Average Rating: 3.96 Rating Variance: 0.34 Objectivity Score: 57% (Somewhat Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicBathory HammerheartAnother massive album by Bathory, the original viking metal band.Camel MirageWhat the fuck is wrong with Allmusic, first they gave Camel 2/5 and then 2.5/5 for this??? Biggest piece of sacrilege everDarkthrone A Blaze in the Northern SkyMy ultimate Number One black metal album ever. Fuck you allDarkthrone Transilvanian HungerTransilvanian Hunger is, simply put, one of the most phenomenal black metal albums ever. Even with the super-simplistic approach, the listener can't do anything but be totally hypnotized by sheer, pure black metal. In terms of black metal, this is second only to their A Blaze in the Northern Sky in my books. Eternal.Death SymbolicMr. Schuldiner takes you into a totally different world with Symbolic. The Album is so much full of everything awesome that I don't know what to say. This is simply the best album I own. RIP Chuck.Death HumanI usually don't fancy remastered, remixed reissues or whatever of old albums. More often than not, the sound is essentially just louder, taking away from the dynamics and depth of the sound. But Relapse's new remix is stunning, you get cleaned-up sound, better sounding drums and DiGiorgio's bass is way more prominent, but the album still sounds like Human. No Megadeth's 2004 remix shit here. You can hear a number of nuances you couldn't before. I'd suggest to hear both the original (unremastered) and the new remixed editions though, as they are basically just two a little different takes on this classic album. Music wise everything has been said already, this is Death at their best alongside Symbolic.Immolation Close to a World BelowUnfortunately I have to give this a rating of five stars, I simply have no choice.Iron Maiden PowerslaveKing Crimson In the Court of the Crimson KingOne with a decent taste in music simply can not deny the greatness of this. It's progressive, it's deep, it's light, it's beautiful, it's strange. It's In the Court of the Crimson King.King Crimson RedMegadeth Rust in PeaceMetal Church Metal ChurchMiles Davis In a Silent WayMorbid Angel Altars of MadnessOverkill Feel the Fire Kill kill kill kill KIIIIIILLLLLLLL!!!Rainbow RisingRush HemispheresOne absolutely brilliant progressive rock album. I don't think any more needs to be said, listen to it yourself.Rush Moving PicturesSuffocation Effigy of the ForgottenThe blueprint for all brutal death metal remains the best in the genre, and one of the very best in all of death metal.Terrorizer World DownfallHoly hell I must have been a true pansy for not giving this a 5. This is just too goodUlver Nattens MadrigalSincerely, this is one of the top black metal albums I've ever heard. Structured around lycanthropy, here you have eight songs of pure, raw, dark, lethal but still somehow beautiful black metal... I don't know how the guys did it, but this is one of the greatest things I own.Vektor Black FutureThis simply wipes the floor with every other thrash release that has come out after 1992. Damn son.Voivod Dimension HatrössVoivod NothingfaceThe pinnacle of Voivod's all-out space and scifi themed, bizarre progressive metal. There's simply none other like this than Voivod.Yes Close to the Edge4.5 superbAnacrusis Manic ImpressionsAnnihilator Alice in Helllol at 0Thrasher0 giving this a 2, what a true thrasherAnthrax Among the LivingAtheist Piece of TimeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAtheist Unquestionable PresencedamnAutopsy Severed SurvivalSo ace old-school, a bit doom-influenced death metal.Autopsy Mental FuneralMental funeral doesn't demolish your family jewels with lightning-fast blast beats or double bass. It doesn't need to. What Mental funeral does, is that it fits the name perfectly. The atmosphere is unique for a death metal album, and every instrument makes sense at every moment. Still, Mental Funeral is far from being an overly-polished, boring product. The raw nature is very apparent and this is in no way a melodic metal release. When compared to the band's another excellent output, Severed Survival, the album is surprisingly different but still sounds like good ol' Autopsy. The consistency of Mental Funeral is close to perfect, every track has got something of its own and fits, but still the album feels like a book: not just a compilation of good songs, but excellent as a whole. And the same goes for the atmosphere. My only con would be the less badass bass guitar, which is still pretty apparent but can't be compared to DiGiorgio's performance on Severed Survival. Very highly recommended to fans of old school death metal. 4.5/5Bathory Under the Sign of the Black MarkQuorthon, a lone man gone years ago before the day. Mindblowing, especially as this is among the first released true black metal records!Bathory Blood Fire DeathBlack Sabbath ParanoidBlack Sabbath Master of RealityBlind Guardian Somewhere Far BeyondHoly shit, I thought they can't match the heights of Tales From the Twilight World. Man, I was wrong. This basically destroys all other power metal.Blind Guardian Tales from the Twilight WorldBlind Guardian simply took my breath away with this. Awesome fusion of classic, fast guitar-heavy speed metal and old-school power metal without any cheesy use of synths. The vocals, while not quite perfected yet, are also fantastic for this type of music. 4.4/5Bolt Thrower The IVth CrusadeBolt Thrower is quite an exceptional example of death metal. Musically, or technically, the band remains pretty simple, and the tempos are mostly closer to doom metal than, say, grind. But they make it work. Actually, it wouldn't be far too wrong to call this a death/doom album. For The IVth Crusade, Bolt Thrower focused more on creating a dark, desperate atmosphere representing the horrors of war. The album doesn't have any insane blast-fests that rip you into pieces. Instead, it will devastate you with its melancholic atmosphere and make you think about how lucky you are not being involved in war, or the Fourth crusade of the 13th century.Cacophony Speed Metal SymphonyCamel CamelGreat debut by Camel, providing smooth and well written prog rock from start to finish. and yea that maggot who gave this 2/5 at Allmusic clearly doesn't know shitCamel The Snow GooseCamel MoonmadnessCarcass Symphonies of SicknessProbably one of the greatest grind albums ever. Fucking sick.Carcass Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious1991 was one sick year for death metal - Human, Mental Funeral, Effigy of the Forgotten, and many others. Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious is definitely right up there, being my favourite Carcass along with Symphonies of Sickness.Cathedral Forest of EquilibriumCeltic Frost To Mega TherionSimply badass, some great thrashin' with hints of black and death metal.Coroner Punishment for DecadenceRidiculously good, I can't see any thrash metal fan not digging this.Coroner Mental VortexCoroner No More ColorCoroner are one of the few bands who never do wrong. Kick-ass technical thrash!Crimson Glory Crimson GloryCrimson Glory Transcendence The band evolves their sound from the self-titled debut - to different heights. Not necessarily all-around better, just different. They score, just like with the debut.Dark Angel Darkness DescendsDarkspace Dark Space IIIOn top of Darkspace's incredibly consistent discography, both quality and music-wise, Dark Space III can be called their best full-length to date. One of the most interesting black metal/ambient bands today.Darkthrone Under a Funeral MoonDeath LeprosyDeserves more credit than it gets.rWhen does this go to a 4.0....Death The Sound of PerseveranceDeath Individual Thought PatternsDeath at its peak instrumentally. Even if just behind Symbolic and rHuman, Individual Thought Patterns does nothing but makes me drool liquid rgold. From start to finish.Death Spiritual HealingDeathspell Omega KenoseDeathspell Omega Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem AeternumDeceased Supernatural AddictionSome of the most enjoyable thrash metal from this millennium. The album is full of great