Masterpiece.

Written by Boxcar Willy on 16.06.2013 at 05:31

Masterpiece.

For all ages to come.

After 10-13 spins. This is fine music. Masterpiece.

Thanks to Wrest.

Never could figure out the appeal of this album. Poor sound, annoying vocals, way too long with only a few odd decent riffs here and there. Pretty sure in 2003 there were much more innovative and interesting things going on in bm. Bit of a fossil this. The following album was a mild improvement as it had some nice moments and better sound.

Written by [user id=4365] on 07.01.2016 at 16:48

Never could figure out the appeal of this album. Poor sound, annoying vocals, way too long with only a few odd decent riffs here and there. Pretty sure in 2003 there were much more innovative and interesting things going on in bm. Bit of a fossil this. The following album was a mild improvements as it had some nice moments and better sound.

Back in 2003 this album was disregarded by most people into black metal, and rightly so I'd say. A terribly generic bm album this one is. Follow-up Tentacles Of Whorror is where Leviathan started to get interesting.
I am still puzzled why 1-th Sublevel started to be hailed years and years after its release. It was terribly generic upon release and still is to this day and age.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 07.01.2016 at 16:55

Back in 2003 this album was disregarded by most people into black metal, and rightly so I'd say. A terribly generic bm album this one is. Follow-up Tentacles Of Whorror is where Leviathan started to get interesting.
I am still puzzled why 1-th Sublevel started to be hailed years and years after its release. It was terribly generic upon release and still is to this day and age.

93% from 13 reviews on MA Listening to Tentacles of Whorror again and it is significantly better, and has a signature sound. Unlike this, which could be from any generic 90s bm band I would think.

Written by [user id=4365] on 07.01.2016 at 16:59


93% from 13 reviews on MA Listening to Tentacles of Whorror again and it is significantly better, and has a signature sound. Unlike this, which could be from any generic 90s bm band I would think.

Yep, exactly.

I actually quite enjoy this album. Even still, as much as I like it, I think Leviathan has done much better than this in all the albums that have followed--not sure why this seems to be most people's favorite.

Written by Jaeryd on 14.02.2017 at 02:19

As much as I like it, I think Leviathan has done much better than this in all the albums that have followed--not sure why this seems to be most people's favorite.

It does?
I dunno, maybe in some circles but here and elsewhere as well I typically see either Massive Conspiracy or Tentacles Of Whorror getting the most praise (rightfully so, I will add)

Yeah, I havent really seen much praise for this album, MS wise or elsewhere. And rightfully so, its a mindnumbingly boring album if you ask me.

The best USBM album there is so far. Hell the album is pretty much a DSBM staple

Written by Auntie Sahar on 13.03.2017 at 18:37

It does?
I dunno, maybe in some circles but here and elsewhere as well I typically see either Massive Conspiracy or Tentacles Of Whorror getting the most praise (rightfully so, I will add)

Oh, in a lot of black metal circles, especially Facebook pages and Tumblr blogs, this album seems to get the most love as a classic of sorts. At least, that seems to be the general vibe I've been getting from these places.

Written by Jaeryd on 14.03.2017 at 01:38

Oh, in a lot of black metal circles, especially Facebook pages and Tumblr blogs, this album seems to get the most love as a classic of sorts. At least, that seems to be the general vibe I've been getting from these places.

I can indeed understand that, as one thing I've noticed with a good majority of black metal fans (which I find very odd) is that even though the genre has matured and diversified in sound a lot over the years, many a fan still don't really care for the more experimental-leaning side of it. With bands that are a little more on the weirder side of the equation, you definitely do see a bit of a trend of their more generic-sounding albums being held more highly than their "out there" ones, you're right.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 14.03.2017 at 15:20

I can indeed understand that, as one thing I've noticed with a good majority of black metal fans (which I find very odd) is that even though the genre has matured and diversified in sound a lot over the years, many a fan still don't really care for the more experimental-leaning side of it. With bands that are a little more on the weirder side of the equation, you definitely do see a bit of a trend of their more generic-sounding albums being held more highly than their "out there" ones, you're right.

Exactly. I have found that I don't seem to fit in with what seems to be the typical black metal fan in that, while I enjoy some of the older, more plain albums that employ a more "classic" black metal sound, I tend to prefer black metal that pushes boundaries and is far more experimental. I've found that I don't really care as much for a lot of the 90's albums that are considered essential to black metal.

Some of these fans find that this evolved kind of black metal is not "trve" enough, and they have a tendency to label this kind of experimentation as hipster bullshit or something like that. These are the very same fans that go to Mayhem shows and demand they play only material from De Mysteriis dom Sathanas and Deathcrush, who list off Darkthrone, Burzum, Watain, MGLA, Gorgoroth, Dark Funeral, Inquisition, and similar groups as their absolute favorite bands (but only the early albums), and who generally tend to ignore anything else that includes even a hint of technicality, genre mixing, or other experimentation.

Metalstorm doesn't seem to have a high concentration of these people, as the people who are most active here seem to be the kind of people who are more open-minded and willing to give weird-sounding shit a chance. Everywhere else I go, the aforementioned "trve kvlt" fan seems to be the norm.

