This is going to be the end all of Black Metal albums this year. Watain will forever destroy.

Written by GregoryOfDoom on 19.07.2013 at 20:39

This is going to be the end all of Black Metal albums this year. Watain will forever destroy.

Uhh. No. Not even close, based on the two songs released so far. Tribulation and Chaos Invocation just in a style similar to this will destroy it. Summoning, Caladan Brood, Gris, Sombres Forets, Stilla, Monarque, Peste Noire, Imperium Dekadenz and plenty others in a less similar style will remain better as well, I anticipate. And I liked Lawless Darkness rather a lot, all that said.

Written by scaesura on 22.07.2013 at 06:47

Written by GregoryOfDoom on 19.07.2013 at 20:39

This is going to be the end all of Black Metal albums this year. Watain will forever destroy.

Uhh. No. Not even close, based on the two songs released so far. Tribulation and Chaos Invocation just in a style similar to this will destroy it. Summoning, Caladan Brood, Gris, Sombres Forets, Stilla, Monarque, Peste Noire, Imperium Dekadenz and plenty others in a less similar style will remain better as well, I anticipate. And I liked Lawless Darkness rather a lot, all that said.

Thank goodness you set him straight....wouldn't want him walking around having his own thoughts!!

Written by JÄY on 22.07.2013 at 07:50

Thank goodness you set him straight....wouldn't want him walking around having his own thoughts!!

Internet Etiquette 101

I'm having the album signed by the band today at 5 pm!

Written by Warman on 14.08.2013 at 14:07

I'm having the album signed by the band today at 5 pm!

Not only did they sign it, they also dripped blood all over my CD:s. Enjoying the album right now.

Kudos to Watain. This is quite the spectacular album (in my opinion). Needs more spins, but on an initial listen it is a good one. Love the variation the album has to offer.

Woah, some tracks are fucking brilliant even on first listen... Especially "They Rode On" and "The Wild Hunt"! I'm really glad that Watain didn't disappoint and Erik's cleans are surprisingly good !

Black metal, ugh, I only like my black metal "post" or "atmospheric". Would I dig this? Anyone? Anyone that "knows" me?

I say it'd be a waste of otherwise perfectly good megabites. Although I consider some of their tracks (specially the long ones to be kind of atmospheric but not in the same way you are used to I guess).

Written by tea[m]ster on 15.08.2013 at 16:37

Black metal, ugh, I only like my black metal "post" or "atmospheric". Would I dig this? Anyone? Anyone that "knows" me?

The fact that you actually call that stuff black metal should be a big indication.

I really don't know. It sounded somewhat nice until track 5, then it completely lost focus and/or good ideas from They Rode On - an annoying Bathory-esque ballad (!) which is not even the worst song. I will give it another chance but my first impressions aren't that good.

I thought "They Rode On" was brilliant! But yes, very much Bathory. But as I said when this album was announced: anything else than a masterpiece will be a dissapointment. And sadly, I don't think it's a masterpiece. It's a great album, but considering how much I love the three albums before it, this could end up as my vote for this years biggest dissapointment.

Awesome album! I think this is even better than Lawless Darkness to be honest. One of this year's highlights for sure.

I just love this album in the same manner I loved the previous ones. Watain just does not disappoint! \m/

Horrible production, why so much reverb? This is not DSO! The one on Sworn to the Dark was kick-ass :C

This album sounds like they basically threw a "90s black metal" reverb production on a bunch of recycled riffs from the last two albums that just werent good enough. Seriously the only thing here they havent done before [and done better] is They Rode On. Problem is, They Rode On is flat out awful.

After only one listen I can say that the album is 50-50. Up to one point I enjoyed it, then it got boring.

Edited: actually it's more like 80-20 (80 bad - 20 good/decent). you get bored of it quite early and easily. vocal performance is bad, there's more decline from their black metal roots and what about those cheesy ballad/atmospheric songs?? even the blackest of the songs just show a desperate attempt from the band to stay on course and convince the fans that they remain 'true'.
Don't get me wrong, I never mind a band experimenting and progressing their sound, but this one is just too cheesy and a step towards the wrong direction.