riffs and interesting songs, showing also hints of death metal and yes, heavy metal here and there. It's hard to come up with a thrash album that doesn't sound like countless bands from the 80's and early 90's. If you don't believe me, I challenge you to listen to this album yourself, you won't regret it!Demilich NespitheWhen the Finns nail their death metal, it's guaranteed to be awesome. And in Demilich's case, weird as hell but induces the hardest boner.Demolition Hammer Tortured ExistenceHeavily underrated, this might not be as ferocious and technical as Epidemic of Violence, but its darker mood and superb riffs through a consistent album make this a forgotten gem.Demolition Hammer Epidemic of ViolenceDestroyer 666 Cold Steel...for an Iron AgeFilled with brilliant riffs and truly bestial vocals, Cold Steel... for an Iron Age is one mean metal album. Somehow the album is filled with quite brief but epic, yet unrelenting songs. I don't know how they do that, but who cares. Genre? In a way, mix of thrash and black metal, but not really after all. Just metal that fucking slays. Unavoidable for any fan of honest metal.Destroyer 666 Unchain The WolvesDestroyer 666 Phoenix RisingWho the fuck gave this a 2, this is very high quality black/thrashDestruction Release from AgonyWith no doubt a great Destruction release. It's got a pretty good deal of variety, 7 nearly equal songs, a nice intro plus a heavy, yet not a perfect production. Where Destruction does win hard, is uniqueness: You can easily recognize Schmier's psychotic vocal delivery, he sounds like a madman that accidentally managed to escape from a madhouse. Add there a bit odd but fitting production, with even pretty audible bass. The album really has got a creepy atmosphere that won't give up until the funny ending of Survive to Die. A few really good examples would be the solo section of the title track or the song Sign of Fear. If I missed something on here, it would be the furious guitar attack of Infernal Overkill.Destruction Infernal OverkillDestruction Eternal DevastationDio Holy DiverdiSEMBOWELMENT Transcendence into the PeripheralOne truly brilliant album - diSEMBOWELMENT have created a genuinely dark and devastating meld of death, doom and darkness on here - not to mention original. Essential to anyone searching for dark, atmospheric and heavy metal. Ambience the album creates is beyond words, listen to it yourself.Dissection Storm of the Light's BaneSome really, really good black metal with a good kind of melody. Not melody in your usual melodic metal sense, but something that adds to the music without taking away any of its heaviness and harshness. Actually that's what the album is: Heavy, harsh, cold but still melodic. And damn good.Drawn and Quartered Hail Infernal DarknessDefinitely one of the best death metal releases of the last decade. If you love death metal, do yourself a favour and listen to this. Now.Emperor In the Nightside EclipseEmperor Anthems to the Welkin at DuskSimply incredible. While a notch less raw and primitive than the debut, it's just as mean and evil. Just in a slightly different way. Emperor are one of the few bands who do 'symphonic black metal' right; Adding elements that add to the music as well, and not taking away anything.Emperor Emperial Live CeremonyEnslaved Vikingligr VeldiFar too overlooked, this is early Enslaved at their best. Five songs and certainly no horseshit. An immense atmosphere to make you think about everything mystical.Entombed Left Hand PathEntombed ClandestineEsoteric The Maniacal ValeMakes all life simply decay, frightening as fuck.Esoteric The Pernicious EnigmaEvoken Antithesis of LightI'm just on the edge about whether to give this a 4 or a 4.5. Either way, this is some really good and no-cheap-tricks funeral/death doom metal. Very possibly will increase the rating during more listens. EDIT: And it's at 4.5 now. Awesome.Exodus Bonded by BloodOne of the most insane and best Bay Area thrash albums ever. Exodus certainly isn't as accessible as say Metallica or even Megadeth, but this album is one brilliant blueprint of pure thrash metal. Save for a few moments and the production, Bonded by Blood is all killer, no filler and thus a definite must-have for anyone who isn't afraid to thrash.Fates Warning The Spectre WithinYet another awesome Fates Warning album! Right up there with Awaken the Guardian. Absolutely one of the best releases of 1985.Fates Warning Awaken the GuardianFates Warning Perfect SymmetryFlotsam and Jetsam Doomsday for the DeceiverFrank Zappa Hot RatsGamma Ray Land of the FreeIf you don't like this album, you just suck.Genesis TrespassLaugh at me for giving this a 4.5, but this is some really enjoyable folky progressive rock. The mood is quite light for the most part yes, but at the same time adds to the mysterious feeling which I like.Gentle Giant The Power and the GloryGentle Giant Acquiring the TasteGorguts ObscuraThere's one word I can describe Obscura with: A journey. The album is a journey through your mind, well, the music is there too, and it's simply excellent. My only real con is that the album is perhaps a little too lengthy.Gorguts Colored SandsColored Sands roughly sounds like Gorguts with a more dynamic production and some Deathspell Omega influences mixed in. Can't be too bad.Gorguts The Erosion of SanityFuck Roadrunner for discontinuing bloody awesome metal records such as this. I'm pissed.Helloween Walls of JerichoWalls of Jericho is something I would call the epitome of 'real' metal. You've got dozens of memorable, meaty riffs, great solo work, raw speed, enjoyable drumming and even audible bass guitar. Not forgetting some soaring but epic vocals. And last but not least, in ways quite simple but so damn powerful songs. One of the best metal albums of 1985, essential for anyone who claims to be a true metal fan.Helloween Keeper of the Seven Keys Part IA superb album in terms of not only power metal, but all metal. The first real power metal album delivers.Immolation Dawn of PossessionRules. Everything is top caliber on this one. This review is likely too short.Immolation Here in AfterSlays just like many other albums of theirs. Great atmosphere and somewhat unconventional instrumentation in terms of death metal.Immolation Unholy CultHoly fucking shitschnizel, this is beyond good, beyond great.Immortal Pure HolocaustA really, really great album of raw black metal by Immortal. They hit the black metal scene like a meteor with their second LP Pure Holocaust. The best single element is definitely the drumming, which is just superb, incredibly fast and with some variation, too (enough for black metal, personally). I'm just annoyed by the fact that I really don't know who did the drumming!! Most people say it was Abbath who was behind the kit when recording, but there's also statemets that it couldn't be him. Nevertheless, Abbath's vocal performance is great, exactly as it should be in black metal. Some say his voice is annoying on this album, for me it isn't. Demonaz does his job very well as well, not anything complex (as expected in ol' skool black) but the riffing is fast and very effective, and there's both maniac fast and slow, evil riffs. Still, it's purely the songwriting and atmosphere that are the best things. And that's what counts, especially in black metal. Album loses its half a point for being a little too short. While I have nothing against short (excellent) albums, some songs could've been a tiny bit longer. It's still great that the band didn't include anything even mediocre material on the album just to make it longer. Different, but just as essential as At the Heart of Winter.Immortal At the Heart of WinterIncantation Onward to GolgothaIncantation's debut Onward to Golgotha is simply a crushing and tormenting slam of really filthy and dark death metal with tasteful doomy passages. Absolutely essential for fans of awesome death metal. 