal, I regret that I found the live track's tempo to be too fast to appreciate as much. Same goes for many of the other tracks. I liked it, but no more than average I suppose. 2.5/5
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Damn I don't know if I'm qualified to pick one of yours Tha1ChiefRocka 🤣
I suppose I'll go with
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RYM's top albums of all time (minus archival releases)
- Swans Are Dead by Swans (live)
- Live After Death by Iron Maiden (live)
- Sun Bear Concerts Piano Solo: Recorded in Japan by Keith Jarrett (live)
- Irish Tour '74 by Rory Gallagher (live)
- Silent Hill 2 by Akira Yamaoka (soundtrack)
- Colors_Live by Between the Buried and Me (live)
- Thanks, Sorry! by Jeff Rosenstock (live)
- Rétrospective Vol. 1 & 2 by Magma (live)
- Coltrane "Live" at the Village Vanguard by John Coltrane (live)
- At the Mountains of Madness by Electric Masada (live) _________________ 51 Washington, D.C. albums!
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
Much like Paracletus, this is a very unique blend of Avant garde metal with Black metal. The more knotty and gnarly and strangely tuned and discordant avant-garde parts are the most interesting. I think its just a trip hearing these interpretations of BM through the lense of very weird and hard to unpack compositions. The BM and more classic metal parts here are cool too. The drummer is a mad man. Love the fast classic black metal incessant drum pummelings and I love that he is able to switch up into somewhat heady and odd percussive bits. The album is really good.
I think I prefer Paracletus by a smidge, maybe because its a bit more focused and epic and I think they had just those 3 years to take this sound and perfect it. Still, its cool to hear this version of Deathspell Omega from just a few years earlier, with much of the same tools and styles they made a more intense and brutal metal album. These 2 albums back to back is pretty impressive.
The massive cinematic, horn-filled (i think) last 90 seconds was really cool and ghostly and sounded like a direct transmission from hell.
Overall very cool.
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2.
@EyeKanFly, lets keep the British Heavy Metal classic metal albums going, shall we!
RYM metal of any kind since 1995 - no limitations, no avoiding, just the top 10 albums of the metal sort since 1995 per RYM that I haven't heard or feel I need to listen again (due generally to not remembering them well enough to grade/rate)
1. Storm of the Light's Bane by Dissection/1995/RYM #31 metal album of all time (classic melodic black metal album I can't remember hearing.)
2. Close to a World Below by Immolation/2000/RYM #41 metal album of all time (okay, now that a spot has freed up, this brand new listen of this classic DM album is now a possible Nom)
3. Times of Grace by Neurosis/1999/RYM #69 metal album of all timenice(another totally classic Neurosis album. apparently atmo sludge but unlike Through Silver In Blood I've never heard this album past track 1.)
4. Imaginations From the Other Side by Blind Guardian/1995/RYM #80 metal album of all time (first power metal choice woohoo. i guess. I mean something about power metal just seems so corny, but maybe I will hear it differently after listening to this classic.)
5. My Arms, Your Hearse by Opeth/1998/RYM #92 metal album of all time (apparently this was the first of the new Opeth sound that they developed over half a dozen classics from 1998 to 2005 - that patented Prog metal/Prog Roc and Death metal sound that all associate with Opeth. So, despite being kinda generally bored by Opeth, this could be interesting and maybe great.)
6. Pierced From Within by Suffocation/1995/RYM #94 metal album of all time (another BRUTAL death metal album woohoo! I liked that None So Vile listen so maybe I'll dig this too.)
7. Here In After by Immolation/1996/RYM #113 metal album of all time (another classic death metal immolation album. Nice!)
8. A Sun That Never Sets by Neurosis Omega/2001/RYM #118 (Much like Opeth, Neurosis released a string of bangers that are loved by RYM crowd. I happen to be a little more on board with the hype surrounding Neurosis, however. Atmospheric Sludge per these genre tags)
9. Diabolical Conquest by Incantation/1998/RYM #116 metal album of all time (and yes! Incantation is back on the selections list! LedZep suggested this death and doom death/death doom/etc band as one of the bands I maybe should do a deep dive on in the 1990s. HOWEVER I honestly had never heard of them. But apparently this is great.)
