One Epic Winter (OEW)
Epic Reine
A-Lex and Dante XXI are good. Everything else in that era is garbage. Roorback might be their worst album.
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The Metal Thread - Version 2
- Thread starter Gary
- Start date
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
The thing that sucks the most about post-Max Sepultura is that I'd argue they were at their peak in terms of marketing (the "Sepultribe" and "Third World Posse" ideas were pretty cool), but it's like they tried to mimic Max's JUMPDAFUCKUP approach and could barely muster a bunny hop.
@Brocklock , you should go through Sepultura and then segue into Soulfly. The first few Soulfly albums are really tough and dated, but Dark Ages brings back some of that Chaos AD/Arise feel.
EDIT: It's funny, because I'm literally wearing a Sepultura shirt right now.
@Brocklock , you should go through Sepultura and then segue into Soulfly. The first few Soulfly albums are really tough and dated, but Dark Ages brings back some of that Chaos AD/Arise feel.
EDIT: It's funny, because I'm literally wearing a Sepultura shirt right now.
The run from Roots to Roorback is so awful. I was absolutely loving the listen through before that. I know people have nostalgia for Roots, but my god what a slog. "Roots Bloody Roots" is a good hype opener, but the rest is so long and boring. Mike Patton is one of my favorite singers ever, but "Lookaway" with him and Jonathan Davis might be the worst song he's ever been on.
Dante XXI has been a nice little comeback album so far, so hopefully the rest of their discography is enjoyable. Derek Green, so far, doesn't sound that much different from Max other than his ability to properly enunciate words, which the opposite is part of Max's charm. But, I heard he starts to become a more distinctive vocalist on the newer albums.
Dante XXI has been a nice little comeback album so far, so hopefully the rest of their discography is enjoyable. Derek Green, so far, doesn't sound that much different from Max other than his ability to properly enunciate words, which the opposite is part of Max's charm. But, I heard he starts to become a more distinctive vocalist on the newer albums.
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Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
It's usually a bad sign when a metal band goes from having a designed logo, no matter how pointy or thorny, to using a generic font. The only one I can think of that counters this trend is Dying Fetus.
Here's my Sepultura ranking: Went from loving it to hating to it to feeling bored to loving it again. Wall of text coming, but these long ass posts are a nice distraction for me:
1. Beneath The Remains (1989) - A perfect album for me. In my top five thrash albums of all time, and really every song rips and kicks ass. Every one was on fire musically on this. I love this album.
2. Arise (1991) - Pretty close to BTR, but I really don't care for the cover of "Orgasmatron". Not a big fan of the song in general. Every other song rules though. "Arise", "Desperate Cry", "Dead Embryonic Cells", "Altered State" and just song after song of bangers.
3. Chaos A. D. (1993) - This is quite the divisive album. Maybe it's because it was the first Sepultura album I've ever heard, but I still love it. Maybe, their heaviest. The groove stuff works for me here and there's still enough thrash here.
4. Schizophrenia (1987) - These guys were so damn young when they made this classic, it's insane. "From The Past Comes The Storm" is one of the best openers in metal. "Troops Of Doom" was done so much better here than the original on the previous album.
5. Quadra (2020) - This is awesome. They blend in old and new and manage to make their best album in 27 years. The concept works for me, and I love how they incorporate elements of Death, Prog, and Doom in with the Thrash and Groove. This is my favorite Derek Green vocal performance. He really shows off his vocal range. And, sometimes he sounds a lot like Burton C. Bell, who I'm a fan of. Some of these songs are their best since Max left.
6. Machine Messiah (2017) - A step in the right direction. Their best in years at that point. And a solid album all around. "I Am The Enemy" is a great post Max Sepultura song.
7. Dante XXI (2006) - A minor comeback, but still a mediocre album. "Convicted To Life" is a great opener though and this was by far their best with Derek Green at this point.
8. The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart (2013) - Stupid as fuck album title lol. But, album is just okay. Better than a lot of their discography, but very mid. I can't even remember any standout tracks, but the album was a much easier listen than what's to come.
9. A-Lex (2009) - I know it's a problematic film, but I still love A Clockwork Orange, and I enjoyed the usage of it with one exception. Still, this was kind of forgettable with a lot of songs feeling unfinished. But, my god Ludwig Van is awful and one of their worst songs. Just a bad experiment that failed. Listen to this shit:
10. Morbid Visions (1986) - Musically, it's very impressive for such young kids. None of them were 18 when they made this. Still, it's very sloppy and terribly produced. The production ruins most of the songs. It's still heavy and close to Death Metal. But, you can hear the drastic improvement they made the next year in how much better "Troops Of Doom" sounds on Schizophrenia compared to this.
