Overall, I liked this. Not really very much, but I liked it. Not very high impact music. I love me some Black Metal and I generally am unmoved by even the most remarkable Shoegaze, so a mixture of the 2 sounds was not a guaranteed winner for me.
As far as the sound, yes, the clean and warm vocals are very reminiscent of Slowdive and other shoegaze I've heard (I have heard very little so I perhaps don't have a great comparison for this stuff), the guitars were playing a bunch of traditionally black metally riffs but with not much of the lofi, cold and evil or wintery sounds/vibes attached. The blast beats when they occasionally came in were barely recognizable as BM beats despite being that same style. It's hard to explain, but I suppose if I had gone into this album blind and with no preconceived idea on what this album is and how much it influenced bands for the 15 years that have followed, I doubt I would have come away from my listen thinking "That was clearly a Shoegaze meets black metal album!". Instead I woulda thought it was a very beautiful almost post rock or post metal inspired Shoegaze record. Idk. I'm rambling.
The final track struck me as particularly beautiful. The album flows well and by no means was it in any way unpleasant. Sounded like a perfect Springtime album - the soundscapes sound like they are unfolding and blossoming and it sounds like the land opening up upon the re-arrival of the sun and warmth.
I am glad I finally heard this album. This band and project were a HUGE deal when I arrived to this site in 2013. That was when the whole "Blackgaze" sound started taking off. I remember seeing this album cover every where, on charts and lists here, on RYM, on twitter etc. And I was shocked that it didn't drop in like 2011 or 2010 just a couple years before the other most popular Blackgaze album Sunbather, but rather way wayyyy back in '07. Looking at the RYM description and history of this style, it seems Alcest sort of CREATED this sound. That's rare that the first releases in a style are still some of the most popular. At least I think it is on that website in particular. (Other examples of bolt from the blue/lets master this sound on first try-type releases are the origins of "Post Rock" (Spirit of Eden), and "Post Metal" (Through Silver In Blood, other Neurosis).
Anyway, I guess going in I expected a much dirtier and rougher sound. I didn't think it would be like Darkthrone with some extra cool shoegaze walls of guitar, but I guess I was expecting something more along the lines of Sunbather. Sunbather by Deafheaven for the longest time was the only remotely Blackgaze album I'd listened to. And I liked it. The vocals were still somewhat black metally, and the riffs were at times still brutal and dark, and the blast beats and heaviness were still quite overpowering and intense. In the Black Metal to Shoegaze to Post rock/metal Ratio department I think Sunbather is split like 50/35/15, but with this album I'd say it's like a 25/55/20 Ratio if that makes sense.
Anyway, that's all. It was good. It was pretty. It didn't have a huge impact on me but it was a damned pleasant album to hear this morning in the beautiful spring breezes as I ate breakfast and got ready for work.
Oh and I wanted to say that album cover is special. Such a beautiful, warm photo and I love the way the child is centered and how, depending on my mood, I could interpret the general emotion that comes off of it in various ways (sometimes quite sad, sometimes quite free-spirited and nostalgic, etc)
I'll give it a 3.3 to 3.5/5
Wow! This is GREAT! So warm & comforting. Reminds me a lot of Jesu. Definitely something I will be coming back to. Very transportive, organic & homey. Like going back to a simpler time where people would invite you into their abode and pour u a nice cup of tea just because u were passing by. I'm solidly with Mercury on this one!!! If this is considered Metal, no one should give me any trouble about my picks EVER again. < 😜😈 !> This definitely something I would recommend more to someone who digs Godspeed You! Black Emperor or even, Sigur Ros than someone who was into Darkthrone.
Oh, and Gowi, this is LESS heavy than Blue Cheer! 😜🤣
baystateoftheartNeil Young as a butternut squashProfile Massachusetts
As expected, the beats are mostly great on Dilla's first posthumous album. Unlike the solo, instrumental Donuts, The Shining is chock full of features, and most of them acquit themselves well. That said, the performances are not sensational for the most part, and there's nothing particularly groundbreaking here. This is a smooth, warm record that is worth a listen for any hip-hop fan looking for a high-quality mellow album. And it's a worthy epilogue to Jay Dee's legendary career, before the posthumous releases apparently started to go off the rails in quality like they have for so many artists. 3.5/5.
2. Sun Ship - John Coltrane
8. Porgy And Bess - Miles Davis
10. Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
12. Blackouts - Ashra
14. Japanese Whispers - The Cure
18. Modern Times - Bob Dylan
20. Free Will - Gil Scott-Heron
23. Welcome 2 Detroit - J Dilla
25. Trouble Man - Marvin Gaye
28. 1. Outside - David Bowie _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
This was definitely the one of the ten I wanted to hear most. I love their debut and this one has been on my to-do list for a while. The production and vocals are both strong. As for the songwriting, the clear standouts here are the biggest hits (to be specific: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World & Head Over Heels). All three are classics, but the rest of the album doesn't measure up to the high bar. It's all good, but doesn't stand out for catchiness or lyrical depth. While The Hurting was filled with unrelenting darkness befitting its title and cold production to match, the follow-up lands in more emotionally and sonically mixed territory. It's very possible it will click next time, but as an album, Songs From The Big Chair falls just short of greatness for me on first listen. 3.5/5.
