Bolt Thrower is awesome. They have been around for over 20 years and their entire line up has not changed. It is too bad that they probably won't be releasing new material soon - they said on their official website that "Those Once Loyal" was their best release ever and they aren't really sure how to do any better.

Bolt Thrower's entire catalog is killer but I am partial to "...For Victory" as it was the release that got me into this amazing band.

Great song and a great band. "Warmaster" was the first death metal album I ever bought and the album that got me into the genre.

I enjoyed the music on this; nice and heavy.

I bought this album after hearing this song and I must say... Bolt Thrower is a boring-ass band to listen to. The music is way too repetitive IMHO. Though it'd be great video game music for sure.

I remember hearing Amon Amarth for the first time and thinking 'Yes! A more interesting Bolt Thrower!'

Just my $0.02. It's really cool to see them on SHMHC anyway.



BigSnatch: I downloaded Dalriada's 'Szelek' and was absolutely blown away. Unfortunately there's only one place I can find their albums online and it'll cost $28 a piece with shipping.

Kliffoth, that's too bad that that Bolt Thrower bores you. The album that "Inside the Wire" appears on, 'Honour Valour Pride', is probably one of their simpler albums. If you haven't heard '...For Victory' or 'Those Once Loyal' before, you should give those a chance.


It definitely sucks having to pay extra to get rare CDs, but sometimes it really is worth it. I guess you could just hold out and hope that they tour the US some day. And Ebay has it for $23 (plus shipping) here (new window)

BigSnatch: It definitely sucks having to pay extra to get rare CDs, but sometimes it really is worth it. I guess you could just hold out and hope that they tour the US some day. And Ebay has it for $23 (plus shipping) here (new window)


That's where I'm talking about. You have to pay $8 shipping to get the jewel case too and to get it any time soon.

Kliffoth: BigSnatch: It definitely sucks having to pay extra to get rare CDs, but sometimes it really is worth it. I guess you could just hold out and hope that they tour the US some day. And Ebay has it for $23 (plus shipping) here (new window)


That's where I'm talking about. You have to pay $8 shipping to get the jewel case too and to get it any time soon.

I guess you could try and find a used copy somewhere. I know it's not the same and buying used CDs can be risky, but more often than not they are fine. I don't know about your local Metal venue but the one I go to usually has some people that might be able to hook you up...

I like it... and from their website I found this little gem:

If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

What do you know, I submited Motherfarking Bot Thrower as well! Mine was The IVth Crusade. (My personal favorite album)

In other news, my computer crashed and won't restart. I had about 500 albums on there, about 75 of which I have physical copies of. (I have a limted source of income). I'm typing this from a friends computer.

Should I do recs this week? I don't know.

/As for some good news, Destroyer 666 is releasing a new album this year.

Necrosis: If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

Death- Human

Meh. Very droning and repetitive song. It had a chance to be good. I enjoyed the first 90 seconds and the last 90 seconds but it too way too long for them to make the change. And beyond that, there just doesn't seem to be much going on. But to each their own I suppose.

hnlzero: Necrosis: If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

Death- Human

Funny thing about that album - iTunes will try to force in album work for albums the apple serves don't have an image for and iTunes has chosen the following picture for Death - Human

If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

First off, avoid Cannibal Corpse at all costs.
The classic Florida bands:

Death: Scream Bloody Gore, Human
Deicide: Legion
Morbid Angel: Altars of Madness (Often seen as the best DM album ever made)
Obituary: Cause of Death

I'm probably forgetting some one.

the Swedish bands:

Dismember: Like an Everflowing Stream
Entombed: Left Hand Path
Amon Amarth: With Oden on Our Side (a newer band, but pretty easy to get into)

Other farkers can help me out with the others I'm missing.

Necrosis: If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

For "pure" death metal, I'd suggest:

Death: Human
Cryptopsy: None So Vile
Brutality: Screams of Anguish

You could probably grab an album or two from Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Suffocation, and Deicide. I think they suck, but they're pretty popular.

I haven't listened to Bolt Thrower before, but I'm not really all that big on straight-up death metal. I'll give this a listen later once they're done waxing the floors in here... don't want to frighten the cleaning folks.