11. Kairos (2011) - Very blah and unmemorable album. These mid Sepultura albums blend together. I'll say this is the last mid one, because the remaining albums I just don't like.
12. Roots (1996) - I have zero nostalgia for this. I found it boring when I tried when I was younger and still find it dreadfully dull. "Lookaway" is just terrible and an awful use of the great Mike Patton. And get that Jonathan Davis out of my Sepultura. The Tribal stuff was awesome on Chaos AD, but way overused and boring on here. Can't stand this album. And even as an early Nu Metal album from 1996, I'd take Korn's first two albums and The Deftones first album over Roots anyday.
13. Roorback (2003) - Shit album. Not much to say about these early Derek Green albums. Once in a while, a decent Hardcore section will break out. Green's vocals aren't bad or anything, but are too similar to Max's. Still, I hate this, but not as much as the bottom two.
14. Nation (2001) - Interchangeable with the bottom album really, but has a song that I find unintentionally hilarious. "Uma Cura" has to be the goofiest song they've ever done. Sounds like something from a 90's perfume commercial. Just listen to this goofy song:
15. Against (1998) - First album without Max, and just so bad but in a boring way. Just the dullest Nu-Metal. Not even anything fun bad. Nation is just as bad, but the campiness of some of the songs makes it slightly better than this one.
I was gonna do Morbid Angel next, but I feel like going with a personal band to me and that's Fear Factory. I heard "Zero Signal" on the 95 Mortal Kombat soundtrack and was blown away. I'd say it's the song that made me interested in heavy music. I loved their mix of melody with the harsh vocals. I like most of their albums actually (Besides a few awful ones), so unlike Sepultura it will be an easier listen.
1. Beneath The Remains (1989) - A perfect album for me. In my top five thrash albums of all time, and really every song rips and kicks ass. Every one was on fire musically on this. I love this album.
2. Arise (1991) - Pretty close to BTR, but I really don't care for the cover of "Orgasmatron". Not a big fan of the song in general. Every other song rules though. "Arise", "Desperate Cry", "Dead Embryonic Cells", "Altered State" and just song after song of bangers.
3. Chaos A. D. (1993) - This is quite the divisive album. Maybe it's because it was the first Sepultura album I've ever heard, but I still love it. Maybe, their heaviest. The groove stuff works for me here and there's still enough thrash here.
4. Schizophrenia (1987) - These guys were so damn young when they made this classic, it's insane. "From The Past Comes The Storm" is one of the best openers in metal. "Troops Of Doom" was done so much better here than the original on the previous album.
5. Quadra (2020) - This is awesome. They blend in old and new and manage to make their best album in 27 years. The concept works for me, and I love how they incorporate elements of Death, Prog, and Doom in with the Thrash and Groove. This is my favorite Derek Green vocal performance. He really shows off his vocal range. And, sometimes he sounds a lot like Burton C. Bell, who I'm a fan of. Some of these songs are their best since Max left.
6. Machine Messiah (2017) - A step in the right direction. Their best in years at that point. And a solid album all around. "I Am The Enemy" is a great post Max Sepultura song.
7. Dante XXI (2006) - A minor comeback, but still a mediocre album. "Convicted To Life" is a great opener though and this was by far their best with Derek Green at this point.
8. The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart (2013) - Stupid as fuck album title lol. But, album is just okay. Better than a lot of their discography, but very mid. I can't even remember any standout tracks, but the album was a much easier listen than what's to come.
9. A-Lex (2009) - I know it's a problematic film, but I still love A Clockwork Orange, and I enjoyed the usage of it with one exception. Still, this was kind of forgettable with a lot of songs feeling unfinished. But, my god Ludwig Van is awful and one of their worst songs. Just a bad experiment that failed. Listen to this shit:
10. Morbid Visions (1986) - Musically, it's very impressive for such young kids. None of them were 18 when they made this. Still, it's very sloppy and terribly produced. The production ruins most of the songs. It's still heavy and close to Death Metal. But, you can hear the drastic improvement they made the next year in how much better "Troops Of Doom" sounds on Schizophrenia compared to this.