Yeah. I LOVED The Hurting in the 80s, and this album never quite hit me the same way. I'm sure part of it was that the singles were sooooo OVERPLAYED back in the 80s that the album always felt unbalanced.
Merc I'm glad you liked that Amorphis album, it's an excellent review.
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Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Misery Index by Assück
This is a classic deathgrind album whose length is actually more comparable to half of an average prog EP. At around 15 and a half minutes, it's a concentrated dose of energy - exactly what I want in my hardcore and grind records. A huge plus is when it's over the top aggressive and nasty, and also unique with good songwriting and musicianship. Maybe a bit of a general definition, but Assück checks all of those boxes. The vocals are insanely cool, the riffs gnarly and always changing and evolving. In fact, a lot of the time it sounds like fast death metal, and not like your average grindcore record. I guess song lengths and several more punky passages, as well as a lot of punk-influenced drumming make it a true grind tour de force. The drumming is rightfully highlighted in every review and comment I've seen, Rob Proctor is an octopuss-man when it comes to playing the drums lol.
If I had to choose, I'd pick Wartorn as a highlight. Its furious riffs and breaks as well as the groovy and REALLY heavy second part epitomize Assück's sound imo. A bunch of excellent tracks overall, Wartorn barely stands out as the record is mad consistent. Intravenous, Unrequited Blood, Salt Mine etc. - all excellent.
Overall liked it a lot, perhaps the only issue is that I don't think this stands out among the grind squad as much as some other bands like Discordance Axis, Knoll or !T.O.O.H! (who are admittedly more death metal). I also have to read the lyrics, it seems they're an angry bunch of punks and anarchists, should be fun! I'm glad I've finally listened to this CLASSIC. High 7.5/10
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Sorry Bay, it seems The Metal Project™ has taken over this game a bit 😁 You'll have to bear with us for the time being. Let's try Outside - I remember liking it more than some of his 70s stuff (Young Americans, Diamond Dogs, maybe even The Man Who Sold the World and Lodger).
(3)
Compiled metal albums from our charts/lists + some other metal picks
R marks relistens
Foetus - Gash (DommeDamian)
Pyrrhon - Mother of Virtues (AfterHours)
Queensrÿche - Rage For Order (Repo)
Voïvod - Angel Rat (Repo)
Sacramentum - Far Away From the Sun (Gowi) R
Melvins - Stoner Witch (Gowi) R?
Neurosis - Souls at Zero (Mercury) R?
Virgin Black - Requiem: Mezzo forte (RockyRacoon)
Cathedral - The Ethereal Mirror (Fischman)
--
Asphyx - Last One On Earth _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
Take A Picture by Margo Guryan
Gentle, beautiful, baroque, slightly folky and psychedelic pop. Very enjoyable. Her whispered vocals don't really fit the "sunshine pop" mold (or at least my perception of sunshine pop), but the lyrics mostly do. An interesting juxtaposition. "Pretty love songs always make me cry" is a great example of this. The closer, Love, is the only track that goes into the more experimental, improv territory. A nice detour at the end. It's a consistently good pop record from one of the forgotten legends. 8/10
I find it a bit too one-dimensional to be listened to from beginning to end, but just about any of these songs would sound great in a playlist/radio station geared to late 60s folk/baroque/psychedelic pop.
In fact, just added both "Sunday Morning" & ""What Can I Give You" to my Backyardigan playlist. Sooo good. Warms me up like a good cuppa tea!
baystateoftheartNeil Young as a butternut squashProfile Massachusetts
Okay, I'm back! The concept is apparently convoluted, so I didn't even try to understand the lyrics and instead just put this on in the background. I like the production a lot - it's both identifiably Bowie and identifiably 90s. There are some strong songs as highlights, some nice atmospheres in many other tracks, and some story-building additions that made no impression on me. Overall, a very enjoyable soundtrack for 75 minutes, but who knows how it will hold up if I try to dig beneath the surface and find out what's making this thing tick. 3.5/5.
2. Sun Ship - John Coltrane
8. Porgy And Bess - Miles Davis
10. Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
12. Blackouts - Ashra
14. Japanese Whispers - The Cure
18. Modern Times - Bob Dylan
20. Free Will - Gil Scott-Heron
23. Welcome 2 Detroit - J Dilla
25. Trouble Man - Marvin Gaye
30. King’s Disease III - Nas _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
Stoner Witch by Melvins
What an excellent album. Anyone looking for a cool alternative/stoner/sludge metal/rock should have this near the top of the wishlist. The first 4 songs (some of which I know from before, in fact I'm fairly certain I've heard the entire album in passing before) make up one of the greatest intros to an alternative album I've ever heard. Seriously. The rest is not on that level, but it's also great. Well, apart from those few experimental/ambient-ish moments like Goose Freight Train and Magic Pig Detective, which kinda kill the pacing and aren't all that good. Interestingly, even those songs didn't really ruin my listening experience. While the Melvins' sound has mellow quite a bit from the earlier stuff (even Houdini a year before), it's still a blast. Fun, ferocious, fierce, furious... (couldn't think of more positive f adjectives) So yeah, I'm very glad this was picked. Unfortunately, I missed their concert just a few months ago, apparently it was insanely good :/ 8.5/10
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King’s Disease III is very good, although I did prefer II.