SPna15:

In other news, my computer crashed and won't restart. I had about 500 albums on there, about 75 of which I have physical copies of. (I have a limted source of income). I'm typing this from a friends computer.

Should I do recs this week? I don't know.


That sucks... is the hard drive toast? If it's not, you may be able to salvage them.

A quick rundown of some of the stuff I've been listening to this week:

Amorphis - Skyforger: Still a great album after a couple weeks of listening. Might be my album of the year up to this point (it won't be once Clutch's new album is out).

Gorod - Process of a New Decline: Very excellent tech-death... I think this is probably their best album thus far.

Alestorm - Black Sails At Midnight: WOOOOO new pirate metal. Pretty similar to the last album, although I think I hear some Turisas influences creeping in (no big surprise since they toured together).

Mantic Ritual - Executioner: Old-school thrash. Sounds a lot like Kill 'Em All-era Metallica.

Candlemass - Death Magic Doom: Old school doom. I love the first track, 'If I Ever Die'. The rest of the album is pretty badass as well.

Daath - The Concealers: This album is rapidly growing on me.

Sleep - Sleep's Holy Mountain: I know, not exactly new, but still awesome. About as close to classic Sabbath as anyone has ever come.

Mortification - Primitive Rhythm Machine: A throwback to my religious early years. Mortification were pretty much the first metal band I listened to, and I still dig them, even if I now find the lyrics cheesy and preachy. Steve Rowe is a pretty damn decent bassist, too.

Huh, tried and failed to find a video of Peter Gabriel's "And Through the Wire", as a bit of ear bleach for the people who don't care for the growling death-metal-rpg-gamer bands of yore.

So instead, here's Wire playing "Ahead" in 1987.

/pops.

groverXIII: SPna15:

In other news, my computer crashed and won't restart. I had about 500 albums on there, about 75 of which I have physical copies of. (I have a limted source of income). I'm typing this from a friends computer.

Should I do recs this week? I don't know.

That sucks... is the hard drive toast? If it's not, you may be able to salvage them.

I have no clue what's wrong with it, but my mom knows a guy who fixed her computer when it was having a similar problem. So going to see if he can fix it.

Luckily, I got most of my favorite albums on my Ipod. So I've been listening to a lot of Pagan Altar and Morbid Saint.

groverXIII: Candlemass - Death Magic Doom: Old school doom. I love the first track, 'If I Ever Die'. The rest of the album is pretty badass as well.

Demon of the Deep for me.

Necrosis: If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

Deicide, Cynic (Focus is more death metal-ish), Atheist, The Faceless, Necrophagist, Decrepit Birth, Cannibal Corpse, Cannabis Corpse (funny, but good).

Cynic is a good recommendation, although definitely more proggy and adventurous than most death metal...

I'd also recommend Obscura's new album, some Gorod, Gojira, and old Amorphis. These aren't exactly straight-up death metal, though.

GregoryD: I like it... and from their website I found this little gem:

That is the coolest pic I've seen all day.

Don't anyone forget Unleashed!

Their early stuff is great but I think a really accessible album of theirs is 'Midvinterblot'.

The bonus is that in their later material a lot of the songs are about Vikings, so if you like Amon Amarth's themes you might like Unleashed as well.

groverXIII: Cynic is a good recommendation, although definitely more proggy and adventurous than most death metal...

I'd also recommend Obscura's new album, some Gorod, Gojira, and old Amorphis. These aren't exactly straight-up death metal, though.

I've actually been listening to a lot of Gojira recently and saw them a couple weeks ago (great show!). I tend to like that stuff more than straight death metal, but I'm kinda a n00b to most metal, so I'm just looking for a place to get started. I also like Opeth, Isis, Neurosis and Mastodon, but that is about as far into metal as I've gotten so far. I'm working on it!

Cookie monster vocals and double-bass happy drummer.
Yawn. SOS.

I hate crap like this.
I have heard this EXACT song a million times before.

Super rapid tempo ("blast beat") with cookie monster vocals.

Pure lame fail.
About as UN-doom and UN-death as you can get.

REAL doom and gloom is about slow sludgy menace.
BLACK SABBATH set the bar for this in 1972 with "Wheels of Confusion" and "Under The Sun"
All else is a sad joke.