11. Kairos (2011) - Very blah and unmemorable album. These mid Sepultura albums blend together. I'll say this is the last mid one, because the remaining albums I just don't like.
12. Roots (1996) - I have zero nostalgia for this. I found it boring when I tried when I was younger and still find it dreadfully dull. "Lookaway" is just terrible and an awful use of the great Mike Patton. And get that Jonathan Davis out of my Sepultura. The Tribal stuff was awesome on Chaos AD, but way overused and boring on here. Can't stand this album. And even as an early Nu Metal album from 1996, I'd take Korn's first two albums and The Deftones first album over Roots anyday.
13. Roorback (2003) - Shit album. Not much to say about these early Derek Green albums. Once in a while, a decent Hardcore section will break out. Green's vocals aren't bad or anything, but are too similar to Max's. Still, I hate this, but not as much as the bottom two.
14. Nation (2001) - Interchangeable with the bottom album really, but has a song that I find unintentionally hilarious. "Uma Cura" has to be the goofiest song they've ever done. Sounds like something from a 90's perfume commercial. Just listen to this goofy song:
15. Against (1998) - First album without Max, and just so bad but in a boring way. Just the dullest Nu-Metal. Not even anything fun bad. Nation is just as bad, but the campiness of some of the songs makes it slightly better than this one.
I was gonna do Morbid Angel next, but I feel like going with a personal band to me and that's Fear Factory. I heard "Zero Signal" on the 95 Mortal Kombat soundtrack and was blown away. I'd say it's the song that made me interested in heavy music. I loved their mix of melody with the harsh vocals. I like most of their albums actually (Besides a few awful ones), so unlike Sepultura it will be an easier listen.
Gary
Hot Rats
I'll go to bat for "Morbid Visions". I find the sloppiness and production to be part of it's appeal-it's extreme metal at it's most primitive (both in age and sound), stripped to the bone without any regality or technical finesse. Just unpolished evil.
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Gary
Hot Rats
Anyways, my Sepultura ranking
1.) Beneath the Remains
2.) Arise
3.) Chaos AD
4.) Schizophrenia
5.) Morbid Visions
6.) Quadra
7.) Roots (it has it's moments)
Then everything else, which I have zero interest in, though I might give "Machine Messiah" a listen.
1.) Beneath the Remains
2.) Arise
3.) Chaos AD
4.) Schizophrenia
5.) Morbid Visions
6.) Quadra
7.) Roots (it has it's moments)
Then everything else, which I have zero interest in, though I might give "Machine Messiah" a listen.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I haven't liked any Sepultura post-Roots, but if you're both ranking Quadra that high then I'll need to give it a shot.
My rankings for the real stuff is basically the same as yours, except I'd swap Chaos AD and Schizophrenia. I tried to convince an old band I was in to cover "Beneath the Remains" because the drummer was from Brazil, but they weren't interested.
Get ready, @Brocklock , for some real valleys after Obsolete on your Fear Factory listen. Like you, they were also my gateway to harsher metal, and probably a big reason why I got into the deathy side of grindcore as a teen via Brujeria and Phobia.
My rankings for the real stuff is basically the same as yours, except I'd swap Chaos AD and Schizophrenia. I tried to convince an old band I was in to cover "Beneath the Remains" because the drummer was from Brazil, but they weren't interested.
Get ready, @Brocklock , for some real valleys after Obsolete on your Fear Factory listen. Like you, they were also my gateway to harsher metal, and probably a big reason why I got into the deathy side of grindcore as a teen via Brujeria and Phobia.
There are two albums by FF that I think are complete shit, and if you are familiar with their discography, you know the two. Their last two albums, I really only listened to once and don't remember anything. I don't think they were awful or anything. Every other album I thought was damn good to great, but we'll see how it goes this time.
One Epic Winter (OEW)
Epic Reine
Digimortal is the only truly wretched FF album but I was never a huge fan so mty opinion doesn't mean much.
Transgression is way worse. The first three songs just sound like decent outtakes from Archetype and the rest is barely metal at times. They go full on alt rock on a couple songs and the U2 cover sucks. I'll bitch more about that album later.
Digimortal also is really bad, but honestly there are way worse Nu Metal albums by Metal bands ("cough" Machine Head "cough"). The song with B-Real is a low point for the band though, but I think the worst songs on Transgression are even worse.