Written by Jaeryd on 15.03.2017 at 00:26

I have found that I don't seem to fit in with what seems to be the typical black metal fan in that, while I enjoy some of the older, more plain albums that employ a more "classic" black metal sound, I tend to prefer black metal that pushes boundaries and is far more experimental. I've found that I don't really care as much for a lot of the 90's albums that are considered essential to black metal.

You and me both dude
Basically it was the 90s and earlier BM bands that got me into it, of course, but I probably wouldn't have really stuck around had I not discovered the more contemporary, stranger bands. Like thrash, I used to be real into that shit, but just abandoned it after a while due to how stale the genre is overall. I got bored with it

Are you guys saying that people only hold this album in high regard because they haven't expanded their comfort zone to appreciate his newer stuff or something?

Written by [user id=126528] on 15.03.2017 at 04:45

Are you guys saying that people only hold this album in high regard because they haven't expanded their comfort zone to appreciate his newer stuff or something?

No, I personally like this album, hence the 8 (more like 7.5, but whatever doesn't matter). Just because someone likes the weirder black metal doesn't mean that they can't think this album is good. What I'm saying is the reason why some people hold this to be the ultimate Leviathan album, with complete disregard to all the material that came out afterward that is (in my opinion) straight-up better, is because they only care for conventional-sounding black metal.

And it's not that liking only conventional black metal isn't totally fine--it is! People are allowed to have their own taste in music. It's just that I don't personally have the same taste, and as much as I enjoy this album I don't personally see how I could, in any way, call this Leviathan's best.

Written by Jaeryd on 15.03.2017 at 06:06

No, I personally like this album, hence the 8 (more like 7.5, but whatever doesn't matter). Just because someone likes the weirder black metal doesn't mean that they can't think this album is good. What I'm saying is the reason why some people hold this to be the ultimate Leviathan album, with complete disregard to all the material that came out afterward that is (in my opinion) straight-up better, is because they only care for conventional-sounding black metal.

And it's not that liking only conventional black metal isn't totally fine--it is! People are allowed to have their own taste in music. It's just that I don't personally have the same taste, and as much as I enjoy this album I don't personally see how I could, in any way, call this Leviathan's best.

Well this album is my favorite of the Leviathan catalog and this is coming from someone who enjoys almost everything he has done. This album is one of the most beautiful, haunting and utterly soul-crushing pieces of black metal ever made. All of his albums are fucked but this one is an album that actually leaves me on the ground crying and hoping that my life will end very soon. His later work is definitely more creative, but they lost the ability to call forth your inner depression, wrap you in it and throw you in a pit of despair. Saying that people like it because they think it sounds like a Darkthrone/Burzum clone kinda does it a disservice imo.

I've been going back to this album a lot recently with you guys talking about it and all. Just want to say I love you and hate you for it <3 I'm going to huddle in a corner and put this on again (and putting all sharp object well out of reach)

One of the most overrated albums ever from one of the most overrated bands ever. There is only one worthy Leviathan album, and that is the one without BM elements.
Shame the same guy that made LoC wastes most of his time on this band.

Written by mz on 15.03.2017 at 12:10

One of the most overrated albums ever from one of the most overrated bands ever. There is only one worthy Leviathan album, and that is the one without BM elements.
Shame the same guy that made LoC wastes most of his time on this band.

Man, I couldn't disagree more A Silhouette is average at best and everything else is more enjoyable for me. Massive Conspiracy is a classic material in my book. Maybe not better than LoC but still amazing.

Written by Paz on 15.03.2017 at 13:06

Written by mz on 15.03.2017 at 12:10

One of the most overrated albums ever from one of the most overrated bands ever. There is only one worthy Leviathan album, and that is the one without BM elements.
Shame the same guy that made LoC wastes most of his time on this band.

Man, I couldn't disagree more A Silhouette is average at best and everything else is more enjoyable for me. Massive Conspiracy is a classic material in my book. Maybe not better than LoC but still amazing.

Totally agreed. Even Tenth Sublevel pisses all over A Silhoutte.

The only Leviathan I dislike is basically this. A Silhouette and Massive Conspiracy are both classic material. Tentacles of horror isnt too shabby either. I definitely agree that LoC is better at any rate though.

Still such classic, great atmosphere, fantastic bass and guitar work. I wouldn't say its the most original album but it really does it well.

*joining the narrative* The best Leviathan is one of the albums in his disc, its probably one of the experimental ones as all of them are experimental. If he ever made one that isnt experimental its probably because its an experiment of being traditional - experiment traditional. On a by-road It could even be called depressive before that word even existed in the discourse. If that experiment is this album, then its surely one of the best black metal albums ever made.

I listened to this start to finish twice today. What an unreal album. Fantastic song writing. Don't really see how black metal fans could not like it. It really hits all of its marks and has such an powerful and depressing atmosphere.

Mine Molten Armor transitioning into The Idiot Sun is pure evil.

First time listening. I especially like the riffing on "Scenic Solitude And Leprosy" and "Mine Molten Armor"