A seemingly unpopular/nonexistant genre a few months ago, now holds 2 of the most popular albums of 2011. Symphonic Death Metal has become quite popular recently, so which one of these albums is better? The are currently (when I am writing this) #'s 1 and 2 on MS's top of 2011 album list (Fleshgod, Septicflesh respectively).

I vote for Septicflesh. The Great Mass sounds more organic, and artsy to me. The songs are diverse, and the orchestra accents the music beautifully. Fleshgod Apocalypse on the other hand made thier orchestra in to an intense, flamboyant, cheesy layer to the relentless brutal death metal they play. I absolutely love both albums, I just slightly prefer The Great Mass, how 'bout you guys?

Heh, not even close. The Great Mass by a mile.

Agony for me. The Great Mass is way too soft for my liking.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 10.08.2011 at 07:56

Agony for me. The Great Mass is way too soft for my liking.

Agreed. Also I'd like to send a message to SF fanboys who will start rating Agony 1 with tons of accounts: the top 20 should represent everyone's opinion, not just yours. If less people like an album, it'll start falling back on the list as new albums emerge. The principle is, the more people like it, the better is the album. This is how it goes. Don't spoil the ratings just to make your favourite album reach the 1st place.

The Great Mass wasn't heavy enough for me. Agony delivered.

Because heaviness always makes an album better... right?

Written by strade on 10.08.2011 at 08:59
Because heaviness always makes an album better... right?

For some people? Ya.

Why would someone compare these two? Just seems somehow stupid to me, 'cause Fleshgod is so much brööötaler. But my vote goes to The Great Mass, it's a nice continuos package, Agony seems more likea a bunch more similar songs. Not that I didn't enjoy it, much more diverse than their debut.

Written by qlacs on 10.08.2011 at 08:09

Written by Troy Killjoy on 10.08.2011 at 07:56

Agony for me. The Great Mass is way too soft for my liking.

Agreed. Also I'd like to send a message to SF fanboys who will start rating Agony 1 with tons of accounts: the top 20 should represent everyone's opinion, not just yours. If less people like an album, it'll start falling back on the list as new albums emerge. The principle is, the more people like it, the better is the album. This is how it goes. Don't spoil the ratings just to make your favourite album reach the 1st place.

It hasn't started yet, but I'm sure it will

Written by Heka69 on 10.08.2011 at 09:57

Why would someone compare these two? Just seems somehow stupid to me, 'cause Fleshgod is so much brööötaler. But my vote goes to The Great Mass, it's a nice continuos package, Agony seems more likea a bunch more similar songs. Not that I didn't enjoy it, much more diverse than their debut.

I kinda clearly stated why I chose these these two. Death metal albums with heavy use of orchestration, released in 2011, and critically acclaimed. And also, I didn't say anything about 'comparing' these two albums, simply vote for which one you consider to be better.

Well, both great albums, but its The Great Mass for me, the pace changed throughout the album, awesome choirs and the symphonic parts are blended well with that pace and the music in general...

I'm not into Symphonic\orchestra or whatever. The Great Mass sucked so bad IMO(yeah I said "In my opinion" ) the most boring album of the year, and I just couldn't stand their sell-outs style, so it's an easy choice for me, Agony for sure.

Easily Agony. Not too crazy about it, but it's still a fun album. That other flesh group is just too melodramatic for me.

Agony was very boring to me, and it just seemed like The Great Mass but with speed of light drums and forced clean vocals. The guy can sing high in Fleshgod, but that doesn't mean he should.

The Great Mass was a really unique album in the way that it's orchestra was used really smart, I personally don't think that in Agony, the orchestra's "enhance" the music per say. I think it was a little overdone. Oracles was a much stronger album simply because it made the orchestra aspect a treat, and not a second nature for the band.

The Great Mass, although I think both are 10s.

The Great Mass. Like you said, the orchestral touch just flows together better on that album. I'm totally voting that for death metal album of the year on here, it's an award that's well-deserved.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 10.08.2011 at 16:22

The Great Mass. Like you said, the orchestral touch just flows together better on that album. I'm totally voting that for death metal album of the year on here, it's an award that's well-deserved.

who says they will be nominated in the death metal category, or nominated at all?
And even if you use it as your write in vote I am sure it will be deleted from death metal. It has its place in sympjonic metal but not in death metal, imo.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.08.2011 at 16:46

Written by Auntie Sahar on 10.08.2011 at 16:22

The Great Mass. Like you said, the orchestral touch just flows together better on that album. I'm totally voting that for death metal album of the year on here, it's an award that's well-deserved.

who says they will be nominated in the death metal category, or nominated at all?
And even if you use it as your write in vote I am sure it will be deleted from death metal. It has its place in sympjonic metal but not in death metal, imo.

Septic Flesh isn't death metal?
Idk dude, but to me they've always been a death metal band with symphonic elements, not a symphonic metal band with death metal elements.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 10.08.2011 at 16:50

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.08.2011 at 16:46

Written by Auntie Sahar on 10.08.2011 at 16:22

The Great Mass. Like you said, the orchestral touch just flows together better on that album. I'm totally voting that for death metal album of the year on here, it's an award that's well-deserved.

who says they will be nominated in the death metal category, or nominated at all?
And even if you use it as your write in vote I am sure it will be deleted from death metal. It has its place in sympjonic metal but not in death metal, imo.

