!!!!!!!! ILX METAL ALBUMS of 2009 POLL RESULTS!!!!!! (FINAL RESULTS NOW IN! LISTENING TO THESE ALBUMS WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER FRAIL INTERNET PERSON!)

How does the Heaven & Hell it hold up now?
xp

it?
How does the Heaven & Hell hold up now?

I've never been into non ozzy sabbath so i never checked it out. Maybe i should play the classic dio sabbath stuff on spotify.
Funny how in the last few years older bands have managed to come back with really good albums. Celtic Frost & Unsane I thought were as great comebacks as ive ever heard. But lots of older bands (maiden,priest,ac/dc etc) seem to be getting rave reviews now. Wonder if its a Classic Rock Magazine effect of these bands being covered and new fans finding the band and the bands just raising their game rather than coasting it. The AiC album was really well received, which I was surprised with because i thought more would agree with me that AiC without Layne could not be AiC, but the music seemed to be so well received that ppl forgot about it and loved it.

Colonel Poo told me that Napalm Death have been on a roll with their last 3 albums too

oh and the already placed Megadeth and the will it/wont it place Slayer albums are seen as their best albums in eons.

How does the Heaven & Hell hold up now?

Still play it to death, almost on a daily basis. There really are so many nice touches in the arrangements that it never fails to move me in a big way.

And another big hitter up next..

I cooled on the Heaven & Hell album so much that I ended up dissing it in the process of praising something else on my list. The Megadeth album didn't last long in my rotation, either. It's a good Megadeth album, and I find that that isn't worth a whole lot to me anymore.

I really like the Heaven & Hell album. It's Old Testament doom.

Based on that one track up there and the other stuff that's already charted on here I have no problem w/ the Mount Eerie album being waved through - if it was some no-promo-photos dude on Southern Lord/Aurora Bourealis/blah no-one would bat an eyelid

That one track is the only one with blastbeats on it IIRC.

As for the Classic Rock effect etc, I don't personally think the last AC/DC is remotely brilliant or remotely awful but every time they've had an album out in my music-listening lifetime (ie three albums) the press have queued up to blow them so ppl's reaction overall is maybe a touch inflated

I know what you mean re: the AC/DC but i got the feeling that the last time everyone still felt it was the best thing they had done in 20 years a year after it came out.

And with Unsane ,Maiden, Celtic Frost etc you do get people who really do believe they were as good as any of their old classic albums.

I still don't like the Heaven and Hell album. One great song ("Bible Black"), and the rest either feels uninspired or just plain goofy.

same here. I love dio sabbath but could not get into that heaven and hell. felt like a bit of a chore to sit through.

but I should prob listen a few more times.

but they were so, so awesome live.

Hopefully chuck or scott might pop in with their thoughts on why (and comment on the rest of the poll too)
xps

Glenn how many of our poll's top albums made the P&J poll?

#34 , 129 Points , 9 votes

http://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Nile_-_Those_Whom_The_Gods_Detest_artwork-300x300.jpg
Nile - Those Whom the Gods Detest

I'm not a big fan of the belching vocals or the post-metal vocals, to be honest. Like, I can't even listen to Nile.

― Vulgar Display of Flowers (J3ff T.),

And speaking of blindsided, the Nile is unreal. Ithyphallic didn't click for me, but this one is just shattering. This is the kind of follow-up I wanted to hear after In Their Darkened Shrines and Annihilation of the Wicked.

― A. Begrand,

I was enjoying the new Nile last night, which is significant because I usually hate that band. So take that as a recommendation, I suppose.

― Defender Of The Girly Metal Faith (J3ff T.),

There were 92 albums that appeared on both polls, and I won't spoil any surprises here, but there's substantial similarity at the top. But there's also one album in the top 10 here that got only a single vote in P&J, and another in this top 20 that wasn't mentioned in P&J at all.

see, i still really dig the H&H disc, tho i admit that "Bible Black" may be the only classic Sabbath-worthy track on it. on the other hand, the Nile album seems to get duller every time i listen. what can ya do?

xp

So which of Slough Feg or Gay Witch Abortion (both of whom got one P&J vote) didn't make the top ten - I would guess the latter. Of course I could be totally wrong and might have missed something.

Glen - since I know you're reading this thread, I spotted an album credited to two different artists. One was "Ray Davies and the Crouch End Festival Chorus, The Kinks Choral Collection" and the other was "The Kinks Choral Project, Ray Davies". It's not going to push it into the top ten or anything, but thought you'd want to know.

wow the fact that slough feg only got one P&J vote is a real bummer

but yeah that makes me think that gay witch abortion didnt make the top ten

Do you know the P&J Gay Witch Abortion voter?

