This is a bonkers and pretty funny metal album that defies categorization a little bit, which is probably one of the reasons nobody seems to like it.
Tag: Death Metal
Morningrise (1996) by Opeth
Yet again, I am moving through a band’s discography backwards. (In this case, starting in the middle and then moving backwards.) I don’t know whether it’s increased familiarity or the records themselves, but I find myself liking Opeth more the earlier I go in their history, which is definitely not the regular take.
Like an Ever Flowing Stream (1991) by Dismember
Hot take: Florida is better than Sweden.
Blessed Are the Sick (1991) by Morbid Angel
So yes, I’m listening to this without ever having heard Altars of Madness. That is likely a mistake but I have a good reason: despite its reputation within the metal community, mainstream critical appreciation isn’t really there, so I missed it in 2019. As a result, I’m likely going to say something stupid.
Blackwater Pater (2001) by Opeth
I’ve been struggling with Opeth for years now, trying to reconcile their reputation with what I hear on record. My biggest issue on earlier records has been the categorization of them as “progressive metal” when I’ve felt like I’ve been hearing “melodic death metal.” Now, that might seem like I’m picking nits but, as a …
War Master (1991) by Bolt Thrower
I don’t know Bolt Thrower’s history – in fact I’d never heard of them before – so I have no idea of their evolution from grindcore to straight ahead death metal. Maybe that’s something that matters here, but I have no idea.
Close to a World Below (2000) by Immolation
Like others, I am surprised that this record is considered such a classic. There is a tendency in internet criticism to get pretty excited by a band’s best record – or even just a band’s best record in years – and decide it is therefore a “classic”. I know nothing of Immolation but I do …
Seven Churches (1985) by Possessed
One of the conventional narratives about the invention of death metal is that it is so named because of the band Death, who supposedly pioneered the genre. Now, there were other bands in other places that also either claim credit or have been retroactively given credit, but Death’s claim is pretty good simply because they …
New American Gospel (2000) by Lamb of God
I thought I had read this was a big deal when it came out and then I came to Rate Your Music and saw it had a pretty mediocre rating. Maybe I shouldn’t have bothered?
Deicide (1990)
This thing is just relentless. I have no idea if it really is one of the best selling death metal albums of all time, but it’s certainly one of the most over-the-top, at least that I’ve ever heard. (That’s a good thing.)
Left Hand Path (1990) by Entombed
The early history and evolution of death metal is controversial. Like many genres of music, it’s possible that it was invented in two different places around the same time. (Or, rather, the sounds that came to be called death metal appeared in two different countries around the same time.) I’ve always found this evolution nebulous …
Symbolic (1995) by Death
Spiritual Healing (1990) by Death
Apparently this is the bad Death album. I didn’t know that based on the reviews I glanced at and, funnily enough, I didn’t notice while listening to it either.
Consuming Impulse (1989) by Pestilence
This is some excellent death metal. If you are looking for death metal, may I suggest this album.
Still Life (1999) by Opeth
Guys, I think I don’t like Opeth.
The Bleeding (1994) by Cannibal Corpse
To the best of my knowledge, this is the best selling death metal album of all time. Something about that makes it sound like its an essential record to me, which is why I find myself listening to a straight-up death metal record from 1994, years after the genres invention, and probably right around the …
Heartwork (1993) by Carcass
This is the birth of melodic death metal in Britain, or something like that.
Wolverine Blues (1993) by Entombed
As I feel like I write in every single metal review I write lately, the metal world is a bizarre place where esoteric fusions of niches and subgenres get all sorts of attention from fans and critics while much of the rest of the music world continues on without anyone being aware that something new …
Focus (1993) by Cynic
Most of the time, when I encounter “progressive death metal” (which this sounds like to me, but which it isn’t categorized as on RYM), I think “this isn’t very progressive.” It usually sounds like more ambitious death metal, but it doesn’t sound very proggy. Well, not so here. If there is one thing this record …
My Arms, Your Hearse (1998) by Opeth
This is the first Opeth record I’ve ever heard. I thought I had listened to one of their more recent ones a few years ago, but I must have confused them with another one-word, two-syllable metal band. I’ve of course heard of Opeth but I guess I just never got around to listening to them …
Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka (1998) by Nile
One of the things that I worry about with Death Metal (or Black Metal, for that matter) is that I am going to be confronted by 35-60 minutes of the same style of music and that doesn’t really float my boat. I just don’t want to listen to so many tracks where the style of …
Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing (1995) by Strapping Young Lad
I know Devin Townsend’s music for one reason and one reason only: I lived in residence in university with his current rhythm guitarist. And so I’ve been given a CD or two and been to some shows. And honestly, I was never blown away. I was always like, ‘this man is really talented, and really …