"Death-metal" should be renamed "spastic-TARD-Metal"

/however,I do acknowledge the true originality of Celtic Frost and Napalm Death

//this pretty much makes me a hypocrite here

Necrosis: If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

What do you like about Death Metal?

Necrosis: groverXIII: Cynic is a good recommendation, although definitely more proggy and adventurous than most death metal...

I'd also recommend Obscura's new album, some Gorod, Gojira, and old Amorphis. These aren't exactly straight-up death metal, though.

I've actually been listening to a lot of Gojira recently and saw them a couple weeks ago (great show!). I tend to like that stuff more than straight death metal, but I'm kinda a n00b to most metal, so I'm just looking for a place to get started. I also like Opeth, Isis, Neurosis and Mastodon, but that is about as far into metal as I've gotten so far. I'm working on it!

Saw Gojira when they kicked off their tour in VA. Incredible show. It's a shame their support are awful.

Definitely check out Cynic - Integral Birth (new window).

Also:
Cult of Luna - Eternal Kingdom (atmospheric sludge)
Thurisaz - Falling (can't stop listening to this band - thanks SPna15, think this was one of your recs)
Hacride - Lazarus (from their new album, awesome stuff. Kinda like a more chaotic, more atmospheric Gojira, if that makes sense)

DeathByGeekSquad: Necrosis: If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

What do you like about Death Metal?

Hmm... In generic terms, I guess just the heaviness and intensity. I'm beginning to think that most of the stuff I actually like has death metal roots/influence, but I like a little tempo change and melody once in a while. I figure I should at least check out the roots for a history lesson.

groverXIII: Cynic is a good recommendation, although definitely more proggy and adventurous than most death metal...

Their last demo is less adventurous than their later work, but still more adventurous than most death metal. As good as Focus is, I still prefer the over-the-top technicality of the demo. IMO, it's the birth of technical death metal as a subgenre.

Necrosis: DeathByGeekSquad: Necrosis: If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

What do you like about Death Metal?

Hmm... In generic terms, I guess just the heaviness and intensity. I'm beginning to think that most of the stuff I actually like has death metal roots/influence, but I like a little tempo change and melody once in a while. I figure I should at least check out the roots for a history lesson.

Let's see, how about Lykathea Aflame, Demilich, and my personal pet band, Phlebotmized. (I will stop posting about Phlebotomized when they stop being awesome.)

more death metal recommendations:

Cryptopsy - Once was Not (!!!)
Suffocation - Pierced from Within (and anything else by them)
Incantation - Onward to Golgotha
Death - Symbolic
Nile - Legacy of the Catacombs (best of)

the Polish band Immemorial has some insane double bass drumming

and anything this decade by Behemoth (blackened death, but good 'n deadly)

Krisiun and Aborted are also very very good

Necrosis: If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

If you are new to the genre, I would recommend Dismember - Like an Ever Flowing Stream. It retains all of the aggressiveness of alot of the American Death Metal but is a bit more melodic, without resorting to alot of the cheap hooks and cheese that many of their Swedish counterparts use that diminish the dark, evil vibe of the music.

If you can get through that then I would recommend Entombed - Left Hand Path, and then Morbid Angel - Alters of Madness. The Entombed is similar to the Dismember in that it is a faily palatable album, and Alters, as said before, is pretty much the definitive Death Metal album, though it is a bit harder to get into if you don't have a taste for the intensity of DM.

For the time being I would say stay away from the Cryptopsy and Suffocation, because they are probably a bit too intense for a first DM album. I would also stray from the Atheist and Cynic for the time being, because they are very elaborate and use alot of complicated tempos and jazz influenced playing, though if you like elaborate, complex stuff like that then they might be a good starting point.

get that man a cough drop! :D

Silenius: Necrosis: If I was interested in hearing more death metal, what are some of the best albums to start with?

If you are new to the genre, I would recommend ...

For the time being I would say stay away from the Cryptopsy and Suffocation, because they are probably a bit too intense for a first DM album.

Good band recommendations, but I would disagree with the recommended approach.

I'm not sure Death Metal is something that should be approached gingerly - dive into the deep end! Either you will love it or you will drown.

Pick an album (almost any album here will do - though I agree that Atheist and Cynic aren't typical death metal, so maybe don't start there) - but personally I think the more intense the better - start with the really really great albums that capitalize on the best aspects of the genre - if you don't love those you probably won't like the not-so-good ones either.