Digimortal also is really bad, but honestly there are way worse Nu Metal albums by Metal bands ("cough" Machine Head "cough"). The song with B-Real is a low point for the band though, but I think the worst songs on Transgression are even worse.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Transgression was so bad that Burton mended fences with Dino.
Fear Factory rankings:
1. Demanufacture (1995) - Quintessential Fear Factory album. So many classics, and the defining album for their sound. "Self Bias Resistor", "Zero Signal", "Replica" "New Breed" and "Pisschrist" are all among my favorite FF songs. This is one of my favorite Industrial Metal albums ever and is close to perfect.
2. Obsolete (1998) - Along with Reinventing The Steel by Pantera, is possibly the first real metal album I've ever owned. I mostly had Nu-Metal/Hard Rock/Weird Al before that. Other than the cover of "Cars" that I don't like Burton's voice on, the album is really great. There are elements of Nu-Metal here and I would say "Edgecrusher" is pretty much a good Nu-Metal song. I love Fear Factory ballads and "Resurrection" and "Descent" are among my favorites by them. Burton's clean vocals shouldn't work, but they add so much gravity to the music. Classic album.
3. Mechanize (2010) - Maybe their heaviest album and the inclusion of great guitar solos added so much to the music. We got Gene Hoglan on drums killing it. Dino's guitar work might be the best on any FF album here. This is a great comeback album and rejuvenated the band. "Final Exit" is another one of my favorite FF ballads.
4. Soul Of A New Machine (1992) - Very raw and Burton's growling takes some time to get used to. Some great songs here and their sound is almost fully realized on their first album. The only thing is the vocals can be goofy like on the beginning of "Martyr". They did a rerecording of a few songs from this album on Mechanize and I'd love for them to do the whole album. Burton has just gotten so much better as a vocalist. I still love the album regardless of vocals. The death metal elements are great and the music is crushing. Some of my favorite songs they've ever done are on here like "Martyr", "Crisis", "Scapegoat", "Crash Test", and"Self Immolation".
5. Archetype (2004) - First album without Dino and could've been a disaster, but they made a damn good album. A return to form after Digimortal. My only problem is the second half is weaker than the first half. The first 7 or 8 songs are really good, then the rest is forgettable. The Nirvana cover is okay, but I don't care for "Bite The Hand That Bleeds" or "Human Shields". Those are two of the weaker FF ballads. The heavy songs kick ass though. "Slave Labor", "Cyberwaste", "Act Of God", "Archetype", and "Undercurrent" all reestablish how good Fear Factory can be after their attempt at Nu Metal.
6. The Industrialist (2012) - Good album, but it's just Mechanize part 2. They don't really add much new to the sound on Mechanize. That said, there's still some great stuff here. I love the title track and "New Messiah". It just blends together a little too much.
7. Genexus (2015) - See above complaints. Pretty much Mechanize part 3. A solid album that takes zero risks and will be forgotten in a week. I do really like "Church of Execution" and DieElectric" though.
8. Aggression Continuum (2021) - Not Mechanize part 4, just a totally forgettable album that feels like a step back. I love Burton as a vocalist, but they really need a change to their sound. The band is just tired here. Hopefully, the new vocalist revitalizes the band. I can't even remember any stand out tracks.
9. Digimortal (2001) - Don't get me wrong, this is a very bad album, but it could've been so much worse. The Machine Head Nu Metal is way worse. I actually like a couple songs on here. "Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies") is a great ballad. "Hurt Conveyor" could've been on Obsolete and is one of the heavier songs on the album. The album is still a cheese fest for the most part and there is some bad shit here. It's a Nu Metal album after all. I like the trend of posting youtube vids of the band's I rank worst songs so here's Burton C. Bell attempting to rap with B Real
10. Transgression (2005) - I remember being so let down by this, but in hindsight it's not a shock this turned out to be a terrible album. The label pressured them to rush the album out and we got this shit sandwich. The first three songs are decent songs that could've been on Archetype, but the rest of the album is just trash. Burton did most of the writing and work on the album and was really into Alt Rock and maybe even Emo at the time.The entire second half is covers mixed with slow alt rock songs with some Fear Factory slipping in. The "I Will Follow" cover is atrocious and I have to post probably my least favorite Fear Factory song they've ever done.
I'm going a little more modern for my next ranking. I'm gonna do Cattle Decapitation. Yeah, I know they've been around for 25 years, but it feels like they've only been huge for around ten. I remember not liking them in high school and making fun of them. I listened to their latest album a few years ago and was blown away and now I'm a big fan. I can't believe how much their sound changed from pure grind to death grind to brutal technical progressive death metal.