4.7/5Incantation Mortal Throne of NazareneJust as good as their other two high points. Some of the best very best guttural vocals ever.Inquisition Into the Infernal Regions of the AncientIron Maiden The Number of the BeastIron Maiden Somewhere in TimeIron Maiden Seventh Son of a Seventh SonIron Maiden Iron MaidenJohn Coltrane Olé ColtraneKing Crimson Larks' Tongues in AspicKing Crimson DisciplineKing Diamond ConspiracyKing Diamond AbigailKingston Wall Kingston Wall IThis doesn't have a review yet? What the serious fuck!Kingston Wall Kingston Wall IIKreator Pleasure to KillSoooo awesome, brings a smile to my face every time I listen to this. This is so madnessKreator Extreme AggressionThis is really an excellent album, and Kreator are here on its top musically. While the rmusicianship is near-perfect here, album lacks some of the uniqueness and originality found ron Pleasure to Kill. Nevertheless, any thrash fanatic should get this album!Mayhem De Mysteriis Dom SathanasDespite all the infamous events surrounding this album, music-wise this is excellent.rCalling this one of the most talented/capable lineups (well save for the vocalist Attila) ramong the Norwegian second wave musicians wouldn't be too far fetched.rAs this doesn't really have an abysmal production, plus having a few hints of death metal, rthis would be a great introduction into black metal. Add there great songs with variation, rthat's the recipe.Megadeth Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?Mercyful Fate MelissaMetallica Master of PuppetsMetallica Ride the LightningMetallica's best and one of many great metal albums of 1984.Miles Davis Kind of BlueMorbid Saint Spectrum of DeathMotorhead Ace of SpadesMotorhead No Sleep 'til HammersmithNapalm Death From Enslavement to ObliterationAgreed, this MUST be reviewed. Sigh! So great stuff.Necrophobic The Nocturnal SilenceAbout as good as blackened death metal gets. Killer riffs.Nehemah Light of a Dead StarEasily the best traditional black metal album I've heard in ages. Brilliant stuff!Nocturnus The KeyUnique stuff, dark death metal with scifi and occult themes, atmospheric keyboards and thrash traits? Check. One of the most refreshing listens in a long time.Obliteration Black Death HorizonThis is what you get if Celtic Frost, Autopsy and Necrophobic had group sex. Good sex.Overkill HorrorscopeOverkill The Years of DecayPaysage d'Hiver Paysage d'HiverPaysage d'Hiver WinterkälteSimply monumental, the atmosphere is quite unbelievable.Paysage d'Hiver SteineicheOne massive album... uh, demo, whatever. All songs are very different from each other, yet the result feels consistent. Top tier ambient / black metal by no other than the Paysage d'Hiver mastermind Wintherr. I'm right on the fence whether to give this a 5 or not.Paysage d'Hiver Das TorA long journey of distant and cold emotions, where Wintherr is the best of all.Pestilence Consuming ImpulsePink Floyd The Dark Side of the MoonQueensryche Operation: MindcrimeRunning Wild Port RoyalRunning Wild Death or GloryRush 2112Rush Permanent WavesEven when sandwiched between two of the most legendary prog albums of all time, Permanent Waves is another brilliant performance by Rush.Sadistic Intent Resurrection of the Ancient Black EarthThis compilation contains their two best-known EPs, Resurrection and Ancient Black Earth, plus Morbid Faith 7". And fuck does it slay. Essential to anyone who likes their death metal evil and dark, in vein of early Morbid Angel and Possessed.Sadus IllusionsSadus Swallowed in BlackI don't think any real thrash/death metal fan could not like this. Swallowed in Black is one mean piece of thrash taken to the extreme in terms of aggression and technicality. Plus excellent songs. Get.Saint Vitus Born Too LateThis is so good that it's definitely not even funny.Savatage Hall of the Mountain KingJon Oliva has some of the most distinctive (and insane) vocals in heavy metal ever. Recommended? Yes, excellent album.Sepultura Beneath the RemainsSepultura SchizophreniaGreat rifforama album from Sepultura, first of their three classic albums. Kicks you right in the nuts.Sodom M-16Enough epicness, originality, rawness, purity, darkness and lots and lots more combined rtogether with great yet quite simplistic music and a bit black metal like vocals, and near rperfect consistency, this album is only what it's supposed to be: fantastic. With M-16 Sodom delivers you an atmospheric, but still very original, load of thrash that is ressential for all thrash fanatics. It takes some time to grow, and doesn't impress with technical awesomeness, but when listening to this, it isn't even needed. 4.5/5Sodom Persecution ManiaMy favourite Sodom album, full of evilness but never too primitive or samey. Short but sweet.Suffocation Breeding the SpawnThe trivial aspect everybody notices is the lacking production, especially when compared to the heavy-as-the-ultimate-fuck-yet-clean-enough work Scott Burns did with their mighty debut, Effigy of the Forgotten. Personally it isn't that bad at all, everything can be heard pretty nicely, save for the bass drums at times. Mostly the sound is just different and unfinished. When you get over the "bad" production, the music on here, oh yes, is nothing but the same old Suffocation we all love. This is absolutely NOT your lacking, uninspired successor for a mighty debut album. No, no no no. I can say that apart from the production this is definitely on par with the debut, if not even slightly better. What you shall do, is to get rid of prejudices, the production is not that bad at all. And get this now. If you dig all-around great, very tight, vicious old-school death metal, you will dig this. If you still don't you might just be a plain fool. Suffocation Pierced from WithinOn Pierced From Within, Suffocation managed to compose more complex songs while still retaining the brutality and quality of the two previous albums. That combined with superb performances from each member and killer production, the album is nothing short of essential... Go get it NOW, goddammit.Suffocation Human WasteAn unrelenting EP with many classic tracks like Infecting the Crypts and Jesus Wept, both of which are among my very favourite Suffocation songs. Five tracks (if you don't count the bonuses) and zero bullshit, just the way it should be. Essential if you are a death metal fan.Suffocation The Close of a ChapterSick....................................................................................too sickSummoning Minas MorgulBeing my first experience about the band, this album really makes me want to hear more. A great example of how to do atmospheric/ambient black metal right. Indeed, calling this just black metal wouldn't do this album justice. If you like highly ambient music and aren't the most elite black metal purist, you should try this.Testament The LegacyEven when The New Order and The Gathering are really good albums on their own, somehow they don't quite hold the magic The Legacy has got. Hard to explain, this simply god damn rocks.Testament The New OrderCan't tell why hadn't I bothered to get this much, much earlier. A great example of classic Bay Area thrash.Toxik Think ThisThis is insanely good. Very progressive, yet very catchy and very original. Puts a large amount of metal, let alone thrash, bands to shame.Vektor Outer IsolationVektor Terminal ReduxVinterland Welcome My Last ChapterUndoubtedly one of the greatest black metal albums I've heard. Vinterland has found the perfect balance between rawness, melody and atmosphere on here. Sheer excellence from start to finish, a likely 5/5 album in the future.Voivod The Outer LimitsVoivod Killing TechnologyYes FragileDefinitely a step up from the already great The Yes Album, to big heights.Yes Relayer4.0 excellentAbigor Nachthymnen (From The Twilight Kingdom)A unique, great piece of black metal. Abigor has its roots in the Norwegian second wave music, but have a sound of their own on here. A slight usage of female vocals and synths here and there make up a great effect. But trust me, there's no overuse, the music is mainly very harsh and true black metal, but with an elegant side. In a good way.Accept Restless and WildDespite being a little inconsistent, it is classy heavy metal with speed metal and hard rock touches here and there. Props for Fast as a Shark and Princess of the Dawn.Annihilator Never, NeverlandAnthrax Spreading the DiseaseArphaxat Loudun la