Septic Flesh isn't death metal?
Idk dude, but to me they've always been a death metal band with symphonic elements, not a symphonic metal band with death metal elements.

On their previous albums there was quite a bit of death metal. But here on The Great Mass I don't hear any at all. And no growls do not make something death metal

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.08.2011 at 16:52

On their previous albums there was quite a bit of death metal. But here on The Great Mass I don't hear any at all. And no growls do not make something death metal

Nailed it.

Fleshgod by a long shot. I enjoyed The Great Mass but the songs were too short and repetative for the scale of the what they were trying to do.
Fleshgod has, no contest (for any band), the better drummer, better guitars (great neoclassical solos, on TGM the guitars were not impressive at all), great clean vocals (Septic's has to be among the worst), better orchestrations (The Imposition alone massacres all of Septic's songs) and just better songwriting, every song on Agony stands out, sounds different from one another and are just epic in scale, the overall scale of the album is huge and how every song leads into the next adds to the overwhelming feel of the album. There is a very grand feel to Fleshgod's symphonies, to the likes of the big classical composers throughout history. For all of you that complain about not being able to hear everything properly, change your speakers, there is a shitload going on in Agony and at least listen to it at the best possible quality before judging it.

Agony fulfilled my ears a lot more than The great mass did

Septicflesh is the best lml lml

Written by Auntie Sahar on 10.08.2011 at 16:22

On their previous albums there was quite a bit of death metal. But here on The Great Mass I don't hear any at all. And no, (!) growls do not make something death metal

^^ Commas save lives my friend. I stared at that third sentence for like 2 minutes confused at how 'no growls' don't make something death metal lol. Regardless, I would not argue if this album was put in the symphonic category. Clearly, they have moved further and further away from death metal since Sumerian Daemons. I'd say this is their first album that the orchestration is not used as an atmospheric backdrop, but as one of the fronts to the music.

However, in my opinion there is still death metal here. The only thing missing is the guitars. The drums are high in the mix, and the vocals (I realize vocals alone don't make death metal) are unmistakably death metal-esque vocals.

EDIT: Dang, I quoted the wrong guy. I will never understand how it works Well, Marcel, if you see this message, it was to you! Sorry bass.

I really had a hard time choosing between these two monstrous albums. In the end I voted for The Great Mass...because I did enjoy it more than Agony. However...Agony is a brilliant and amazing album without a doubt.

I know this isn't a comparison thread, but I find the two albums to be quite different...especially with the orchestration. The Great Mass is more movie soundtrack/film score type of orchestration, whereas Agony is more classical music orchestration. Septicflesh were trying to create a metal movie-like soundtrack, whereas Fleshgod Apocalypse were trying to create a symphonic death metal album. That's how I see it at least.

They two delivered, each one on they style. The two albuns are different, one (Agony) it's br00tal death metal and the other is (in my opnion) death+gothic.

Agony is better for me

The Great Mass by some distance. While I loved Agony as well, I can't stop playing The Great Mass. As simple as that.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.08.2011 at 16:46

who says they will be nominated in the death metal category, or nominated at all?

Haha, Sounds as if you'll make sure it doesn't

In all honesty I know little about Death metal but I can see why people are saying The Great Mass isn't of that genre, sounds like a harsh vocalist singing to an orchestra. Though if it isn't death metal, what is it exactly? Extreme Symphonic metal?

Agony is the superior album for me.

I voted Great Mass because it had a lot more feeling in the song writing. The songs could stand alone and I could choose multiple favorites. The vocals were way better too and being a vocalist that means a lot to me. The high vocals in Agony were annoying and unnecessary. In this case heavier and more "brootahl" doesn't win out. I agree with previous comments about Agony running together as well, nothing stood out. However the drums were AWESOME! (That being if he can actually play 'em ha).

Still both bands are awesome ImI ImI

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.08.2011 at 16:46

who says they will be nominated in the death metal category, or nominated at all?
And even if you use it as your write in vote I am sure it will be deleted from death metal. It has its place in sympjonic metal but not in death metal, imo.

This man is wise. I've commented at length at how much I dislike Septicflesh's bowel movement of an album. Try phasing out the guttural vocals in your head, then see the music for what it really is: bland filler.

As far as Fleshgod Apocalypse's new album, I don't care for it much either. They've managed to keep a death metal sound while upping the ante with orchestral elements, but I find the music screams of excess. The drumming is too over the top with endless blast beats and nauseating triggers. As much as fans wants to tell you that death metal is a speed game, it's not. This is why bands like Immolation reign supreme in my mind. They create music, not an exercise in speed. To me, Fleshgod Apocalypse are a band that gets increasingly boring as my ears hear more and more of them. I've already soured on Oracles because it has zero lasting appeal.

However, 2011 has still been a great year for Death Metal. Both Mitochondrion and Ulcerate have released wonderfully dark albums, with Benighted close behind in quality. Azarath also have an impressive new album. Both Autopsy and Disma have provided slimy, putrid death metal for those into the old school style. Vader's newest is certainly above average as well.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.08.2011 at 16:52

...And no growls do not make something death metal

Melodic "Death" Metal in a nutshell, really.

Written by R'Vannith on 13.08.2011 at 05:14

Though if it isn't death metal, what is it exactly? Extreme Symphonic metal?

Hmm yeah dude, you pretty much nailed it with that guess. If the album gets nominated at all it will be in the symphonic category, that decision was done ages ago by the staff though