#33 , 131 Points , 6 votes

http://dhex.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/125779.jpg
Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse

ANb album only has 13 songs - what the hell is that about? Guess that's what happens when you let a girl in the band...

― unperson,

wait, but did you actually listen to the new agoraphobic nosebleed?

I've noticed that they've been writing slower/longer songs on a couple of their recent splits, so I was curious if they'd keep on going that route with the next full album. and that could explain why there's only 13 tracks... maybe?

haven't heard it yet myself, but I'm looking forward to it.

― Alan N,

...and agoraphobic nosebleed has a cute girl on board now. (!?!?)

I wonder if they'll ease up on the casual misogyny?

and my first impressions for the new anb are positive. they took the short songs thing about as far as they could, so I don't mind them stretching things out. it's a bit like what pig destroyer did on their last one; this isn't exactly the new cryptopsy.

― picture me lolin' (Alan N),

The new ANb album is easily my favourite grind album to come out in a while. The songs are really well-written, the lyrics are twisted, the artwork is over the top, and it's exceptionally produced.

― A. Begrand,

i dont think so? i have no idea who it was tho xpost

Jesse Fox Mayshark.

Thanks, EZ. First (and so far, only) thing I missed and somebody else spotted. Album/Artist flip plus significantly different names! Just a little glimpse into why tabulation of human input is hard...

I totally understand why everyone running these things here want cut and paste!

nope, don't know that dude, unless hes one of you all xxpost

Really didn't like that ANb disc at all, not at first nor after trying two or three more times to get into it. And Nile? Fuck Nile. Never liked 'em.

#32 , 131 Points , 7 votes

http://www.art-of-propaganda.de/shop/cover/1559drudkhmicrocosmos120091223.jpg
Drudkh - Microcosmos

Mordy if you want folk black metal try Drudkh

― Pfunkboy in blood drenched rabbit suit jamming in the woods (Herman G. Neuname)

yeah, I was going to recommend them... but they're, uh... pretty racist, right?

― picture me lolin' (Alan N)

but if that's not a problem, then yeah, they're good.

― picture me lolin'

no one actually knows. I heard they recently denied that they were.

― Pfunkboy in blood drenched rabbit suit jamming in the woods (Herman G. Neuname),

in any case, dicey territory.

yeah, I mean, I own burzum records, so I can't exactly point fingers.

but I actually haven't listened to drudkh in years. what releases do you rate?

― picture me lolin' (Alan N),

thats why i refuse to buy drudkh stuff alan and i just download it. Normally i avoid anything dodgy like that as you know, but the music is so damn good its worth d/l. Plus im pretty sure they denied being nsbm.
Until its totally cleared up i wont buy their stuff, but you arent giving them any cash if you d/l it at least if they are racist.

― Pfunkboy in blood drenched rabbit suit jamming in the woods (Herman G. Neuname),

Drudkh's politics, I'm unaware of, but I have never purchased any Burzum or early Emperor for similar reasons. Safer to download (or at least buy used), than to support that kind of crap.

― Nate Carson,

I'm doing a piece on Janvs, who recently were censored by Terrorizer because their bass player was in some nsbm-related band, despite the fact that Janvs's music is completely apolitical. There are a lot of knee-jerk reactions to black metal going on these days, it's quite interesting.

I own Burzum albums. I'm fully aware that Varg is an ass, but over the last few years I've come to admit that stuff like Filosofem and Hvis Lyset Tar Oss are, musically speaking anyway, works of genius.

― A. Begrand,

Drudkh claims his lyrics aren't political at all, but I'm pretty sure he openly admits to having extremist right-wing, possibly white supremacist views. I guess I'm a hypocrite, but I love the guy's music.

― fwiw (rockapads),

I meant he openly admits to views we would classify as extreme right-wing and, I think, racist - though I don't know this for sure. Poorly worded; sorry for multiple posts.

― fwiw (rockapads),

I think they said it was Ukrainian ultra nationalist views. But it probably all amounts to the same thing.

― Pfunkboy in blood drenched rabbit suit jamming in the woods (Herman G. Neuname),

I think Drudkh are pretty well known for having some rather suspect political leanings. They're very cagey about stating them directly, but they're there. It brings up that thorny old dilemma about separating the artist from his politics. I can understand someone being so disgusted with modern society that they would try and make the most ugly, distorted sounds possible. What I don't understand is why that so often leads to a flirtation with Neo-Nazi imagery and ideology. You see a lot of the same dynamic play out in early Industrial music. See Boyd Rice.