MauditeAscension With Burning Tongues (demo)Some genuinely interesting stuff here, sounds like Deathspell Omega, but still isn't quite a carbon copy. They have doses of the aforementioned band's bizarreness, but Ascension resort more on traditional black metal riffs and more intelligible vocals, which works just fine to me. Enough of comparisons, if you're interested in finding new black metal that isn't a cheap rip-off of countless old bands, give this (and their second album Consolamentum) a listen.Backyard Mortuary Lure of the OccultBathory BathoryBatushka LitourgiyaBehemoth Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic)Severely overlooked, even if you can't really call this original, it's still some great quality cold black metal with really nice folk elements that actually fit the music.Behexen By the Blessing of SatanBy the Blessing of Satan is a very authentic black metal album. No tricks, no flirting with excessive synths (doubt there's any), weird vocals, folk elements or anything. Just black metal, "true" kind, if you may. The production is very good, raw as it should be but not demo junk either, it's... just right. Behexen might not be utterly original, but they're great at what they do. Every fan of 90's classic black metal, give this a run!Black Funeral Vampyr - Throne Of The BeastVery good underground release, contains a very haunting and well... vampiric atmosphere. Needs more love.Black Sabbath Heaven and HellBlack Sabbath Black SabbathBlind Guardian Nightfall in Middle-EarthCertainly the most accessible Blind Guardian album to this point, however it's far from uninspired or generic. Strengthens my opinion that Blind Guardian is the best power metal band ever.Blind Guardian Follow the BlindBlind Guardian Imaginations from the Other SideBloodbath Nightmares Made FleshAn essential old school death metal album - even if it's released in 2004, don't let that fool you. This is Bloodbath at their best, they took the punishing sound they already had and cranked it up to 11, without compromising any of their good riffs or simplistic brutality. Nightmares Made Flesh shows that you can make great extreme metal without taking things too seriously, the Swedes were certainly having a fun time recording this.Bolt Thrower War MasterI just gotta love the vocals. Awesome. Perfect sounding death metal with some grind parts.Bolt Thrower Realm of ChaosBolt Thrower Those Once LoyalBolt Thrower ...For VictoryBrutal Truth Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme ResponsesBrutality Ruins of HumansBurzum FilosofemThe first four songs are great, but then comes the pretty useless 25-minute instrumental collection of a few notes, and Decrepitude II which is not significantly different to the part I, only that it's a bit less interesting. Aside of those, this is excellent.Burzum Det Som Engang VarBurzum Hvis Lyset Tar OssCannibal Corpse Butchered at BirthMan how have I, a whole-hearted death metal fan, dismissed Cannibal Corpse for this long? Butchered at Birth may not be as layered as their peers' works at the time, but it's so damn fun to listen to. So many good, meaty riffs here. Some of the catchiest Death metal there is.Cannibal Corpse The BleedingCarcass HeartworkIf only all melodeath was like this. Death metal with a distinct melodic side while still not sounding like watered-down wimpy ass crap.Cathedral The Ethereal MirrorCeltic Frost MonotheistIf you are waiting for To Mega Therion Part 2, that certainly won't happen on Monotheist. The album is far more akin to the doomy atmosphere of Hellhammer than "old" Celtic Frost, and doing an excellent job at that. Monotheist is more polished and less sloppy for sure, but not an inch less doomy or heavy. If you're new to Celtic Frost, honestly this isn't the best starting point unless you are familiar with doom metal and other less straightforward stuff. But if you are ready to hear some very dark yet aesthetic doom metal with hints of thrash, black and whatever, do it and give Monotheist a listen.Celtic Frost Morbid TalesRaw, straightforward and kicks major ass. Awesome.Convulse World Without GodCoroner GrinCoroner R.I.P.With more straightforward song structures, R.I.P. is not quite as sophisticated as Coroner would become later on. Still, this is a genuinely great start for some of the best thrash metal bands ever. If you enjoy GOOD to-the-point thrash metal with technical guitars, don't miss this!Cryptopsy None So VileWhilst slightly overrated, None So Vile is still one sick death metal album essential to every fan of the genre out there.Cryptopsy Blasphemy Made FleshDon't think the production is shitty at all, probably a bit murky but that's all, I'm actually happy it's not uber clean and brickwalled to hellCynic FocusVery interesting and layered album, needs several more listens.Cynic Traced in AirIs this death metal? No, pretty much as much as Dream Theater are. Is this progressive? Much so. Jazzy? Also yes. Metal? Yeah, I'd say so, although not the usual kind. Well, is this any good? Definitely, but make sure you're open-minded and don't expect it to sound the same as Focus, or death metal.Dark Fortress Tales from Eternal DuskDark Funeral In The Sign...Dark Funeral/Into the Sign... EP is the best thing Dark Funeral have put out so far. In the Sign... version contains two Bathory covers (Equimanthorn and Call from the Grave), which are definitely worth listening to. Pretty faithful to the originals, just slightly different vocals and sound.Darkspace Dark Space IIDarkspace Dark Space ISome really transcendental ambient black metal - it's heavy, fast, cold, dark and especially moody. You know, we live on this somewhat friendly planet with its blue sky, but outside that, it's just dark, cold space over and over to infinity.Darkspace Minus OneDarkthrone PanzerfaustToo underrated, likely overshadowed by the phenomenal albums just before this. Panzerfaust is quite different with its more 'old school' approach, but that doesn't mean it's for the worse. The album is full of great tunes and no fillers. Variation is the album's strongest point, aside of the material itself of course. 4.1/5Dead Congregation Graves of the ArchangelsEasily one of the better death metal albums of the new millennium. NYDM done just right - by a Greek band.Dead Congregation Promulgation of the FallDead Congregation Purifying Consecrated GroundDeath Scream Bloody GoreThis is where it all begun for Death and the genre itself. But even by modern standards, this stands out with its excellent riffs and quite consistent songwriting. For me this was the introduction into the genre, and this still rules.Deathspell Omega Veritas Diaboli Manet in AeternumOne interesting record. I think the concept of making just one long song with somewhat separate parts works great, you more or less need to listen to the whole thing to get full experience. Very weird yet brutal. And above all, damn good.Deathspell Omega ParacletusHeavy, dark, unrelenting, cold, complex, hypnotic - all to make this a great black metal release.Deathspell Omega Si Monvmentvm Reqvires CircvmspiceDeathspell Omega DroughtAnother welcome addition of bizarre black metal with prog.Decapitated Winds of CreationOne impressive album from a group of underage teens! Seriously, you couldn't tell the guys were this young haven't you read it somewhere.Deep Purple Machine HeadOne truly fine hard rock album with some tasteful blues elements - essential for any fan of hard rock, or, simply great old-school music.Deep Purple FireballDeep Purple Deep Purple In RockThe First of the streak of their three best albums, and of course the legendary Mark II line-up. That said, this is just great as the next two, although containing the best Deep Purple song ever, and one of the greatest songs ever in general, Child in Time.Deicide DeicideDeicide LegionWhat's wrong with you guys, not liking this as much as the debut? I mean, the debut is also great, but this, holy lord, is full craziness! About as unrelenting and demonic as death metal can be. DamnDeicide Once Upon the CrossThis is Deicide guys, real death metal that ain't for pussiesDenial of God The Horrors of SatanIt's such a shame