The Batlord

I don't remember when I bought this album, but I've listened to it countless times since. It almost feels like I've had it for my whole life. There will never be another melodic death metal album like it or that can match it, and anyone who disagrees is a ****ing twat. The singer is so ****ing raw that you can almost hear the blood in his throat, and yet he emotes to an extent that I have never heard from an extreme metal singer. He is nihilism and despair.

Of course he must be so to complement the claustrophobic, relentlessly bleak music that could never be achieved by a band that was any more or less extreme. And those riffs. My god are they badass, yet off-kilter in a way that removes any sense of testosterone or aggression from them, leaving only an alien yet accessible sense of rage, which is perfectly complimented by the crushing yet mechanical, emotionless production.

Slaughter of the Soul was a once in a generation flash-in-the-pan album, and it's no wonder the band broke up after releasing it, cause what was the point in trying to better it?

P.S. And that dual outro of the keyboard track, originally meant to be part of a self-made horror movie by one of the band members, which fades into some of the best feedback of all-time, is quite possibly the best ending to a metal album I've ever heard.

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The Identity Matrix

This record right here is the pinnacle of independent metal. What this group did without the help of a label is astonishing. The do it yourself mentality these guys had put out one of the most interesting and dynamic records of the decade so far. Mixing the stylings of led zeppelin and deep purple riffs with the harsh growls and screams of blackened death metal is quite honestly magical. The lyrics on this thing are equally fantastic. They tell stories that captivate the listener while still presenting their message clearly. Hanging Garden is easily the standout track here with its progressive leanings and grandiose lyricism. Metazoa is melodic yet ruthless, accessible and engaging while still pushing boundaries. It is certainly a metal record you must listen to before dying.

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What is infinite yet always equal to one?

Enter the Domain - The Identity Matrix Domain

"I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman. I'm living on." - David Bowie