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Picks from BEA metal charts, 2023 wishlist and some other cool stuff
R marks relistens
Voïvod - Angel Rat (Repo)
Sacramentum - Far Away From the Sun (Gowi) R
Neurosis - Souls at Zero (Mercury) R?
Slowthai - Ugly
George Clanton - Everything I Want
Laaraji - Segue To Infinity
Dukes of the Stratosphere - Chips From the Chocolate Fireball
The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers
Crass - The Feeding of 5000
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Shiny Beast _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
Stoner Witch by Melvins
What an excellent album. Anyone looking for a cool alternative/stoner/sludge metal/rock should have this near the top of the wishlist. The first 4 songs (some of which I know from before, in fact I'm fairly certain I've heard the entire album in passing before) make up one of the greatest intros to an alternative album I've ever heard. Seriously. The rest is not on that level, but it's also great. Well, apart from those few experimental/ambient-ish moments like Goose Freight Train and Magic Pig Detective, which kinda kill the pacing and aren't all that good. Interestingly, even those songs didn't really ruin my listening experience. While the Melvins' sound has mellow quite a bit from the earlier stuff (even Houdini a year before), it's still a blast. Fun, ferocious, fierce, furious... (couldn't think of more positive f adjectives) So yeah, I'm very glad this was picked. Unfortunately, I missed their concert just a few months ago, apparently it was insanely good :/ 8.5/10
Great write-up, Zep! I LOVE that album! \m/
===============================================
AND, I'd love to jump back into the fray!
How about we overlap this with my 80s metal and 1963 journeys...
1985 Metal
1. Amebix - Arise!
2. Possessed - Seven churches
3. C.O.C. - Animosity
4. Helloween - Walls of Jericho
5. Sacrilege - Behind The Realms of Madness
1963
1. Sam Cooke - Night Beat
2. Dylan - Freewheelin'
3. Mingus - Black Saint
4. The Searchers - Sugar & Spice
5. Jimmy Smith - Chicken Shack
================================================
And for you, Zep, I gotta go with one of my favorite metal albums of all time obvs....
The third installment in Nas' trilogy with Hit-Boy gets off to a blazing start, with elite flow over a consistently great set of beats. In the second half, things get a bit less tight lyrically, still workmanlike but including songs like WTF SMH and Don't Shoot that should have been left on the cutting room floor. Overall, it's a great listen, a lot of fun, and part of a remarkable late-career renaissance for the all-time great. But I can't help feeling that with a bit more focus and trimming, this could have been a true classic. 4/5.
2. Sun Ship - John Coltrane
8. Porgy And Bess - Miles Davis
10. Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
12. Blackouts - Ashra
14. Japanese Whispers - The Cure
16. The Virginia EP - The National
18. Modern Times - Bob Dylan
20. Free Will - Gil Scott-Heron
23. Welcome 2 Detroit - J Dilla
25. Trouble Man - Marvin Gaye _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
Angel Rat by Voïvod
This is the third Voivod album for me and I'm a fan of both previous efforts I've heard (Killing Technology, Dimension Hatröss). Skipping the 1989's Nothingface, the next one on the plate is 1991's Angel Rat, one of Repo's favourite metal records of all time. It's fair to say that the hype is through the roof 😁 And the verdict? The album's good but not as much as I'd hoped. Definitely a step down from KT and DH, utilizing the more mid-paced, proggy style which is not exactly what I wanted to hear. Another thing I don't particularly love is that the vocals are less gnarly - they were never particularly harsh, but Bélanger/Snake had his peak voice in the Killing Technology era. Some songs (Freedom for example) are basically 80s heavy prog rock, a far cry from their music just 2-3 years earlier. Enough about the negatives, let's talk about Voivod's strength - the songwriting. They've always been among the most interesting 80s thrashers in terms of their song structures, riff choices etc. Mixing the best of prog metal (the dynamic rhythms, atmospheric passages, with a decent amount of variation between the songs) with the best of thrash (fast riffs and general coolness). This one keeps almost all of that coolness and songwriting prowess. Panorama would probably be my pick for the best song, it's a bombastic opener and has the most memorable riff imo.
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Japanese Whispers is a nice comp - short, enjoyable, easy on the ear. Not their best pop moment, but very good nonetheless.
(3)
Picks from BEA metal charts, 2023 wishlist, some other cool picks.
R marks relistens
Sacramentum - Far Away From the Sun (Gowi) (R)
Neurosis - Souls at Zero (Mercury) (R?)
Slowthai - Ugly
George Clanton - Everything I Want
Laaraji - Segue To Infinity
Dukes of the Stratosphere - Chips From the Chocolate Fireball
The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers
Crass - The Feeding of 5000
Junior Boys - Last Exit
Genesis Owusu - Struggler _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
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