Really interested in the Bathory cover. I loved the first album so hoping this is equally as good.

That Bathory cover is gonna fucking rule, calling it. Stoked for this album.

Im pretty sure that the track titles were generated by AI tuned to atmopheric black metal.

Can't wait!

Written by Autumn_colors on 28.04.2023 at 17:53

Im pretty sure that the track titles were generated by AI tuned to atmopheric black metal.

On the contrary. Since he is native American the song titles are very fitting considering his heritage.

The "The Spirit Returns" single is very promising.

Inject this straight into my veins. Or my ears I guess. First album was incredible and the new tracks from this are very promising.

Also feel like the 'A Fine Day To Die' cover will have a chance of topping the Emperor version.

It's definitely a great album. Still somehow I feel like I expected more after the debut and I'm still wondering if I like the music as much as I like the idea of this band. Need to give it more spins for sure! Bathory cover left me a bit cold but it's to be expected as I love the original so much.

That album cover is unironically funny. All I can see is this goofy face in the middle.

Much like the debut it doesn’t really do a whole lot for me. Standard melodic black with some nice lead and acoustic guitar work. Too long for it’s own good, and ends up meandering a bit, especially the two 10+ minute tracks. I like the drum production quite a bit.

Written by 24emd on 07.07.2023 at 06:28

That album cover is unironically funny. All I can see is this goofy face in the middle.

At first I thought it was done on purpose

I enjoyed last year's release, but this has just completely and unexpectedly blown my mind! The melodies are absolutely stunning and the songwriting is so captivating. I don't think I've been captivated as much by an hour long record as much as this all year. "Moss Covered Bones On The Altar Of The Moon" could be a contender for best track of the year for me, and "Twilight Hymn of Ancient Blood" ain't far behind

I knew this wouldn’t disappoint after the show in May but holy fuck, this has to be one of my favorite Black Metal releases in a long time. Incredible stuff.

One of the top releases this year

Amazing black metal! For me it's far more captivating than the debut.

It's always great to have a mix of calmer sections (with flute and acoustic guitar) and heavier parts (such as on tracks 8 and 10 ). Big praise should also go to the drummer, who was also responsible for the recording, mixing, and mastering: Neil Schneider

Written by F3ynman2000 on 07.07.2023 at 16:11

Big praise should also go to the drummer, who was also responsible for the recording, mixing, and mastering: Neil Schneider

Hmm, I always thought it was a one man project. He's great and mixed this really well.

Finally piece of music that i can listen on repeat for hours. Believe or not this is first album of thie year that actually 100% hits all the right notes for me. Love every minute of it. 10 from me.

Actually 11. +1 goes for Bathory cover

Has some sick moments but it's too long, too repetitive, and too slow for me.

Written by A Real Mönkey on 27.04.2023 at 22:56

That Bathory cover is gonna fucking rule, calling it. Stoked for this album.

Damn, I'm good.

I swear some people do low votes on certain albums just to sabotage the voting. I don't see how anyone can vote this anything below a 6 and mean it. I get tastes differ but when you vote albums in the 1, 2s, 3s or even 4 and 5 you're objectively saying this is a bad album. I feel this has happened a lot of the last 5 years on Metalstorm. You're lucky if even 1 album in the top 20 has a score that's in the green these days. And it's certainly not because metal is in a bad way. It's hotter than it's been in a while right now. Pre 2019 you'd have anywhere from 6-10 albums in the too 20 with scores in the green. I think this and a few others this year should be in the high 8s at least. Why can't people just be fair with their votes?

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 01:28

I swear some people do low votes on certain albums just to sabotage the voting. I don't see how anyone can vote this anything below a 6 and mean it. I get tastes differ but when you vote albums in the 1, 2s, 3s or even 4 and 5 you're objectively saying this is a bad album. I feel this has happened a lot of the last 5 years on Metalstorm. You're lucky if even 1 album in the top 20 has a score that's in the green these days. And it's certainly not because metal is in a bad way. It's hotter than it's been in a while right now. Pre 2019 you'd have anywhere from 6-10 albums in the too 20 with scores in the green. I think this and a few others this year should be in the high 8s at least. Why can't people just be fair with their votes?

I totally agree with you on that. We can barely see any albums above 8.6 anymore and it's definitely not because of the quality of the releases. Also it's been 4 years now since we don't have a new release in the top 200. People just give shitty scores to see their favorite releases on the top and we end up with lower scores overall.
But anyway, this album is amazing, probably my favorite or second favorite of the year so far.

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 01:28

I swear some people do low votes on certain albums just to sabotage the voting.

No different than giving this album a 10 when it’s been out for 12 hours.

Written by Boxcar Willy on 08.07.2023 at 02:52

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 01:28

I swear some people do low votes on certain albums just to sabotage the voting.

No different than giving this album a 10 when it’s been out for 12 hours.

Huh? I gave it a 9 and I've listened to it 3 times. How is it anywhere close to being the same? Also, it's been out 26 hours in the UK. Does the Album miraculously get better if I wait to rate it in a few days?

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 01:28

even 4 and 5 you're objectively saying this is a bad album.