Set up with any sound system that has decent bass - this is crucial, you've got to be able to hear the bass drumming.

Press repeat play, and listen 10-20 times - the entire album, all the way through. The songs won't all sound the same after that.

SPna15...thanks for the Ceremonial Castings suggestion last week. really cool stuff. As for me, my suggestion is:

Bloodbath - Breeding Death (new window)

for you Death Metal lovers, or those just getting into it. a fav of mine...

godiluvbeer: SPna15...thanks for the Ceremonial Castings suggestion last week. really cool stuff. As for me, my suggestion is:

That reminds me: I hate you Satanicsantoku. I hate you for having tickets to Blackendfest, and I hate you for living in Washington, because for the Washington show, Ceremonial Castings shall be playing.

I just stabbed the guy sitting next to me in the neck with a letter opener. That shiat was farkin metal.

Seriously, will someone please explain the attraction of hearing someone go ARRGGH-ARRRGHGHGHGH-ARGHGHGHGH for four minutes? The music never fails to get me headbanging but the moment the vocals start it's like "Gah, not this shiat again." Or do the vocals just blend into the music to make it part of the overall experience, damn the lyrics? Since the SMHMHC has been mostly death metal as of late I really would like insight on this.

Marisyana: Or do the vocals just blend into the music to make it part of the overall experience, damn the lyrics?

Pretty much answered your own question. The vocals become another instrument.

Marisyana: Since the SMHMHC has been mostly death metal as of late I really would like insight on this.

This is news to me.

Marisyana: Seriously, will someone please explain the attraction of hearing someone go ARRGGH-ARRRGHGHGHGH-ARGHGHGHGH for four minutes? The music never fails to get me headbanging but the moment the vocals start it's like "Gah, not this shiat again." Or do the vocals just blend into the music to make it part of the overall experience, damn the lyrics? Since the SMHMHC has been mostly death metal as of late I really would like insight on this.

My take:

1. fark lyrics; they're a waste of time. Most lyrics aren't good enough that you're really missing anything by not understanding them. Of course, this goes for all types of music, not just death metal. That said, there are some death metal bands with intelligible lyrics (e.g. Death).

2. think of the vocals as just another instrument, not in the same way that most rock/pop music uses vocals. The voice is sometimes used as more of a percussion instrument, and sometimes more like a keyboard.

3. besides growling, what kind of vocals would fit the music better? Frank Sinatra-style crooning?

Marisyana: Seriously, will someone please explain the attraction of hearing someone go ARRGGH-ARRRGHGHGHGH-ARGHGHGHGH for four minutes? The music never fails to get me headbanging but the moment the vocals start it's like "Gah, not this shiat again." Or do the vocals just blend into the music to make it part of the overall experience, damn the lyrics? Since the SMHMHC has been mostly death metal as of late I really would like insight on this.

Harsh vocals are definitely an acquired taste. A long time ago, when I was just starting to get into Metal, I didn't like harsh vocals at all. As the music got heavier, so did the vocals. At first it was hard to adjust for me because most of the time I couldn't understand the lyrics. I slowly began to understand the lyrics and I started to appreciate the talent that it takes to pull off these vocals, especially when going to shows. It only makes sense though, as the music gets heavier so must the vocals to accompany that music. Imagine how odd Bolt Thrower would sound if Willetts used used Power Metal vocals.

Harsh vocals can bother me though - when singers are actually yelling instead of doing vocals properly. At times this is how it should be done (Thrash especially), but a lot of the Metalcore crap out there has a bunch of yellers that lose their voices after a couple albums.

I also do let the vocals become part of the music as there is stuff out there that I struggle to understand. This is obviously the case when a band is using a foreign language.


And we haven't had a pure Death Metal greenlight in SHMHC in a long time. There have been a lot of bands with harsh vocals, and some bands that have aspects of Death Metal, but this is the first submission I can think of that is Death Metal.

I dunno but I read the headline out loud as if I was Kasay Kasem. Did anyone else do this?

They played Joe's Garage here in Ft Worth back in 1990...two days after The Exploited was there.