10. Leaving Your Body Map + Bath by maudlin of the Well/2001/RYM #129 and #161 metal albums of all time respectively (yay! Here it is again! When I added 1995 albums and I removed restrictions on one album per artist for this list I was sad to see Incantation and these 2 maudlin of the Well albums be buried again. So, thanks for getting them here. They are very strange yet beautiful and unique somewhat abstract avant garde albums - Bath and Leaving Your Body Map were released the same day. Seem to be equally liked. Looking forward to listening to this 2 hours of music and giving thoughts. Pick one and I'll listen to both.) _________________ -Ryan
Chief did you dirty RTB. I'm patiently waiting for the Cattle Decap review 🤣 Not sure I always agree with their lyrics and worldview, but the music's hard as hell and incredibly well written.
And Merc I like Fas much more, not so sure why people think Paracletus is their masterpiece. Although your reasoning makes a lot of sense, but I guess I prefer the more off kilter, dissonant sound of FIMIIA than the epicness of Paracletus. Also the production is not necessarily better on that one, but it is more fitting. Just a terrifying album start to finish. (BTW always a pleasure reading your reviews of metal classics)
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Dah Shinin' by Smif-N-Wessun
Excellent 90s boom bap album. Nothing too special when it comes to the style, but it's all solid and well written. Slightly lofi, slightly jazzy, goes hard and the lyrics are what you'd expect, but the delivery is smooth as butter, the wordplay intricate and both Tek and Steele are great rappers. There's even several songs which borrow some sounds from reggae and Jamaican music (mostly ragga according to RYM). All in all if you're a fan of 90s hip hop, there's no excuse not to give this a spin. The only issue I have is that although pretty much none of the songs are mediocre or bad, there's not that many highlights either. 8.5/10
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Let's get you back to more classic OSDM sounds with Diabolical Inquest. That's one of the best sounding death metal and death doom releases I've heard. It's very good.
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Leftovers list + some 2021
Lawrence - The Absence of Blight
John Talabot - Fin
Flamengo - Kuře v hodinkách
Sadaf - History of Heat
Ataraxie - Slow Transcending Agony
Beck - Modern Guilt
Rochelle Jordan - Play With the Changes
Ranking Dread - Ranking Dread In Dub
Grachan Moncur III - Evolution
Porter Robinson - Nurture _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
As for those 2 Deathspell Omega albums, yeah I can see where you're coming from on their 2007 being stronger. They are similar enough to be comparable, but yeah maybe it was just that I happened to listen to Paracletus first and that is why I prefer it. Then again, neither is like an all time favorite of mine, I consider both to be quite cool in mostly the same ways.
Also, thanks for picking Incantation. I knew it probably had to be you and I coulda just went ahead and pushed play on it if I were so curious, but in the spirit of the game I waited a little while.
This is really impressive. Its a pretty consistently cool mix of doom and death metal - like a 25/75 split, so mostly a gnarly death metal surprisingly atmospheric album. The production is right there in the pocket, brilliantly balanced, clear enough so its not a super muddy sound and you can hear all the pummeling shit happening, but also by no means clean or overly worked over. The production is just where it needs to be to let the parts of the sound shine.
The bass tones are filthy, deep, incredibly resonant and almost rattle my eardrums.
The guitar tone is brilliant, or the guitars tones are brilliant - they complement the bass work well. They have, again, a disgusting, primal, brutish heaviness that is a sound to behold. The reason the tone is italicized there, is because, by and large, I don't love the riffs or the actual guitar sounds here as consistently as the tone. There are some really cool riffs, but mostly they come through on the more doom-y, slowed down bits and not so much on the heardcore death metal violent attacks. Its just a style that I don't love - I am no musically trained person so have a hard time explaining. The riffs when the drums are going nuts and the Death is erupting out sound like fast picked chords moving all over and just kinda speed running through chords and there is no or very little cool thrashy riff patterns and things. Idk, again I suck at explaining this stuff. The style of guitar I think is common in death metal and black metal at times and I just don't think its my taste.
The drummer is good, again, on the more straight up death metal speed runs he does a servicable job hitting hard and fast. OIn the slowed down bits he gets to show a bit more nuanced patterns and work, and he does great here. Solid stuff.
The whole album up to the MASSIVE triumph which is the 17 minute final track is good. Its just really solid somewhat doomy at times and swirling death metal madness most of the others. The final track though is a wildly excellent, massive, doom-filled masterpiece. Loved the whole thing. The death metal parts are best here and also half the song is a slow dirge that is enthralling and surprisingly emotional and immersive. Just a brilliant way to close this album.