I disagree. I've rated many albums with 5's and generally it still means there are redeemable qualities on an album. For example, I gave the latest Thy Catafalque album a 6 on my first listen, but stated that it wasn't my thing to begin with. I was far from saying it was a bad album, and since then have actually come to quite enjoy it. A 5 is right in the middle of the rating scale, so surely this doesn't mean it's a bad album. A 5 is completely reasonable on a highly rated album. Not everyone is gonna come along to the top albums of the year and shower it with 9s and 10s. That's what I like about everyone's top of the year lists, because almost always there is something different in each person's no. 1 spot.

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 01:28

I swear some people do low votes on certain albums just to sabotage the voting. I don't see how anyone can vote this anything below a 6 and mean it. I get tastes differ but when you vote albums in the 1, 2s, 3s or even 4 and 5 you're objectively saying this is a bad album. I feel this has happened a lot of the last 5 years on Metalstorm. You're lucky if even 1 album in the top 20 has a score that's in the green these days. And it's certainly not because metal is in a bad way. It's hotter than it's been in a while right now. Pre 2019 you'd have anywhere from 6-10 albums in the too 20 with scores in the green. I think this and a few others this year should be in the high 8s at least. Why can't people just be fair with their votes?

I can understand rating this album a 5-6 or even a 4, if it's not to your taste personally, but rating this anything below a 3, IMHO, is actually quite harsh, especially if rating a 1, which is just ridiculous. Again, each to their own, everyone has different tastes, but it's got to the point now where the top 20 yearly ranking doesn't mean anything to me anymore. That's why I like to see people's personal lists, it paints more of an accurate picture of what everyone's really into.

I've listened to this album four times yesterday, and I can honestly say it ticks all the right boxes for me. My AOTY so far just ahead of Sworn and Hellripper which I've lost count how many times I've listened to now.

I don't even use ratings below 4. 4 is for me an album I can't even finish because it's not listenable for me. 5 has something I find interesting at least but 6-8 are the ratings I usually use. I think 1-3 ratings are unfair for any album.

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 03:16

Written by Boxcar Willy on 08.07.2023 at 02:52

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 01:28

I swear some people do low votes on certain albums just to sabotage the voting.

No different than giving this album a 10 when it’s been out for 12 hours.

Huh? I gave it a 9 and I've listened to it 3 times. How is it anywhere close to being the same? Also, it's been out 26 hours in the UK. Does the Album miraculously get better if I wait to rate it in a few days?

Well, some albums certainly gets better the more you listen to them and some albums get worse. That's because the more you listen to an album the more you start to notice those little things that really clicks with you or that annoys you. I've both raised and lowered scores to albums I've rated because some I've outgrown and others have matured like a fine wine. So I totally agree, rating an album a perfect 10, a true masterpiece, on the same day it's released is just ridiculous and can't be taken seriously. There aren't many albums today that becomes instant classics and even looking at the Top 200 I'm pretty sure that some of those albums weren't that well received upon release back in the day but has grown over time to become the classics they are today.

I agree a 10 on the first day is too much. But look at the profiles that currently have a 1 and 3 on this. Norda and Wintersleepers are pretty obviously just manipulating votes on albums in the top 20. 1s and 2s to this, Sworn, Cattle Decapitation, An Abstract Illusion, Kalmah, Insomnium, Thy Catafalque, Ulfud… even if they’re not your thing 1s and 2s are ridiculous ratings for these albums.

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 01:28

I swear some people do low votes on certain albums just to sabotage the voting.

unquestionably true.
they like a different album, so they downvote anything that gives that album competition in the overall ratings.
People can be silly about things.

Written by Boxcar Willy on 08.07.2023 at 02:52

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 01:28

I swear some people do low votes on certain albums just to sabotage the voting.

No different than giving this album a 10 when it’s been out for 12 hours.

nah man, you've never been blown out of the water by an album before? 12 hours could easily be 10 straight listens on repeat.

That's happened a few times in my life that I can think of (and i'm an old fart)

1. Paranoid
2. Zep IV
3. Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
4. Dimension Hatross
5. Altars of Madness
6. Elvenefris
7. Close to a World Below
8. Crack the Skye
9. Trisagion

Written by Oldy86 on 08.07.2023 at 01:28

I swear some people do low votes on certain albums just to sabotage the voting. I don't see how anyone can vote this anything below a 6 and mean it. I get tastes differ but when you vote albums in the 1, 2s, 3s or even 4 and 5 you're objectively saying this is a bad album. I feel this has happened a lot of the last 5 years on Metalstorm. You're lucky if even 1 album in the top 20 has a score that's in the green these days. And it's certainly not because metal is in a bad way. It's hotter than it's been in a while right now. Pre 2019 you'd have anywhere from 6-10 albums in the too 20 with scores in the green. I think this and a few others this year should be in the high 8s at least. Why can't people just be fair with their votes?

Prog Legion on Metalstorm.net this is what it is. Reading comments I found out quite quickly there is a group of people obsessed with anything progressive and bent on proving their point. Even if it takes to vote 1s to albums they never even listened.

Written by terroriser on 08.07.2023 at 19:14


Prog Legion on Metalstorm.net this is what it is. Reading comments I found out quite quickly there is a group of people obsessed with anything progressive and bent on proving their point. Even if it takes to vote 1s to albums they never even listened.

I don’t even think that’s it, check the users who are giving 1s and 2s to albums in the top 20 or albums that have recently dropped below an 8. There’s always accounts with hundreds of 9s and 10s and then they have a few 1s and 2s but only to albums that have recently been in the top 20. Don’t know what’s to be gained from this.