Hmm, interesting. When I've read death metal bands' lyrics it does seem like there's some thought put into them and I've found some excellent imaging. But if the vocals are just used as percussion or punctuation, isn't that kind of an insult to the lyric writer? "I'm not listening to what you have to say, I just like the beat it carries." If I put in that much work and had words to that effect said to me I'd be pissed.

Marisyana: Hmm, interesting. When I've read death metal bands' lyrics it does seem like there's some thought put into them and I've found some excellent imaging. But if the vocals are just used as percussion or punctuation, isn't that kind of an insult to the lyric writer? "I'm not listening to what you have to say, I just like the beat it carries." If I put in that much work and had words to that effect said to me I'd be pissed.


There are quite a few Death Metal vocalists that are intelligible though.

Dark Tranquillity is example of a band with intelligible, well-written, Death Metal vocals.

BigSnatch: Marisyana: Seriously, will someone please explain the attraction of hearing someone go ARRGGH-ARRRGHGHGHGH-ARGHGHGHGH for four minutes? The music never fails to get me headbanging but the moment the vocals start it's like "Gah, not this shiat again." Or do the vocals just blend into the music to make it part of the overall experience, damn the lyrics? Since the SMHMHC has been mostly death metal as of late I really would like insight on this.

Harsh vocals are definitely an acquired taste. A long time ago, when I was just starting to get into Metal, I didn't like harsh vocals at all. As the music got heavier, so did the vocals. At first it was hard to adjust for me because most of the time I couldn't understand the lyrics. I slowly began to understand the lyrics and I started to appreciate the talent that it takes to pull off these vocals, especially when going to shows. It only makes sense though, as the music gets heavier so must the vocals to accompany that music. Imagine how odd Bolt Thrower would sound if Willetts used used Power Metal vocals.

Harsh vocals can bother me though - when singers are actually yelling instead of doing vocals properly. At times this is how it should be done (Thrash especially), but a lot of the Metalcore crap out there has a bunch of yellers that lose their voices after a couple albums.

I also do let the vocals become part of the music as there is stuff out there that I struggle to understand. This is obviously the case when a band is using a foreign language.


And we haven't had a pure Death Metal greenlight in SHMHC in a long time. There have been a lot of bands with harsh vocals, and some bands that have aspects of Death Metal, but this is the first submission I can think of that is Death Metal.

Agreed, it took me a long time to be able to tolerate death metal style vocals, let alone like them. The bands that helped me get used to them typically blended harsh vocals with "clean" vocals; Opeth, for instance. It also helped me to find death metal vocalists whose words I could occasionally understand, like Angela Gossow from Arch Enemy.

As others have said, it helps if you hear the vocals as just another instrument. They set the mood and provide a kind of narrative voice for your ear to follow as the song plays. Before long, I found that I didn't mind the vocals, and then I found that I enjoyed some of the better vocalists doing what they do.

This Bolt Thrower song was great, too. I've checked out a song or two from them before and been unimpressed, but I liked this one.

Kliffoth: Marisyana: Hmm, interesting. When I've read death metal bands' lyrics it does seem like there's some thought put into them and I've found some excellent imaging. But if the vocals are just used as percussion or punctuation, isn't that kind of an insult to the lyric writer? "I'm not listening to what you have to say, I just like the beat it carries." If I put in that much work and had words to that effect said to me I'd be pissed.


There are quite a few Death Metal vocalists that are intelligible though.

Dark Tranquillity is example of a band with intelligible, well-written, Death Metal vocals.

Oh heavens yes, THIS. Their song "Inside the Particle Storm" is one of my favorites and the lyrics are awesome.

I'M not into death metal that much, but The Jester Race by In Flames is wicked awesome.

Solve_Et_Coagula: Oh heavens yes, THIS. Their song "Inside the Particle Storm" is one of my favorites and the lyrics are awesome.


Such a desolate, chilling, yet beautiful piece of music. Every DT album is a masterpiece.

Booyaxe: I'M not into death metal that much, but The Jester Race by In Flames is wicked awesome.


In Flames was great for their first three albums, 'Jester Race' and 'Whoracle' were their second and third. 'Colony' was like In Flames' 'Black Album', a decent album but you can tell their sound was changing for the worse.

'Jester Race' and 'Whoracle' are incredible albums though.