1. Demanufacture (1995) - Quintessential Fear Factory album. So many classics, and the defining album for their sound. "Self Bias Resistor", "Zero Signal", "Replica" "New Breed" and "Pisschrist" are all among my favorite FF songs. This is one of my favorite Industrial Metal albums ever and is close to perfect.
2. Obsolete (1998) - Along with Reinventing The Steel by Pantera, is possibly the first real metal album I've ever owned. I mostly had Nu-Metal/Hard Rock/Weird Al before that. Other than the cover of "Cars" that I don't like Burton's voice on, the album is really great. There are elements of Nu-Metal here and I would say "Edgecrusher" is pretty much a good Nu-Metal song. I love Fear Factory ballads and "Resurrection" and "Descent" are among my favorites by them. Burton's clean vocals shouldn't work, but they add so much gravity to the music. Classic album.
3. Mechanize (2010) - Maybe their heaviest album and the inclusion of great guitar solos added so much to the music. We got Gene Hoglan on drums killing it. Dino's guitar work might be the best on any FF album here. This is a great comeback album and rejuvenated the band. "Final Exit" is another one of my favorite FF ballads.
4. Soul Of A New Machine (1992) - Very raw and Burton's growling takes some time to get used to. Some great songs here and their sound is almost fully realized on their first album. The only thing is the vocals can be goofy like on the beginning of "Martyr". They did a rerecording of a few songs from this album on Mechanize and I'd love for them to do the whole album. Burton has just gotten so much better as a vocalist. I still love the album regardless of vocals. The death metal elements are great and the music is crushing. Some of my favorite songs they've ever done are on here like "Martyr", "Crisis", "Scapegoat", "Crash Test", and"Self Immolation".
5. Archetype (2004) - First album without Dino and could've been a disaster, but they made a damn good album. A return to form after Digimortal. My only problem is the second half is weaker than the first half. The first 7 or 8 songs are really good, then the rest is forgettable. The Nirvana cover is okay, but I don't care for "Bite The Hand That Bleeds" or "Human Shields". Those are two of the weaker FF ballads. The heavy songs kick ass though. "Slave Labor", "Cyberwaste", "Act Of God", "Archetype", and "Undercurrent" all reestablish how good Fear Factory can be after their attempt at Nu Metal.
6. The Industrialist (2012) - Good album, but it's just Mechanize part 2. They don't really add much new to the sound on Mechanize. That said, there's still some great stuff here. I love the title track and "New Messiah". It just blends together a little too much.
7. Genexus (2015) - See above complaints. Pretty much Mechanize part 3. A solid album that takes zero risks and will be forgotten in a week. I do really like "Church of Execution" and DieElectric" though.
8. Aggression Continuum (2021) - Not Mechanize part 4, just a totally forgettable album that feels like a step back. I love Burton as a vocalist, but they really need a change to their sound. The band is just tired here. Hopefully, the new vocalist revitalizes the band. I can't even remember any stand out tracks.
9. Digimortal (2001) - Don't get me wrong, this is a very bad album, but it could've been so much worse. The Machine Head Nu Metal is way worse. I actually like a couple songs on here. "Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies") is a great ballad. "Hurt Conveyor" could've been on Obsolete and is one of the heavier songs on the album. The album is still a cheese fest for the most part and there is some bad shit here. It's a Nu Metal album after all. I like the trend of posting youtube vids of the band's I rank worst songs so here's Burton C. Bell attempting to rap with B Real
10. Transgression (2005) - I remember being so let down by this, but in hindsight it's not a shock this turned out to be a terrible album. The label pressured them to rush the album out and we got this shit sandwich. The first three songs are decent songs that could've been on Archetype, but the rest of the album is just trash. Burton did most of the writing and work on the album and was really into Alt Rock and maybe even Emo at the time.The entire second half is covers mixed with slow alt rock songs with some Fear Factory slipping in. The "I Will Follow" cover is atrocious and I have to post probably my least favorite Fear Factory song they've ever done.
I'm going a little more modern for my next ranking. I'm gonna do Cattle Decapitation. Yeah, I know they've been around for 25 years, but it feels like they've only been huge for around ten. I remember not liking them in high school and making fun of them. I listened to their latest album a few years ago and was blown away and now I'm a big fan. I can't believe how much their sound changed from pure grind to death grind to brutal technical progressive death metal.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I'd only swap Obsolete and Mechanize, honestly.