the band isn't more known, because this rules. Definitely some of the better black metal from this millennium.Destroyer 666 To the Devil His DueWhether you know Destroyer 666 or not, this is a great addition to any die-hard metalhead's collection.Destroyer 666 Terror AbraxasDestroyer 666 WildfireDestruction Live Without SenseMusic itself is easily worth a 4.5, but the sound – while fittingly raw – leaves to be desired. Otherwise an impeccable live album: a blast of a setlist, highly energetic and nice flow.Die Schwarze Sonne Das Letzte LichtVery very good raw black metal with a distinct atmospheric edge - but without relying very much on synths, keyboards or ambient noises.Dio The Last in LineWE ROCK WE ROCK WE ROCK WE ROCK WE ROCK WE ROCK WE ROCK WE ROCK WE ROCK WE ROCK WE ROCK Rules.Dio Dream EvilDio At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987The 1983 live is marvelous, sound is a bit rough but delivers all the rawness and energy. Dio and everyone is on fire. The second disc is very good, but less engaging and not quite as energetic.Dire Straits Dire StraitsDismember Like an Ever Flowing StreamDissection The SomberlainDrawn and Quartered Return of the Black DeathHard to find bands like this today, making pretty atmospheric and genuinely evil old school death metal who still have something of their own. Check out their other albums as well.Drawn and Quartered Extermination RevelryMay not reinvent the wheel, but for all fans of old-school death metal and especially NYDM, this is a must-listen. Just like a few of their other albums.Dream Theater Images and WordsDying Fetus Destroy the OppositionEmperor EmperorA great EP, the versions of 'I am the Black Wizards' and 'Cosmic Keys to my Creations & Times' on this might be even slightly better than those on their debut album. Love the dark production and atmosphere.Enslaved FrostfuckEnslaved Hordanes LandEsoteric Paragon of DissonanceEsoteric MetamorphogenesisNot quite as good as the longer albums, for example The Pernicious Engima or The Maniacal Vale, though the styles are a little different as well. This would be the best starting point to the band though, as it's more of the "usual" doom metal.Evoken Shades of Night DescendingExciter Heavy Metal ManiacExhumed NecrocracyWhile you can't really call this original, it's obvious Necroticism-era Carcass worship after all, but guess what? It's done damn well, so I'm not giving a fuck. One of the best death metal offerings in 2013.Exhumed Anatomy Is DestinyExumer Possessed by FirePure, punishing Teutonic thrash metal right here. A little-known gem from 1986.Fates Warning No ExitFlotsam and Jetsam No Place for DisgraceForbidden Twisted into FormGentle Giant Gentle GiantThe beginning of one of the best, most distinctive and consistent progressive rock groups ever.Gorgoroth PentagramA superbly atmospheric album, without any cheap tricks. No bullshit, just some great black metal!Gorgoroth AntichristGorguts From Wisdom to HateVery close to 4.5, will probably raise the grade along with more listens. Essential, but well it's Gorguts after all.Gorguts Pleiades' DustGrave Miasma Odori SepulcrorumGraveland Carpathian WolvesGruesome Savage LandGuns N' Roses Appetite for DestructionHelloween Helloween EPHelloween Keeper of the Seven Keys Part IIHerbie Hancock SextantHooded Menace Fulfill the CurseWhile the album is very samey throughout, it's hardly a problem as this simply is some quality death doom.Horna Envaatnags Eflos Solf EsgantaavneHypnosia Extreme HatredOne extremely pissed off thrash album with touches of death metal (some of the riffs) and black metal (the vocals) that doesn't only rely on its niche of being some old-school thrash hailing the good old days. It does resemble the listener of Kreator more than occasionally, but the music is, simply put, just excellent extreme thrash that any fan of the genre should not miss.Immolation Failures for GodsYou can whine about the production, but not about the sheer quality the album definitely has. One simply does not get disappointed by Immolation.Immolation Majesty and DecayImmolation Harnessing RuinFar from being Immolation's best, yet this still kicks some good ass. Awesome band.Immortal Battles in the NorthAnother great Immortal album, while not really as good as Pure Holocaust or At the Heart of Winter. I don't really get why this gets so much dislike. The execution is a little sloppier yes, but there are a good deal of great riffs and ferocious drumwork throughout the album. The production makes some of the riffs tricky to distinguish, though. Nevertheless, this is probably Immortal at their most extreme and pure in terms of black metal, and it turned out good.Immortal Diabolical Fullmoon MysticismWhile noticeably calmer than their later work, Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism has still got some of the band's best and most haunting riffs, and is a varied album overall. Abbath's vocals are rather typical, screechy black metal on here and thus different from the later albums, but he gets the job very well done. Props for the nice acoustic passages that seem to be largely absent on their other albums.Immortal Sons of Northern Darkness4.0 or 4.5... stupid 0.5 increments. Whatever, this rules as does most of Immortal's material.Incantation Diabolical ConquestIncantation The Infernal StormUnderrated, this is basically what Incantation is all about.Infernal Majesty None Shall DefyVery interesting album, flawlessly combines a little death/black elements into excellent dark thrash. Give it a listen!Inquisition Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical...Some of the most unique black metal today. Traditional in a good way, obscure in a good way.Inquisition Obscure Verses for the MultiverseNot as immediate a listen as the previous album, but it's an album that gets better by more listens. Inquisition are sure one of the most interesting and unique black metal bands around at the moment. 3.8/5Inquisition Nefarious Dismal OrationsIt's kind of samey throughout, but if you like Inquisition or raw black metal it's a good addition. It's surprising they don't get more recognition here, considering they are one of the most interesting black metal bands at the moment.Inquisition Invoking the Majestic Throne of SatanInverloch Dusk|SubsideMy expectations for this were quite high (for obvious reasons), and it surpassed them. Containing only three songs, it feels just right. It's intriguing how Inverloch sounds much like their father band, but still somehow different. Think of "The d" and Incantation having sex, it would result in something like this. Much recommended if you dig either of those bands.Iron Maiden Piece of MindIron Maiden A Matter of Life and DeathJethro Tull AqualungJudas Priest PainkillerJudas Priest Sad Wings of DestinyKataklysm SorceryKing Crimson In the Wake of PoseidonKing Crimson LizardThe 666th rating for this album, must be a sign. Very hard to decide between 4.5 and 4, but it's secondary, this is a really good album. Fans of the band should definitely not miss this.King Diamond Fatal PortraitKingston Wall III - Tri-LogyKreator Coma of SoulsA great album, Frank Godzik definitely adds an extra punch. However the album drags a bit towards the end, but it's still well worth listening.Krypts Unending DegradationLathspell Fascination of DeviltryFinnish band Lathspell's Fascination of Deviltry is a compilation that consists of their two early demos, namely Fascination of Devil's Art and Deviltry, in their entirety. Well worth every penny, if you can find it and you are into honest lo-fi demo black metal. Also has got a decent sound that isn't just a shitty mess.Manowar Battle HymnsMarduk Opus NocturneExcellent album, extreme speeds mixed with darkness, a hint of beauty and grim slower parts. The sound is cold like winter in Siberia.Marduk Those of the UnlightYou thought Marduk was all about being brutal as fuck? Wrong. Well at least for this and Opus Nocturne. Some solid traditional black metal right here with more (good kind of) melody and atmosphere than you might think.Massacre From BeyondMercyful Fate Don't Break the OathMessiah Choir of HorrorsExcellent