Heard Heliocentric and have to say this is the first album by this band that I find interesting. In the previous albums, some good musical ideas were subsumed by the vocalist's monotonous uni-dimensional yelling. I co uldn't stand Aeolian which was generic as fuck and invariably fell asleep while hearing Precambrian only to wake up to find this guy shouting like he resented being slept through. Having switched tracks to mostly clean singing, this album really shines - the vocal lines are often great, there are thankfully no attempts being made to rip off Ozzy and the lyrics seem fairly interesting.

new albums from melvins and k2b are total ownage. the new anathema has moments but nothing really stuck on first listen. the goatsnake set from roadburn is a bloody monster and solace's a.d. is the most sublime stoner metal album of the year so far.

SCORN- GYRAL CD
SIEBENBURGEN- DARKER DESIGNS AND IMAGES CD
THE TEA PARTY- THE EDGES OF TWILIGHT CD

melvins - the bride screamed murder this is insane. Better than the last two by some way and sounds like the band are going through some uncharted territory on this one.

karma to burn - Appalachian incantation Finally back and more awesomeness. You know the band's onto some solid shit when the bonus CD is just as good as the proper album.

solace - a.d. this is turning into my album of the year so far. 3-4 guitars battling it out at times with layers and layers of subtlety. The occasional nod to Sabbath remains but I wouldn't really have it any other way. For the most they sound like a metal Soundgarden but this is some heavy intricate superbly written music. Like every aspect of the album was given lots of time and care to make it just so. Awesome.

anathema - we're here because we're here 7 years of waiting for an album of mostly tepid pop rock with the occasional good song. Hoping it'll get better with more listens but too much of this is just boring on first listen.

nevermore - the obsidian conspiracyThe music is great but Dane sounds a bit flat for most of the album and he seems to have forgotten how to come up with a memorable chorus. It's only on Emptiness Unobstructed that he sounds like himself but that song has a chorus that is an almost direct lift from an older Nevermore song although I can;t remember which one right now. Overall, might get better with more listens but as of now, little disappointing.

ROTTING CHRIST- A DEAD POEM CD

started the morning with...

MARDUK- DARK ENDLESS CD

coffin worm - when all became none Finally got on the coffinworm wagon and man this is some filthy stuff. Excellent doomy extreme metal.

ludicra - the tenant This is the classiest extreme metal album I've heard so far this year. Just awesome songwriting, terrific solos and extreme metal that has more in common with classic heavy metal/hard rock bands than with any current extreme trend. All fans of Hammers of Misfortune and probably even Slough Feg should love this.

slint - spiderland noisy and hugely influential post /math rock from the early 90s. Awesome trippy shit.

Also heard two songs from the new Exodus - Exhibit B: the human condition which sounded pretty good but really long album at almost 70 minutes and every song is around 6 minutes long. Will get back to this sometime today i guess.

NP: pro-pain - Absolute Power

How does the Pro-Pain strike you? I thought it was pretty good after the last album which sounded way too happy. Heard the new Jackyl. Nice but not exceptional.

^^ yeah sounded decent but got a bit boring around the 5th song and i went back to the new melvins.

Stonebride - Summon the Waves A definite step up from the debut. This is some really good doom metal sort of in the vein of the new Apostle of Solitude but with more psych parts and that whole south american stoner vibe happening. Reminds me a little of Reino Ermitano and overall a very cool album.

General Knowledge wrote:
slint - spiderland noisy and hugely influential post /math rock from the early 90s. Awesome trippy shit.

Heard this basis your recco, GK. It's pretty damn good- early post-rock with spoken word. Their influence on Mogwai is quite evident as well.

ABORTED- ENGINEERING THE DEAD vinyl LP

this is the only release of theirs which worked for me!

trix wrote:
General Knowledge wrote:
slint - spiderland noisy and hugely influential post /math rock from the early 90s. Awesome trippy shit.

Heard this basis your recco, GK. It's pretty damn good- early post-rock with spoken word. Their influence on Mogwai is quite evident as well.

Yeah, the band seem way ahead of it's time really. Not much of a post rock fan and never heard any Mogwai but this sits quite nicely next to those Steve Albini bands and something like Chrome although it's not particularly psychedelic. Was a good find overall. Try their debut Tweez also. You might like it.

Melvins - The Bride Screamed Murder This is awesome. Liking this better than A Senile Animal and Nude with Boots and every song on this album rocks.

Anathema - We're Here because We're Here This one's growing on me. Especially when the lights are off and with some herbal enhancement. Especially from song 5 to the end of the album which just flows really smoothly.

Stonebride - Summon the Waves This band is a bit all over the place mixing everything from traditional Sabbath and 70s worship to South American psych to grungy AiC bits but its on the last song where the band really comes into its own with an epic jam for just under 20 minutes. Good band still searching for its sound I guess but more hit than miss.

TIAMAT- AMANETHES DigiCD

like all their albums...mindblowing!

Heard the new Nevermore. Weakest in their discography. But an enjoyable album. More plays will def happen.

Also the new Exodus, strictly OK OK on first listen, but nothing special here. Rob Dukes continues to sound horrible as ever!

DECAPITATED- THE NEGATION vinyl LP