Brock, I advise you to listen to a few of the early Brujeria releases. You'll recognize quite a lot of riffs that were shared on Soul and Demanufacture.
The Cattle Decapitation one will be something to see. I was never big into them outside of a few songs, way more into Aborted and Benighted of that era of deathgrind (and Gorerotted/the Rotted are PRIME 00s deathgrind), but you can't deny Travis Ryan's shrieks as being so damn unique.
Brock, I advise you to listen to a few of the early Brujeria releases. You'll recognize quite a lot of riffs that were shared on Soul and Demanufacture.
The Cattle Decapitation one will be something to see. I was never big into them outside of a few songs, way more into Aborted and Benighted of that era of deathgrind (and Gorerotted/the Rotted are PRIME 00s deathgrind), but you can't deny Travis Ryan's shrieks as being so damn unique.
Cattle is a stranger band than some of the others I've ranked going through this listen through. You could probably skip the first four albums entirely. They aren't great and they don't really find their sound until 2006's Karma Bloody Karma. It's been fun to hear the progression from album to album though. Everyone from the vocalist to the guitarist to the drummer just keep getting better with every album. Going from their debut being a 12 minute grindcore album to having multiple songs over ten minutes is mindblowing to me.
2012's Monolith of Humanity was when they fully realized their sound and the following three albums barely have any grindcore elements.
2012's Monolith of Humanity was when they fully realized their sound and the following three albums barely have any grindcore elements.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I don't feel the opposite, because their crowning achievement has to be Monolith, but I haven't cared much at all for what they've done since. It's all felt a bit too sanitized for a band that started doing something as wonderfully ugly as grindcore, made worse because you can point to contemporaries like Pig Destroyer, whose post-Natasha releases at least feel like further explorations of their sound and style.
Similarly, the last Aborted album I genuinely think is worthwhile is Goremageddon, and think everything after feels too polished and like it's chasing a trend. Compare that to Exhumed post-reunion, where the weaker releases at least still feel like the same band that released Slaughtercult. There's a grander difference in tone and feel between Slaughter & Apparatus and Mania Cult.
Similarly, the last Aborted album I genuinely think is worthwhile is Goremageddon, and think everything after feels too polished and like it's chasing a trend. Compare that to Exhumed post-reunion, where the weaker releases at least still feel like the same band that released Slaughtercult. There's a grander difference in tone and feel between Slaughter & Apparatus and Mania Cult.
Anymore I prefer grandiose in my Metal compared to grit, so I really loved their last album Terrasite and spoiler alert I consider that their magnum opus. I can listen to 500 other grind bands that do similar things to early CD, I prefer them changing it up and pushing the progression. Also, as I get older the less i want to listen to grind like Nasum, Exhumed, etc. It just doesn't get anything out of me anymore.
Also, I don't think i've heard of Aborted so I'll give my metalhead card away. Maybe I have, but tbh the name Aborted does not stand out in any way compared to most other Death/Grind bands with the most insane and disgusting names.
Also, I don't think i've heard of Aborted so I'll give my metalhead card away. Maybe I have, but tbh the name Aborted does not stand out in any way compared to most other Death/Grind bands with the most insane and disgusting names.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Aborted only became a bigger deal, though not "big" (even in the metal sense), with RetroGore in 2016. The Belgian deathgrind scene was very "modern" in that era, with Aborted and Benighted being more grind in that post-MySpace manner of "throw a bunch of shit at the wall" with frequent tempo changes instead of something like Assück or Insect Warfare.
Yeah, see around that time was when I didn't really seek out much new music. I mostly stuck to listening to my favorites over and over again. Now, this last year has gotten me back into looking for new Metal and new music as a whole.
A Cattle Decapitation ranking and I'm going to pick some favorite songs on most of the albums because they aren't as known here as some of the other bands I've ranked:
1. Terrasite (2023) - To me, I get choosing my number two over this, but I love how epic and huge this album feels. They put everything into it. And Travis Ryan give his best vocal performance yet. He shows the full gamut of his range going from low growls to weird pterodactyl shrieks to the odd clean vocals known as the Goblin Cleans to the more traditional clean vocals. He is incredible.The technicality is toned down slightly with a lot of added melody and groove. Those Goblin Clean Vocals are in every song pretty much, but thankfully I love them and they add so much. If you don't like them, the album isn't for you. I love the riffs on this album. Every song is a riff fest. This song might be my favorite:
2. Monolith of Inhumanity (2012) - The album that really defined them and where they put it all together. They still have their early death grind sound, but this is the album where they really include melody and epic song structures. I don't blame anyone for picking this number one. I just prefer the grandiosity of Terrasite.