old-school death/thrash metal all around!Metal Church The DarkA great thrash album, but to be honest, rarely touches the debut. The song structures are less layered on this, and unfortunately not really for the better. Don't get me wrong, it's well worth hearing though.Metal Church Blessing in DisguiseMetallica Kill 'Em AllMorbid Angel CovenantMunicipal Waste Hazardous MutationHazardous Mutation might not have reinvented the wheel of crossover thrash. But it does contain several great riffs, fun songs and whatnot. What's best though, it simply FORCES you to damn MOSH!!Mutiilation Vampires of Black Imperial BloodAs black as it gets, Vampires of Black Imperial Blood is one excellent listen - for experienced black metallers, that is. Don't be turned off by the ridiculously raw production and sloppy playing, since the songs are pure black metal gold.Napalm Death Harmony CorruptionNapalm Death ScumLife?Necrophobic DarksideThis is great and has a good atmosphere. This review is too short.Nehemah Shadows from the Past...Nile Annihilation of the WickedSo Nile continues mutilating your ears with another massive album.Nile Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-KaThis is one interesting record. Very brutal and chaotic, but at the same time very atmospheric. The atmosphere on here is dare I say, quite mysterious. Even if some fans may find it bad, I think the raw sound fits the album really well. Sadly most the songs feel a bit too short, but otherwise this is some great brutal yet atmospheric death metal.Nile Black Seeds of VengeanceQuite massively underrated. Black Seeds of Vengeance is not only absolutely crushing, but tastefully crafted and at times even pretty melodic. Yes, the sound engineering isn't the best, but I personally dig the filthy, somewhat old school sound. Sadly this was to be the one and only performance of Derek Reddy behind the drum kit of Nile. His playing is absurdly inhuman, both in terms of hyperspeed and creativity. Possibly my favourite drummer they've had, sorry fans of Kollias.Nile In Their Darkened ShrinesClassic Nile, nothing else needs to be said. Somewhat combines things from the preceeding two albums.Obituary Slowly We RotRules. One of the greater old-school DM albums. The guitar tone is one of the cruelest ever. A must hear for every death metal fan. It's not the fastest or most technical, but it's some real metal done just right!Obituary Cause of DeathOpeth Pale CommunionOrange Goblin Time Travelling BluesGreat album by a great band, no frills, no tricks. Just good riffs and catchy, honest songs!Overkill Under the InfluenceOverkill Taking OverPantera Cowboys from HellPeste Noire La Sanie des SièclesExcellent outing on raw, emotional black metal. Not emotional in emo way, but the deliverance of hateful, empty, raw emotions is great. Has a nice variation as well.Pestilence Testimony of the AncientsPig Destroyer Prowler in the YardSome of the best and most furious grindcore in existence. They know not only how to blast the fuck out, but when to incorporate some crushing, heavy riffing and a violent atmosphere.Porcupine Tree In AbsentiaPossessed Seven ChurchesRanger Knights of DarknessRazor Violent RestitutionReturn to Forever Romantic WarriorRiot ThundersteelVery exciting stuff, definitely one of the better heavy/power metal records of the latter 80's. The vocals are gold. 4.2/5Ripping Corpse Dreaming With the DeadRotten Sound ExitSome very intensive and pissed-off shit! Excellent grind, with that Entombed-esque guitar tone and all.Running Wild Under Jolly RogerRush A Farewell to KingsRush Fly by NightRush Caress of SteelSacramentum Far Away from the SunSanctuary Into the Mirror BlackSanctuary Refuge DeniedSarcofago I.N.R.I.This is so filthy and damned record I can only like itSarcofago The Laws of ScourgeSargeist Disciple of the Heinous PathSargeist may not reinvent the wheel with their second full-length Disciple of the Heinous Path, but it offers some very solid and varied black metal, with a good atmosphere. Six songs and no filler.Sargeist Satanic Black DevotionIf you are seeking for new black metal that's honest, raw, rather atmospheric and actually good, this may well be the album for you!Satyricon Dark Medieval TimesTheir best and a must for anyone claiming to be a black metal fan.Saxon Wheels of SteelSepultura AriseSepultura Morbid VisionsWhat's with the low rating... It's evil, punishing, fast and lo-fi, just how I like it. Bloody underrated.Sinister Cross the StyxSkepticism Lead and AetherSlayer Reign in BloodSlayer Hell AwaitsMy favourite Slayer album. There's a great atmosphere haunting in the background through the entire record. Sadly a bit hard to get, but definitely worth the purchase if you're into old-school thrash. Too underrated!Slayer Show No MercyMy favourite Slayer at the moment, along with Hell Awaits. So many great riffs and a unique atmosphere. Sure they would get heavier and more diverse later on, but man this is something special...Sodom Agent OrangeI'm struggling on whether to give this a 4 or a 4.5 ... Anyway, the better production enhances the drums nicely, and the drumming is a step up from Persecution Mania, as is the overall instrumentation. However, bits of the dark atmosphere is lost, and Angelripper's vocals aren't as evil on this one. That could be explained as natural progression, from a primitive group to an advanced band. Not really flaws, as the songs are still great quality... But heck, Persecution mania is something very evil. Still, this rules!Sodom Expurse of SodomySodom In the Sign of EvilSpawn of Possession CabinetSpawn of Possession's debut Cabinet is sure one of the better modern technical death metal albums. Immense technicality combined with pretty well structured songs and a good production that is actually not mastered loud as fuck 4.2/5Speedtrap PowerdoseFinnish speed metal! Powerful high-pitched vocals, effective fast riffs and catchy songs make this another great metal release of 2013.Stone StoneStone No Anaesthesia!Stormtroopers of Death Speak English or DieStormtroopers of Death proves that simple (crossover) thrash with a completely unserious sound or attitude can be awesome and heavy enough without sounding annoying. Thumbs up!Suffocation Despise the SunWhen not quite on par with their nearly phenomenal efforts before this, Despise the Sun is still well worth getting for fans of the band and genre.Suffocation Souls to DenySouls to Deny might not be quite as strong as the past full-lengths, but boy is it still some sweet brutal/technical death metal from the forefathers of the genre.Suicidal Tendencies Lights...Camera...RevolutionSummoning LugburzTaake Nattestid Ser Porten VidTankard Chemical InvasionGreat, catchy thrash full of energy and humour, with some awesome vocals!Testament Live at Eindhoven '87Thergothon Stream From The HeavensDevastating atmosphere, extreme slowness, utter heaviness, bestial super guttural vocals and loads of dark emotion. Yes, this is funeral doom, done right.Triptykon Melana ChasmataTriptykon Eparistera DaimonesGreat start for Tom G. Warrior's new band Triptykon. Essentially following the style found on Celtic Frost's Monotheist, this is an excellent example of modern metal. A mesh of doom, thrash, black and whatever that sounds natural and unique.Van der Graaf Generator Pawn HeartsVan Halen Van HalenVinterriket LichtschleierVio-Lence Eternal NightmareOne of the purest thrash metal albums I've come across. No death metal influences, just very fast and very good thrash. The vocals might turn off some, but the overall instrumentation and great songs are enough of a reason to check this out, for anyone considering himself (or herself) a thrash fan. No bullshit, just 7 tracks of excellent in-your-face METAL!Violator Chemical AssaultOne of the very best "thrash revival" albums I've heard. So a fair warning: if you're looking for something new in thrash metal, don't care, this isn't anything new. Otherwise if you like hearing some damn good balls-to-the-wall thrash with great vocals, riffs and everything, definitely do listen to this.Voivod Target EarthI was very pleasantly surprised when I heard a few songs off this on youtube. Then