Overall really good, final track is a masterpiece.
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2.
@LedZep, there was a LOT of hype around the release of this one last month. At least in some parts the hype was intense. I thought it was quite good to bordering on great. Interested to hear your take on this Goregrind classic...
RYM metal of any kind since 1995 - no limitations, no avoiding, just the top 10 albums of the metal sort since 1995 per RYM that I haven't heard or feel I need to listen again (due generally to not remembering them well enough to grade/rate)
1. Storm of the Light's Bane by Dissection/1995/RYM #31 metal album of all time (classic melodic black metal album I can't remember hearing.)
2. Close to a World Below by Immolation/2000/RYM #41 metal album of all time (okay, now that a spot has freed up, this brand new listen of this classic DM album is now a possible Nom)
3. Times of Grace by Neurosis/1999/RYM #69 metal album of all timenice(another totally classic Neurosis album. apparently atmo sludge but unlike Through Silver In Blood I've never heard this album past track 1.)
4. Imaginations From the Other Side by Blind Guardian/1995/RYM #80 metal album of all time (first power metal choice woohoo. i guess. I mean something about power metal just seems so corny, but maybe I will hear it differently after listening to this classic.)
5. My Arms, Your Hearse by Opeth/1998/RYM #92 metal album of all time (apparently this was the first of the new Opeth sound that they developed over half a dozen classics from 1998 to 2005 - that patented Prog metal/Prog Roc and Death metal sound that all associate with Opeth. So, despite being kinda generally bored by Opeth, this could be interesting and maybe great.)
6. Pierced From Within by Suffocation/1995/RYM #94 metal album of all time (another BRUTAL death metal album woohoo! I liked that None So Vile listen so maybe I'll dig this too.)
7. Here In After by Immolation/1996/RYM #113 metal album of all time (another classic death metal immolation album. Nice!)
8. A Sun That Never Sets by Neurosis Omega/2001/RYM #118 (Much like Opeth, Neurosis released a string of bangers that are loved by RYM crowd. I happen to be a little more on board with the hype surrounding Neurosis, however. Atmospheric Sludge per these genre tags)
9. Leaving Your Body Map + Bath by maudlin of the Well/2001/RYM #129 and #161 metal albums of all time respectively (yay! Here it is again! When I added 1995 albums and I removed restrictions on one album per artist for this list I was sad to see Incantation and these 2 maudlin of the Well albums be buried again. So, thanks for getting them here. They are very strange yet beautiful and unique somewhat abstract avant garde albums - Bath and Leaving Your Body Map were released the same day. Seem to be equally liked. Looking forward to listening to this 2 hours of music and giving thoughts. Pick one and I'll listen to both.)
10. You Fail Me by Converge/2004/RYM #130 metal album of all time (The second most famous Converge album and maybe mathcore album generally. Looking forward to dipping my toes into this newly with a few more years experience and a bit more context.) _________________ -Ryan
This is a very cool record. Definitely a different beast from Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. Here the vocals stay in the background, used more as textures than as an element driving the music. The sound of Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts fits the title and cover well, but it also isn't predictable based on the title and cover. The throughline is beautiful waves of music washing over the listener, but they come in a variety of styles. I hear ambient, post-rock, and shoegaze at different points in the album, while RYM classifies the primary genre as simply electronic. There's not much to grasp hold of, but with this type of record, that's not the point. The waves do their work either as an experience in themselves, or as a backdrop to one. A great album, and one that I will definitely return to. 4/5.
~~~~~
2. Hmm... if I had to pick one for myself, I'd probably try this one (nice):
G: The Ownerz - Gang Starr
H: Lovely Thunder - Harold Budd*
I: The Young Mods’ Forgotten Story - The Impressions
J: One Step Beyond - Jackie McLean
K: Late Orchestration - Kanye West
L: Gonna Take A Miracle - Laura Nyro & Labelle
M: Maanam - Maanam
N: How Does That Grab You? - Nancy Sinatra*
O: Straight Ahead - Oliver Nelson & Eric Dolphy
P: The Final Riot! - Paramore
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Mercury
RoundTheBend
Tha1ChiefRocka
EyeKanFly
LedZep
baystateoftheart