3. Death Atlas (2019) - Could've been as high as number 1, but all of the ambient tracks add nothing and hurt the flow. They push their sound further and add some progressive metal elements that they expand upon on Terrasite. But, it sounds amazing on here and was an added kink to the sound that I loved. They do their first ten minute song and I think they manage to keep their longer songs creative and interesting.
4. The Harvest Floor (2009) - Brutal album. Great tech grind and I'd have it higher, but I prefer the other three albums for how epic they are. This is still amazing progression from their debut a decade earlier. Some of it reminds me of Necrophagist with much more brutal vocals. I haven't mentioned the Black Metal aspects of the band that much, but it's really fun when they pop up. They are most prevalent on this album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPQxmqH4Zak
5. The Anthropocene Exhibition (2015) - Kind of bleeds in more than their other later albums, but still a great album for Cattle DeCap. The progression from Monolith and they add a little more melody here and there. No long or epic songs yet, but a nice building block album. Heavy as fuck though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVii-tCu3V8
6. Karma Bloody Karma (2006) - Another step up. The band kept upping their technicality and riff work. The fun aspect of going through each album chronologically is seeing the progression from the band. Travis Ryan and guitarist Josh Elmore have really grown. They didn't find their permanent drummer until the following year, but Michael Laughlin does a great job.
7. Humanure (2004) - First album where I actually heard some of the band as they came out. I thought they were a gimmick band at the time, but this album showed a lot of growth and transitioned to more of a pure death metal sound. The album cover is pretty legendary too. This is the first song that made me notice them though. It is so much better than anything they put out up to this point. I remember hearing this on MySpace as well
8. To Serve Man (2002) - They improve little by little. The third album is over a half hour now and the song structures are getting more complicated by the album. Still No real stand out track.
9. Homovore (2000) - They add some Death metal elements to their grindcore sound and it's slightly better, but they are still very green. Doesn't stand out at all.
10. Human Jerky (1999) - A 12 minute album of amateurish sounding grindcore. Nothing to see here.
I'm gonna rank a band that I've listened to every album next, so Morbid Angel is up. I want something more familiar. I missed most of Cattle Decap's albums up until Monolith, so I had to relisten to a bunch of the albums to properly do the ranking justice. Same with Exodus, which were a difficult band to rank. I got somewhat of an idea of Morbid Angel, but there are still some albums that could climb up the rankings. The last album is obvious though.
1. Terrasite (2023) - To me, I get choosing my number two over this, but I love how epic and huge this album feels. They put everything into it. And Travis Ryan give his best vocal performance yet. He shows the full gamut of his range going from low growls to weird pterodactyl shrieks to the odd clean vocals known as the Goblin Cleans to the more traditional clean vocals. He is incredible.The technicality is toned down slightly with a lot of added melody and groove. Those Goblin Clean Vocals are in every song pretty much, but thankfully I love them and they add so much. If you don't like them, the album isn't for you. I love the riffs on this album. Every song is a riff fest. This song might be my favorite:
2. Monolith of Inhumanity (2012) - The album that really defined them and where they put it all together. They still have their early death grind sound, but this is the album where they really include melody and epic song structures. I don't blame anyone for picking this number one. I just prefer the grandiosity of Terrasite.
3. Death Atlas (2019) - Could've been as high as number 1, but all of the ambient tracks add nothing and hurt the flow. They push their sound further and add some progressive metal elements that they expand upon on Terrasite. But, it sounds amazing on here and was an added kink to the sound that I loved. They do their first ten minute song and I think they manage to keep their longer songs creative and interesting.
4. The Harvest Floor (2009) - Brutal album. Great tech grind and I'd have it higher, but I prefer the other three albums for how epic they are. This is still amazing progression from their debut a decade earlier. Some of it reminds me of Necrophagist with much more brutal vocals. I haven't mentioned the Black Metal aspects of the band that much, but it's really fun when they pop up. They are most prevalent on this album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPQxmqH4Zak
5. The Anthropocene Exhibition (2015) - Kind of bleeds in more than their other later albums, but still a great album for Cattle DeCap. The progression from Monolith and they add a little more melody here and there. No long or epic songs yet, but a nice building block album. Heavy as fuck though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVii-tCu3V8
6. Karma Bloody Karma (2006) - Another step up. The band kept upping their technicality and riff work. The fun aspect of going through each album chronologically is seeing the progression from the band. Travis Ryan and guitarist Josh Elmore have really grown. They didn't find their permanent drummer until the following year, but Michael Laughlin does a great job.