Written by scaesura on 19.08.2013 at 20:49

This album sounds like they basically threw a "90s black metal" reverb production on a bunch of recycled riffs from the last two albums that just werent good enough. Seriously the only thing here they havent done before [and done better] is They Rode On. Problem is, They Rode On is flat out awful.

You must've stopped at "They Rode On", because further into the album there are some more surprises.

They Rode On is an experiment which turned out great. The entire album is really good and a clear continuation of th path which was started with Sworn To The Dark and continued on Lawless Darkness. This is a step taken by the band which as expected.

They Rode On an experiment? it's just a cheesy, predictable slow number with a terrible vocal performance from someone who clearly can't sing or barely hold a note to save his life. Nothing experimental about it. Or good. This album is flat out boring with bad production and sound to boot. They've fallen so far from Casus Luceri, straight into the pit of mediocrity.

Well, elitists are already showing up. I am not surprised by the reactions though, this album is a little bit progressive and has a change in direction compared to their previous works. The dark atmosphere is still there, it is still the Watain that we know. This requires more than just one listen though to get into. They Rode On is probably their best track ever written and I just love the clean vocals. Whispers, chants, harsh, clean vocals, what more do you want from Eric Danielson? If there is something great in this album is the vocal part and the guitar riffs. And also, I see people hating the production, even though it does not ruin the dark atmosphere.

I find this album being extremely underrated, whether it is deliberately or not idc, I just can't find anything bad in this album, same with the other Watain works. It is way better than both Casus Luciferi and Lawless Darkness by miles. When a band repeats itself, it is not good, when it tries something different, elitists and purists jump at their neck. I get it that you can't please everyone, but hey, how can someone develop as a musician if people consider that both following a standard or experimenting is bad?

This just proves once again that ratings, most of the time, do not represent the quality of an album.

Written by ManiacBlasphemer on 21.08.2013 at 15:25

Well, elitists are already showing up.When a band repeats itself, it is not good, when it tries something different, elitists and purists jump at their neck. I get it that you can't please everyone, but hey, how can someone develop as a musician if people consider that both following a standard or experimenting is bad?

Pretty standard reaction from a lover of the album; blame the elitists* for any negative attention it gets, followed by the usual rigmarole of blaming people's reactions solely on the simple fact the band changed sound a tiny bit. Just because a band changed its sound doesn't give it an instant ticket to victory because "changing" is not a linear, black and white path. A band can change in many ways, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse. When a band turns to making boring, lifeless songs and cliche ballads I consider it a change for the worst. Doesn't make me an elitist for thinking so.

*elitist: imaginary made-up term for anyone that doesn't like the album or band in question that claimant likes.

Quote:
This just proves once again that ratings, most of the time, do not represent the quality of an album.

Of course they don't, that's because people like you who doll out 10s to 25%+ of all albums you rate. I agree with your sentiment though. This album will probably hover around the 7.5 mark; far higher than it deserves.

Written by Guest on 21.08.2013 at 15:34

Written by ManiacBlasphemer on 21.08.2013 at 15:25

Well, elitists are already showing up.When a band repeats itself, it is not good, when it tries something different, elitists and purists jump at their neck. I get it that you can't please everyone, but hey, how can someone develop as a musician if people consider that both following a standard or experimenting is bad?

Pretty standard reaction from a lover of the album; blame the elitists* for any negative attention it gets, followed by the usual rigmarole of blaming people's reactions solely on the simple fact the band changed sound a tiny bit. Just because a band changed its sound doesn't give it an instant ticket to victory because "changing" is not a linear, black and white path. A band can change in many ways, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse. When a band turns to making boring, lifeless songs and cliche ballads I consider it a change for the worst. Doesn't make me an elitist for thinking so.

*elitist: imaginary made-up term for anyone that doesn't like the album or band in question that claimant likes.

Quote:
This just proves once again that ratings, most of the time, do not represent the quality of an album.

Of course they don't, that's because people like you who doll out 10s to 25%+ of all albums you rate. I agree with your sentiment though. This album will probably hover around the 7.5 mark; far higher than it deserves.