I thought 'right, I NEED to get this album some time' and I did. Definitely no disappointment, Target Earth really sounds quite much like a natural successor for Dimension Hatross and Nothingface.Voivod Post SocietyVulcano Bloody VengeanceWhile nothing short of primitive really, this is very good. A great mix of very extreme thrash/death/black, take your pick. Only 23 minutes in length but more (well delivered) attitude than in 23 other bands combined. Recommended to fans of raw, somewhat old-school extreme metal.Watain Casus LuciferiOne of the better 'old school' black metal albums of this century. Some really great guitar lines here, very haunting. Consistency and good production (in black metal sense, nothing too clean) are the album's strongest points.Winter Into DarknessAs crushing as it gets. Insane death doom metal. Stupid 50 characters.Worship Last Tape Before DoomsdaySome absolutely devastating (and SLOW) funeral doom, yet beautiful at the same time. Not in a cheesy way though.Yes The Yes Album3.5 greatAcid Witch Witchtanic HellucinationsAnthrax Persistence of TimeClearly the most serious and progressive Belladonna-era album of theirs. Definitely a grower, my rating now is a borderline 3.5/4. Might well rise in the future.Anthrax State of EuphoriaArchgoat The Light-Devouring DarknessRaw and to the point. Bestial black/death metal in vein of Beherit or Blasphemy, with some nice doomy sections.Beheaded Ominous BloodlineAn enjoyable brutal death metal record, short and sweet - with some ultra-guttural vocals!Behemoth ....From the Pagan VastlandsBeherit The Oath Of Black BloodBeherit At The Devil's Studio 1990Probably even better than The Oath of Black Blood, raw and bestial as fuckBlind Guardian Battalions of FearBloodbath Breeding DeathBloodbath Resurrection Through CarnageA great modern old-school death metal album with a true Swedish sound. On one hand very consistent, on the other hand the album is very samey which is the biggest flaw.Bolt Thrower MercenaryVery hard to decide between 3.5 and 4, but I'll be conservative for now. Not as essential as most of the band's cataloque, but if you like the band this is a safe buy.Burzum Burzum/AskeSometimes simplicity delivers, and Burzum/Aske is one such occasion. Simple riffs, basic drumming, but so good atmosphere and tortured vocals that I simply like it.Carcass Surgical SteelChurch of The Dead Vol. 1 Stay Out of My GraveD.R.I. Dealing with It!D.R.I. 4 of a KindSimple and fun crossover thrash - a great balance of hardcore and metal elements.D.R.I. Thrash ZoneA very fun listen with lots of great riffs on board! Some of the songs could be a little shorter, but even being slightly overlong the album keeps it up pretty well.D.R.I. Dirty RottenDark Funeral The Secrets of the Black ArtsDark Funeral Where Shadows Forever ReignA positive surprise, nothing earth-shattering but an enjoyable album nonetheless.Darkthrone The Underground ResistanceDarkthrone Arctic ThunderDarkthrone Total DeathDeathspell Omega Diabolus AbsconditusDeathspell Omega Inquisitors of SatanDeathspell Omega Infernal BattlesMUCH better than the rating says. The album doesn't reinvent the wheel by any means, but it's certainly above average raw black metal. Admittedly DsO has outdone this by a big margin later, but fans of cold black metal should give this a go. The second half suffers from being demo quality (which it actually is, a demo), but it's not that bad. 3.6/5Denial of God Death and the BeyondDesaster A Touch of Medieval DarknessBest Desaster album I've heard so far. Much more black metal and epic than their later releases, but it definitely works here. Hell, I even find this pretty catchy, although not cheesy pop catchy. Fans of the band and second-wave black metal should definitely give A Touch of Medieval Darkness a try, especially the first three songs Skyline in Flames (Intro), In a Winter Battle, the title track and the epic Crypts of Dracul. Despite being quite lengthy, 51 minutes, it never gets boring.Desaster The Arts of DestructionEven if not the most unique and memorable, The Arts of Destruction is an enjoyable album that any fan of blackened thrash should give a spin.Destruction Sentence of DeathDestruction Mad ButcherDio Sacred HeartDisincarnate Dreams of the Carrion KindDream Theater AwakeDusk (HUN) DeathgateDying Fetus Reign SupremeBrutality in more old school vein, not only speed but some beefy riffing and respectable vocals as well. A very good brutal/technical death metal release. And Trey Williams is a fucking machine gun with the drums.Electric Wizard Electric WizardEnslaved YggdrasilVery nice and raw debut demo/EP. More characters neededExhumed Gore MetalSome truly sick stuff in the vein of old Carcass. Very chaotic but good.Exodus Fabulous DisasterWhilst a slight disappointment, the album's variety is what keeps it interesting to listen to. First three tracks are especially great, plus the doomy "Like Father, Like Son". Would be a honest 4 had it not been a little too long. The two covers, while okay, don't really add anything to the album.Fates Warning ParallelsA very good progressive metal album with excellent production, instrumentation and vocals. However it gets rather cheesy at points, but still easily a worthy listen if you're into prog metal.Gorerotted Only Tools and CorpsesGorerotted Mutilated In MinutesI love how the Brits are so self-ironic with this, yet producing some quality grind with manic dual vocals.HammerFall Glory To The BraveHellhammer Apocalyptic Raids 1990 A.D.An interesting record, going to the very roots of extreme metal gives a special feel. Superbly primitive at times, but so doomy that it's actually enjoyable. Plus those riffs.Horna Hiidentorni (demo)Immortal Blizzard BeastsI can understand that the production puts off a bunch of listeners, it's kinda sucky. But behind that we have yet another good Immortal album with some great Morbid Angel influenced riffs. Nebular Ravens Winter and the epic Mountains of Might are noteworthy tracks.Inquisition Magnificent Glorification of LuciferIron Maiden Brave New WorldIron Maiden KillersJethro Tull Stand UpJudas Priest Defenders of the FaithKing Crimson IslandsPossibly the hardest KC album to rate, but when you're in the right mood, this is a very nice listen.Kreator Terrible CertaintyEven though I consider Blind Faith as one of the very best Kreator songs, the album itself is a severe step down from Pleasure to Kill. The dark and cataclysmic atmosphere is very much lost on this one, as is the cruelty.Krisiun Black Force DomainHoly damn this is HEAVY. Very very fast but still catchy and skilled.Lost Society Fast Loud DeathManowar Hail to EnglandManowar Sign of the HammerManowar Kings of MetalMegadeth EndgameClearly the best Magedeth record since the phenomenal Rust in Peace. The album has got many great tracks such as the opening duo Dialectic Chaos, This Day We Fight! and Endgame. Then there's some quite uninspired, more "regular" heavy metal songs. Album lacks the originality of old-school thrash records, even though the instrumental section is great and Dave is doing pretty nice vocals, too (by Megadeth standards, of course). No big flaws on here really, just nothing very special. Nevertheless, this shows Megadeth is not a forgettable act even these days, and obviously puts the best efforts out of the Big Four in these days.Metallica ...And Justice for AllMorbid December MoonMorbid Angel Abominations of DesolationSome genuinely evil stuff, especially the vocals. Need to listen to this more.Morbid Angel Blessed Are the SickUnfortunately a great drop in quality from the debut. But that doesn't mean this is bad by any means; Blessed Are the Sick is mostly just different, with not quite the same approach as Altars of Madness. Will probably raise my grading with more listens.Morpheus Descends Ritual of InfinityNortt LigfaerdNuclear Omnicide Bringers of DiseaseBlasting death/thrash metal from Finland. The boys have certainly taken some influence from Sadus, particularly Illusions. Great start for 2014! 