Alone At The Landfill
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesAlone At The Landfill · Cattle DecapitationKarma.Bloody.Karma℗ 2006 Metal Blade Records, Inc.Released on: 2006-...
www.youtube.com
7. Humanure (2004) - First album where I actually heard some of the band as they came out. I thought they were a gimmick band at the time, but this album showed a lot of growth and transitioned to more of a pure death metal sound. The album cover is pretty legendary too. This is the first song that made me notice them though. It is so much better than anything they put out up to this point. I remember hearing this on MySpace as well
Humanure
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesHumanure · Cattle DecapitationHumanure℗ 2004 Metal Blade Records, Inc.Released on: 2004-07-13Auto-generated by ...
www.youtube.com
8. To Serve Man (2002) - They improve little by little. The third album is over a half hour now and the song structures are getting more complicated by the album. Still No real stand out track.
9. Homovore (2000) - They add some Death metal elements to their grindcore sound and it's slightly better, but they are still very green. Doesn't stand out at all.
10. Human Jerky (1999) - A 12 minute album of amateurish sounding grindcore. Nothing to see here.
I'm gonna rank a band that I've listened to every album next, so Morbid Angel is up. I want something more familiar. I missed most of Cattle Decap's albums up until Monolith, so I had to relisten to a bunch of the albums to properly do the ranking justice. Same with Exodus, which were a difficult band to rank. I got somewhat of an idea of Morbid Angel, but there are still some albums that could climb up the rankings. The last album is obvious though.
lmao, the title is so lame and the lyrics are embarrassing. I am shit indeed. They have been doing the same thing since The Satanist and they really need a change in sound. The Satanist was their last album I liked, and this new one probably will be blah based on the uninspiring single.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I've always thought they were only mid, personally. "Edgy teenager's first Satanic metal band" for the folks who think Ghost is just a Disney band.
I liked them a lot until afterThe Satanist. Still spin Demigod a lot. Thought they had a good run from like 2002-2015 or so.
And I was an edgy teen looking for satanic music after feeling Cradle Of Filth was too Disney when I started listening to them so that hurts.
And I was an edgy teen looking for satanic music after feeling Cradle Of Filth was too Disney when I started listening to them so that hurts.
One Epic Winter (OEW)
Epic Reine
Brent Hinds left Mastodon and now the band has gone down several notches in my eyes.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I'm seeing this as an overall positive, but I also stopped liking them after Blood Mountain. Brent's pained wailing on vocals will be missed, but if it means there's any sort of return to the sludgy aggression of the early albums then it's a win to me.
Crack The Skye is my favorite album of their's, so Mastodon is the 12,987th band that me and Laz differ on.
I do think they need a change, but their last double album (Hushed And Grim) was the most inspired they've sounded since Crack The Skye. I love Mastodon's first four albums so much and I'll always have a soft spot for them. I honestly don't dislike any of their albums, but their stuff starting with The Hunter started to lose the grit completely. They did sound rejuvenated on Hushed And Grim, so I'm optimistic about their outlook without Brent.
I do think they need a change, but their last double album (Hushed And Grim) was the most inspired they've sounded since Crack The Skye. I love Mastodon's first four albums so much and I'll always have a soft spot for them. I honestly don't dislike any of their albums, but their stuff starting with The Hunter started to lose the grit completely. They did sound rejuvenated on Hushed And Grim, so I'm optimistic about their outlook without Brent.
One Epic Winter (OEW)
Epic Reine
Tool Apparently Booed for Disappointing Set at Their Own Festival
Fans seemingly were angry that the band didn't play "two unique sets" at the Tool in the Sand fest in Punta Cana. Tool Apparently Booed for Disappointing Set at Their Own Festival Heavy Consequence Staff
www.yahoo.com
Kind of shitty to promote two nights of unique sets only to play the same shit on both nights. It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't the same attendees on both nights since they payed thousands to go to YOUR destination music festival.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
How could anyone tell that they played the same set?