― leavethecapital,

As is the proggy new Drudkh album. Things are really starting to pick up, there are tons of killer metal releases this summer.

― A. Begrand,

i need someone smart like adrien to explain to me what the hell drudkh are up to on their new album. ??????????????

― scott seward,

Ha, I was as just as baffled as you. But a few spins had me liking this album a lot...it feels a little like Enslaved at times. At any rate, it's better than Estrangement, but not as great as Blood in Our Wells.

― A. Begrand,

still haven't listened to that drudkh. I heard that there's slap bass on it or something... that can't be true, right??

― ' ( *_*) ERROR HANDLING (^_^ ) (Alan N),

hahah @ the "slap bass" ... yeah there's a single riff/solo thing that may start out with a slap, but it's not an ongoing theme.

― richie aprile (rockapads),
i can't really tell if it's a slap or if the dude just pulled on the strings causing it to hit the frets a little. it's actually one of my favorite little moments on the disc, because i love bass and it doesn't get to shine enough in black metal.

― richie aprile (rockapads),

i think the whole Drudkh racist thing is one of those internet rumors gone "where there's smoke there's fire". i haven't seen any evidence of it.

― richie aprile (rockapads),

main dude was in hate forest, who generally seem to be regarded as NS. and there are tenuous connections to astrofaes and nokturnal mortum, the latter being really try-hard NS dudes (swastikas made of ak-47s in their album art and shit). drudkh does seem to leave it alone, though.

― that's not a logo it's a fucking font (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ),

It would seem that Drudkh are not NSBM (as in the band dont have lyrics about it or promote the ideology) but possibly have extreme politics personally(maybe in the past but not now?).
Anyway noone knows. The only fact we have is is that they make very good music, would be a shame if they were neo nazis, but until it's cleared up I still wont purchase their music.

#31 , 137 Points , 7 votes

http://www.metalkingdom.net/album/img/d7/23856.jpg
Goatwhore - Carving Out the Eyes of God

New Goatwhore's the best new record I've heard in a while, though.

― A. Begrand,

Goatwhore blew my face off.

― A. Begrand,

that onion list is kind of strangely constructed, but the streaming album player allowed me to catch up on a few things i'd never heard. i'm liking that goatwhore album a lot--could anyone tell me how it stacks up to their other stuff?

― omaha deserved 311 (call all destroyer)

Ask Phil - he loves him so Goatwhore.

― EZ Snappin,

Did you check Phil's MSN column today? http://music.msn.com/superfans/heavy-metal/blog/the-year-end-and-decade-end-lists-begin/

"Goatwhore are a terrible, boring black metal band whose appeal is utterly inexplicable to me. Otherwise smart friends of mine swear by them but their albums send me diving for the eject button."

― EZ Snappin,

Don't get what's so great about Goatwhore myself I must say

― 19349 things paedophiles like to complain about (DJ Mencap),

What's wrong with Goatwhore? Good, old-fashioned, Celtic Frost rip-off metal...their past albums were always a bit on the plain side, but the recent one blows them all away. I have them pretty darn high on my list.

― A. Begrand,

Yeah, me too. That all-guns-blazing Rutan production helps a lot.

― Chuffed Wiff Morrisound (Thijs),

The addition of the dirty rock 'n roll really made a world of difference, Goatwhore-wise.

― Van Slyke Paidbreed (J3ff T.),

I just don't like 'em. I like Celtic Frost just fine. Shit, I like Gallhammer and Crucifist. But something about Goatwhore just doesn't work for me. I can't make it through a whole song, and life is too short to keep trying.

― neither good nor bad, just a kid like you (unperson),

you really like gallhammer? you are a strange old man.

― scott seward,

I'd listen to the last Gallhammer thing ten more times before I fancied playing the last Goatwhore thing again

― 19349 things paedophiles like to complain about (DJ Mencap),

nope, don't know that dude, unless hes one of you all xxpost

― D@n P3rry is the drummer on Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age (jjjusten), Thursday, January 21, 2010 9:58 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

oh, he's an ilxor alright

#30 , 141 Votes , 7 votes , One #1 vote

http://www.first-avenue.com/files/images/performer/gaywitchabortion.jpg
Gay Witch Abortion - Maverick

GAY WITCH ABORTION

cant complain about that really, considering they are on a teensy local label.

and they have a crap name that will stop anyone checking them out

so perhaps you can say why they were your #1 and why we should check them out?
oh also can you change the thread to top 30 ?