3.7/5Overkill IronboundOverkill The Electric AgeRainbow On StageA great live release from one of my favourite hard rock lineups!Rainbow Ritchie Blackmore's RainbowRammstein Reise, ReiseVery enjoyable piece of industrial metal and electronic.Ranger Shock SkullRituals of the Oak Hour of JudgementSacrilegious Impalement Cultus NexQuite promising band from Finland. They put more emphasis on melody and atmosphere than most raw Finnish BM bands. I wouldn't call they melodic BM though, more like a bit rawer Necrophobic in that sense. Really worth a listen!Sacrilegious Impalement First Three NailsSarcofago RottingSatyricon The ShadowthroneA fair disappointment after their more than promising debut Dark Medieval Times. While being oddly inconsistent - the songs themselves, too - the good parts keep this up.Skitzo (NJ) Skitzo (demo)Slayer South of HeavenSlayer Seasons in the AbyssSlayer Haunting the ChapelSodom Tapping the VeinSuffocation Blood OathTaake Hordalands DoedskvadThis is kinda weird, need more listens. Riffs and musicianship is pretty much top class.Taake Over Bjoergvin Graater HimmerikSurvived the almighty boing, this is pretty unique stuff.Testament The GatheringToxic Holocaust Evil Never DiesToxic Holocaust Conjure and CommandToxic Holocaust An Overdose of Death...Great modern thrash with good black metal-ish vocals and unique sound among most "thrash revival" artists. Recommended if you like various thrash metal with a dark vibe and a touch of crust punk (in a good way).Ulver Bergtatt - Et eeventyr i 5 capitlerA very good album, but was a slight disappointment for me as the black metal - or just metal - parts are not that many on this. The music itself is very well written though, not saying I don't want to listen to this just because it's not all that 'metal'. There aren't any specific flaws in the music, just the folk/black balance leans more to the folk side. With a bit more metal parts in it and/or more of a real mixture of black/folk (now it's more like separated black and folk parts) would make this better. I may sound harsh, but don't be fooled: it's a great record. I wouldn't recommend this to people who want 'real' metal, but for those who like good, ambient music that is a blend of folk and black metal music.Vader LitanyPretty much brutal in-your-face thrashy death metal. The production is not too good, very brickwalled. Nothing too bad though. 3.7/5Vader Welcome to the Morbid ReichGood ol' Vader does it again - nothing new, but the old tricks are used pretty well. Despite being hardly ground-breaking and kinda samey, it's definitely a pleasant and consistent listen of thrash-tinged death metal.Venom Welcome to HellMay be a one trick pony, but it's filled with straightforward and fun songs that are easy to headbang to.Vinterriket WinterschattenVinterriket Der letzte Winter - Der Ewigkeit entgegenVolkeinBlucht To Consume the Darkness Whole....Vomitory Terrorize Brutalize SodomizeSome really brutal and heavy death metal. Even if nothing really spectacular, I enjoyed basically every moment.Watain Rabid Death's CurseWorthless (FIN) Grim CatharsisVery nice groovy no-tricks death metal. Slow-to-mid tempo all the way, but doesn't get boring thanks to sensible song lengths. Nice atmosphere and natural, powerful sound. Could have been mastered with a little more dynamics, but not a big flaw.3.0 goodAt the Gates Slaughter of the SoulA good listen, but expected way more from this. Maybe melodeath isn't my thing though.Azrael Rising Anti-GravitySolid raw black metal, nothing too unique but God in His Blue Temple is well worth a listen.Behemoth Zos Kia Cultus (Here and Beyond)Black Sabbath Mob RulesBlasphemy Fallen Angel of DoomAs a lover of raw, filthy and dark-as-hell black metal, I very rarely complain about production. But on this it sadly annoys me, as it's inconsistent (meaning that on some tracks it's better/different that on some others) and most of the time much unbalanced, oriented to the left channel (at least on my CD version). I know I sound like a douche but a balanced L/R production is the very only thing I must have production-wise. Otherwise, this is pretty nice slab of some really hatred-full black metal with death metal influences. The vocals are really good, which is the best thing on this. Not your usual Norwegian screeching, but a very dark tone he has. Tracks worth of checking are at least Ritual and Darkness Prevails, the latter having one of the most demonic and hateful intros ever.Cannibal Corpse VileThe songs are all VERY similar, I mean it's not that uncommon amongst death metal but the songs sound way too the same. The instrumental side is good but very generic, the vocals and production are quite good though.Cataleptic Strength WithinDarkened Nocturn Slaughtercult Nocturnal MarchA solid piece of black metal, gotta listen to it some more.Desaster Tyrants of the NetherworldWell worth a listen, despite the other ratings. Desaster plays a brand of blackened thrash that is more akin to the thrash side, black metal influences show in fast, powerful riffing and dark themes plus pretty quick overall pace. Don't except Tyrants of the Netherworld to be anything ground-breaking, but it's a consistent album with its highlights and no clear flaws. The epic title track is especially worth of a listen, and is likely the best deal on the album.Destruction Inventor of EvilDestruction The AntichristContains a number of very good thrash tunes like the opening duo of Days of Confusion and Thrash 'til Death. Sadly much of the stuff is quite uninspired and samey, not very special for thrash. Their early stuff (up to Release from Agony, that is) is definitely better. Still worth a listen or two.Graveland The Celtic WinterHelwulf Wolves of War & BloodHorna Kohti Yhdeksän NousuaIron Maiden Fear of the DarkKatatonia Dance of December SoulsA mixed bag, a few very good moments (especially Velvet Thorns (Of Drynwhyl)) but overall the albums sounds a little too long.Kreator Flag of HateLost Society Terror HungryDespite having longer songs and a touch of atmosphere more, this doesn't quite justify the band's current strengths as well as the debut. While most of the riffs range from good to great, the songs themselves could be better. The boys absolutely kill on stage though, seen them twice.Megadeth So Far, So Good... So What!Megadeth Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!Pantera Vulgar Display of PowerSepultura Bestial DevastationNot a bad EP, but the first full-length Morbid Visions is definitely a step up from this. The song Antichrist is probably the highlight.Sodom Obsessed by CrueltyUlcerate The Coming of GenocideVader The Ultimate IncantationI usually don't bitch about lack of variation on a death metal album, but this is just way too long and samey. Not a disaster though.Von Satanic Blood (demo)I guarantee there's no simpler black metal recording than this... yet it's not bad. How? Because it's VERY bestial and the mood is really scary.rOnly for experienced RAW black metal fans2.5 averageCattle Decapitation Monolith of InhumanityConvulse Inner EvilDeathhammer Forever Ripping FastSome nice riffs here and there, but VERY one-dimensional overall.Fleshgrind Murder Without EndKrieg Destruction RitualMegadeth Countdown to ExtinctionMegadeth The System Has FailedMetallica MetallicaPantera Far Beyond DrivenPantera The Great Southern TrendkillRotten Sound NapalmA decent EP, the production is painfully brickwalled compared to Exit. Haven't watched the DVD yet, though.Venom Black Metal2.0 poor1349 HellfireChildren of Bodom Something WildDoom VS Aeternum ValeIron Maiden No Prayer for the DyingSepulchral Aura Demonstrational CD MMVIIPretty much a chaotic mesh of black and death metal, and not really in a good sense. Props for the morbid atmosphere this has though.Slayer Divine InterventionVomitor The EscalationPretty disappointing, the attitude and evilness is there but most of the songs go nowhere.1.5 very poorMegadeth United AbominationsMetallica Garage Inc.2 Great songs? Yes. A great album? No, hell no. I'm not a huge fan of cover songs, and this album is almost completely ignoreable for me, almost. Am I Evil? and Blizkrieg covers are excellent, but IMO that's all good things here.Metallica Death Magnetic
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
