Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.07.2014 at 02:52

Still their best by miles

Marcel was right once again.
Remission is heavier than tennessine and more infectious than the coronavirus.

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nikarg BitterCOld, Auntie Sahar, Troy Killjoy, ScreamingSteelUS, Ag Fox, X-Ray Rod

In memory of Sean Reinert and Marcel Hubregtse

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 19.01.2018 at 01:43

So superior to anything they did afterwards it isn't even funny anymore.

You're so right, Marcel. Happy to have enjoyed that Hellfest'07 with you!

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Darkside Momo nikarg, Daniell, ScreamingSteelUS, X-Ray Rod, Milena, Ag Fox, Redel, Starvynth

We all knew Marcel as a doom guy, and that's certainly the first association I have with him, but on this very site you will find a 10.0 review of this here classic thrash album (or at least the 20th anniversary reissue) from none other than Marcel himself. Personally, I've never been the biggest fan of Flotz, but Doomsday For The Deceiver is without a doubt one of the best thrash albums to come out of the 1980s, thanks to its sky-piercing vocals and riffs as monstrous as the cover art. We know which band Jason Newsted really belonged in... but that's another discussion.

The point here is that Flotsam And Jetsam were no hangers-on, but were paving the way for future thrash (and other styles) in ways the Big Four couldn't have imagined, and I paid much closer attention to this album thanks to the affection shown it by Marcel.

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ScreamingSteelUS Daniell, nikarg, Darkside Momo, Ag Fox, X-Ray Rod, Redel

Marcel did not get to post his "Best Of 2019" list but The Eternal Dance was one of his favourites and Façade is fronted by his friend (and Phlebotomized's vocalist) Ben de Graaff.

It is a concept album about cycles, inspired by the idea that our lives and everything that surrounds us are just small motions in a larger movement; a never-ending dance that forms the Universe. One motion ends, but a new one follows up to continue the dance. One life ends, but a new life is born.

Bandcamp

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nikarg BitterCOld, Troy Killjoy, Nefarious

The First "From Dutchland with Doom" package Marcel sent me a dozen years ago contained several tasty treats - Officium Triste, Ortega - and this spicy Blackened-Doom. Immediately caught my ear and along with fellow 2008 release, Esoteric's The Maniacal Vale really opened me up and piqued my interest in the harsher styles of Doom. Basically, half of what I listen to now. A bit raw, as initially a demo, is defo worth a listen.

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BitterCOld Troy Killjoy, nikarg, Daniell, Nefarious, X-Ray Rod

The third full-length album by these Italians blends melodic death/doom metal with aerial post-rock and a touch of psychedelia. Combining deep growls with plaintive clean vocals and heavy riffs with atmospheric intersections, it showcases rawness and vulnerability in perfect balance. Mixed and mastered by Esoteric's Greg Chandler, with guest performances by members of Plateau Sigma and cover art done by none other than Costin Chioreanu, Below The Cover Of Clouds ticks all the boxes a doom metal album needs.

Let the clouds cover your dark fantasies at Bandcamp.

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nikarg Abattoir

I reviewed Secrets Of The Magick Grimoire in 2017 and, though I spoke very highly of it at the time, it has since grown even greater in my esteem, not only yielding many staples of my mental power/folk metal canon but also climbing the ranks to become one of my favorite albums of all time. Reader Of The Runes - Divination is already beginning the same ascent, thanks to its unmistakable aura of high fantasy and woodland elven magic. The many, many layers of metal and traditional instrumentation and sweet-sounding vocals build a beautiful atmosphere, and the songs themselves are enchanting. Elvenking is our champion of dense, folk-heavy power metal.

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ScreamingSteelUS

Don't listen to metal. Listen to music. You'll love this album if you do.

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Daniell Ivor

It has been over a year since my last staff pick, so I decided to throw out a real corker to get my momentum going again. Li Nan is a maniac whose voice will leave you scarred for days after listening to this album. He's backed by a mash-up of nu/alt metal and Chinese elements that swings from brutal breakdowns to meditative atmosphere. VooDoo KungFu is a bizarre project - it's groovy, scary, freakish, and extreme, and all the while it's sui generis.

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ScreamingSteelUS

These Canadians mix upbeat Hard Rock with some Doom and StonerSludge riffs and vocals very reminiscent of Alice In Chains to smash out a seven track, sub 30 minute party for your earhole. Hunt the Spacequeen on BandCamp.

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BitterCOld ScreamingSteelUS

III is one of those albums that takes you back. Back to school? Back to the future? No, rather back to that golden era of 70s psych music where people were popping tabs in the hot Western sun and widdly diddlying on their instruments for the next 72 hours. Retro jamz done right: riff heavy, groovy, and faaaaar ouuuuut maaaan.

If you've been enjoying what bands like Weedpecker, The Re Stoned, and Samsara Blues Experiment have been up to lately, this one's for you.

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Auntie Sahar Abattoir, ScreamingSteelUS, nikarg

I'll keep it simple... From The Gallery Of Sleep is the most exciting instrumental album you'll hear all year. It's proggy, layered and fun. We're not worthy of Aric Improta's drumming. He is so good!



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Paz ScreamingSteelUS

Hankering for a hunk of stoner rawk? Cravings a dose of riffs? Call Mr Plow, that's their name. That name again is Mr Plow.

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BitterCOld Auntie Sahar

Mousy vocals, reedy tones, modest production... but bombastic riffs, lofty concepts, fantastical mystique, and complete mastery over the art of flaming metal systems. Touching on power, prog, speed, and traditional heavy metal, Manilla Road produced a string of the finest albums ever released in any of those genres, and Crystal Logic crowned them all with its ensorcelling grooves. In losing Manilla Road, the heavy metal genre has lost one of its most literate and classically epic artists.

RIP Mark the Shark.

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ScreamingSteelUS BloodTears, Daniell, Dream Taster, X-Ray Rod, nikarg, Redel

I'm about a month late for the exact anniversary, but Nightfall In Middle-Earth is 20 years old now, and for the last 10, it has been my favorite album of all time. Andre Olbrich's guitar solos, Hansi Kürsch's vocals, the songwriting, the production, the choirs, the drama, the emotion, the cover art, even the cavalcade of excessive interludes - just about every characteristic of this album is, for me, the gold standard by which that characteristic is measured in all other works of music. I can still clearly remember hearing "Nightfall" for the first time and thinking within the first ten seconds, "This is the perfect band for me." Ten years later, I feel the same sentiments I did that first time. Happy birthday, Nightfall. Happy anniversary, Bards of Metal.

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ScreamingSteelUS BloodTears, BitterCOld, Dream Taster, Daniell, Darkside Momo