Another on the list of albums to get. Love the sounds of the 30-second iTunes samples enough to want the whole thing. Thanks for all the pimping guys.

yeah, that does look/sound really interesting.

As I said before, wonderful album. Hope they ditch the vocals going forward - the instrumentals are all better.

I'm surprised at how low Gay Witch Abortion placed. I thought it was a lock for the top 10.

The love is deep not wide.

#29 , 143 Points , 9 votes

http://cowsarejustfood.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/jesu-opiate-sun-caldo-verde.jpg
Jesu - Opiate Sun

Regarding Gay Witch Abortion:

Hope they ditch the vocals going forward - the instrumentals are all better.

That's precisely why I placed them so low in my vote - some really good tunes, but the vocals suck. And I'm all for silly names, but theirs is just stupid.

#28 , 147 Points , 7 votes

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/reviewpics/katat_night.jpg
Katatonia - Night Is the New Day

katatonia are my favorite modern rock group, and i know for a fact that i benefited from their cure, red house painters, and shoegaze fandom (they can have jeff buckley).

-Scott Seward

It's a horse race between Cobalt, Katatonia, and Converge for my #1
I just might have to take the coward's way out and just assign 1a, 1b, and 1c. All equally good in completely different ways, and no other metal records quite reach that level of excellence, in my opinion, there's quite a gulf between the first three and the rest.

― A. Begrand,

Listening to the new Katatonia album. Very beautiful (a couple of the tracks really sound like outtakes from Opeth's Damnation), but is it even a metal album? I'm not sure.

― neither good nor bad, just a kid like you (unperson),

how does Katatonia manage to get the whole techno-presets-meets-metal thing so right? The synth/keyboard work on this album is top notch.

― Buck Utah (rockapads),

The Katatonia record actually reminds me of Catherine Wheel (specifically in the vocals). Which isn't a bad thing, but how can it be compared to something like Liturgy? Still, it's a very good record; I don't mean to say otherwise.

― Sonic Bum,

No one at all, not specifically -- but unperson asked if it was "even a metal album?" I was kind of responding to that. I can't think of any sonic criterion by which it is really "metal," I don't see how Katatonia can be objectively considered metal. However, that's an admittedly subjective and arbitrary standard. Just my reaction.

― Sonic Bum, Monday, 9 November 2009 18:24 (2 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Yeah, it's more darkwave than anything, I guess. But us metal writers are pretty much the only press that will give this album any attention, despite its very broad appeal. Anyway, Renske's singing on the album is just unreal, and the production is immaculate. I think it's as big a revelation as the Cure's Disintegration was back in '89, as if all the right pieces fell together at the same time at long last.

― A. Begrand,

could be that metal fans are the only target for their sound anyway, whether they are metal or not. their name, doom-and-gloom atmosphere, and the chunky guitars on certain songs probably make it seem metal than any other genre to non-metalheads. the only Katatonia fans I've met in person have been metalheads my age (mid 30s). the audience when I saw them a few years ago was decidedly older, too.

― Buck Utah (rockapads),

I think Katatonia's sound has advanced enough to the point where it can appeal to anyone who digs vintage goth/darkwave, and the subtle Massive Attack thing they have going on NITND sure doesn't hurt either.

I'm reminded me of all the bitching and moaning from non-metal folks who say they want to like so-and-so metal band but can't get past the harsh vocals...you want textured singing in heavy music, well, here it is. Doesn't get much better than this record.

― A. Begrand,

seems like koch and roadrunner have done okay opening opeth up to new crowds. another band that should have been snatched up by the beast years ago. i mean, its not like i think the big companies DESERVE to have good bands on their labels when its obvious the only thing they have going for them is money, but it just seems like its their JOB to steal good bands from tiny labels. it's an insult that their hasn't been a big money bidding war for katatonia. it boggles my mind. and what they choose to spend millions on is likewise just as mind-boggling.

― scott seward,

wow, this katatonia IS great!

― ' ( *_*) ERROR HANDLING (^_^ ) (Alan N),

yet another record i didn't get to spend the minimum required time with in order to be able to properly/accurately evaluate its worth and maybe even vote for. bah.

OK, would definitely have put money on that being top 10.

Partly my fault I guess. I took "metal albums" literally, and did not vote for albums like Baroness, Them Crooked Vultures, Katatonia and Gay Witch Abortion, which I like very much but consider variations of heavy rock than metal. However, I then inconsistently voted for Kylesa because I felt they might need a boost, heh. I wonder if Raise The Red Lantern will make it?