Well its clear that we haven't listen the same album, since I can't find anything boring and lifeless in The Wild Hunt, only brilliance. In this case they did change the sound but for the better as quality wise is way over their previous works.

Let me correct you: This album will probably hover around the 7.5 mark; far lower than it deserves.

Written by ManiacBlasphemer on 21.08.2013 at 16:00

Well its clear that we haven't listen the same album, since I can't find anything boring and lifeless in The Wild Hunt, only brilliance.

But I'm not outright calling you an elitist or fanboy for thinking so. Perhaps you should extend the same courtesy to others in the future instead of arbitrarily calling anyone that has a different opinion than you an "elitist"

After listening, first impression is clearly not as brilliant as previous efforts. Certainly a further change in style, with a slightly worse production and a huge lack of cracking riffs that made Lawless Darkness love at first sight.

Still, in defense of this newer Watain, I can say that the two less black metal tracks are by far the best here: They Rode On and The Wild Hunt.

For now, it's quite average but I wasn't expecting much after the previews so yeaaah, whatever.

Written by Daniell on 21.08.2013 at 12:22

Written by scaesura on 19.08.2013 at 20:49

This album sounds like they basically threw a "90s black metal" reverb production on a bunch of recycled riffs from the last two albums that just werent good enough. Seriously the only thing here they havent done before [and done better] is They Rode On. Problem is, They Rode On is flat out awful.

You must've stopped at "They Rode On", because further into the album there are some more surprises.

Nope, I listened to the whole thing, bored the whole way. The only songs that are really worth much of anything are Ignem Veni Mittere and Holocaust Dawn. Even those arent surprises, they're just what I would expect from the band. And they still aren't that exciting or new or interesting.

Actually this album really surprised me and it came to my excpectations . "They Rode On" made a huge impression on me, I've never heard a track like this from Watain. In era when almost everything becomes commercial I can say it's a quite good
album.

Written by Guest on 21.08.2013 at 15:34

Written by ManiacBlasphemer on 21.08.2013 at 15:25

Well, elitists are already showing up.When a band repeats itself, it is not good, when it tries something different, elitists and purists jump at their neck. I get it that you can't please everyone, but hey, how can someone develop as a musician if people consider that both following a standard or experimenting is bad?

Pretty standard reaction from a lover of the album; blame the elitists* for any negative attention it gets, followed by the usual rigmarole of blaming people's reactions solely on the simple fact the band changed sound a tiny bit. Just because a band changed its sound doesn't give it an instant ticket to victory because "changing" is not a linear, black and white path. A band can change in many ways, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse. When a band turns to making boring, lifeless songs and cliche ballads I consider it a change for the worst. Doesn't make me an elitist for thinking so.

*elitist: imaginary made-up term for anyone that doesn't like the album or band in question that claimant likes.

Quote:
This just proves once again that ratings, most of the time, do not represent the quality of an album.

Of course they don't, that's because people like you who doll out 10s to 25%+ of all albums you rate. I agree with your sentiment though. This album will probably hover around the 7.5 mark; far higher than it deserves.

I usually agree with your reviews and ratings and you're one of the person I'd trust the most on this website when it comes to what is good and bad but I disagree with you on this one

Well, it's only a matter of taste after all but I thought this album was really deep on songs like Wild Hunt and Holocaust Dawn even tho it was nothing stellar.

Written by koob on 27.08.2013 at 15:05


I usually agree with your reviews and ratings and you're one of the person I'd trust the most on this website when it comes to what is good and bad but I disagree with you on this one

Well, it's only a matter of taste after all but I thought this album was really deep on songs like Wild Hunt and Holocaust Dawn even tho it was nothing stellar.

Well I've never been a massive subscriber to Watain. I like Casus Luciferi, but I never listen to it anymore which is why I've given it a 7. As for Watain's stuff after that I think it's merely ok and I don't really get the surge of popularity they've had in recent years as to me they've always been a subpar Dissection. This one just left me wanting to listen to something else though, that's pretty much Watain out the running for me.