Mondo Bungle

I'm always finding kickass metal albums you know, and always looking for more. The main version of this thread is great, but I think it'd be cool (for me at the very least) to have a strictly metal version. I figure there's a good deal of metal listeners here. It'd be good for metal recommendations too, as it would attract more discussion then the 'What are you listening to metal edition' thread, probably.

I guess we'll see.


Vanhelgd - Relics of Sulphur Salvation (2014)

Some stellar occult themed death metal with fierce riffing and atmosphere. A lot of bands doing Incantation or Swedeath worship, but this band manages to meld both together, and throw in a hefty amount of Asphyx for good measure.

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The Batlord

Norwegian-style black metal is probably my least favorite form of black metal, though I do appreciate it for its aesthetic approach to extreme metal, with its horror/fantasy vibe, and dedication to being insular and almost misanthropically experimental. This band manages to overcome the "limitations" of "pure", Darkthrone-style black metal, while still adhering to them in their own way.

They tend to have two modes: raw, dissonant black metal -- which, depending on my mood, isn't as much to my taste (though I'll take it over Darkthrone) -- and then extended passages of highly dynamic, repetitive riffs, almost like a grind-paced early Bathory taken to Hammerheart-level song lengths. Those sections are simply fantastic and unique as far as I know. The two approaches (raw dissonance v. repetitive riffing) aren't so much at odds however, as they are different versions of the same idea, if that makes sense. I guess the latter serves as sort of an endless climax to the former.

I'd say the last half of the opening track, "So Nail the Hearts", is one of the highlights of all of not just black metal, but extreme metal in general. That riff, played over and over again, just propels the song along almost like a galloping Maiden riff, but without blending black metal with trad metal, as Immortal do.

Amusingly, this is a five song EP, but with three songs clocking in at over ten minutes, it's as long as many full-length albums. Sort of like how Reverend Bizarre used to do. Anyone who loves BM needs this album in their life. Big props to HHBH for introducing me to this band a few years ago, and big props to me for finally remembering today that they existed.

And no, they are not a Nazi band.

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Hypocrisy

SIGH - Graveward


A little Avant-garde


SIGH - Graveward


Avant-garde Black Metal from Japan. These guys put out music that is very Weird !!! But always interesting and impossible to explain as I not sure Sigh even have a norm...the more I listen the more I hear... it's like taking a really fun acid trip through the worse parts of hell and coming back with your mind intact but never truely the same.

The Batlord

If you don't like power metal, then you can ignore this post, but I've been listening to this album almost constantly the past couple weeks. It's stone cold PM, concentrated, no chaser, but with some nice folk elements to give it a bit more personality. It's just so infectious though. The riffs are badass and full of energy, and there are just some massive choruses. Pretty much every song would be a Top 10 hit if the radio gave a **** about power metal. This album is just ear crack.

My only gripe are the "extreme" metal vocals that they throw in on a couple songs for no apparent reason. They're not intrusive, make the guy from Children of Bodom sound like Lord Wyrm from Cryptopsy, and are low enough in the mix that they don't even really detract from the music. I just don't know why they're there.

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Trollheart

I have The Pagan Manifesto by them. Downloaded, did not listen to yet like about 90% of my new stuff. Must move it up the pecking order if it has your seal of Power Metal approval...

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

The Batlord

No, listen to Heathenreel. What little I've listened to of their other stuff is okay, but the only thing that I can see that's worth getting excited about is their debut. This also seems to be the general consensus, so start with Heathenreel, lest you lose interest.

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Neurotripsicks

Fragments of Unbecoming - Skywards: A Sylphe's Ascension.

Great melodic tech.

Mondo Bungle

I've thought Battle Dagorath were awesome since the second I read that name, and the fact that they make some of the highest caliber atmospheric black metal helps out too. It's much in the vein of Paysage d'Hiver with exceptionally long, arctic and minimalist songs, and ambience to remind you of a land covered in frost and snow stretching beyond the horizon. But they also have their fair share of Summoning and Vinterriket (he actually did a lot on this album). If you like long and majestic songs, with an overall epic feel, this is great. If you like black metal colder than the surface of Neptune, this is great. This is easily one of the best of it's kind, and I never feel like switching to something else during the entire 100+ minute duration.


I'm digging their entire discography though, none of it is any short of incredible

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The Batlord

Must check semi-immediately.

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easycadence

You all know so many metal albums I've never even heard of XD Well then again, I am pretty new to all this... I used to be a hardcore rap fan (beginning with Eminem... great guy, heard of him?) but then got into hard rock (beginning with Breaking Benjamin) during the past 2 years and gradually transitioned into metalcore and now full-on metal. It's strange how taste evolves based on how you change.