Album Rating: 4.5

Mannequin is one of the best songs they’ve ever made.

Album Rating: 4.0

This and Thorn are criminally overlooked.

Album Rating: 4.5

For sure they are.

Album Rating: 4.5

[3]

Album Rating: 4.0

Holy crap this is really good, I need a few more listens before I decide on a rating, but that'll surely be at least a solid 4

Album Rating: 4.5

Wow I was seriously just listening to this on my bike, and was just getting ready to post here!



One of their most underrated records, a blast from start to finish. Mannequin's drumming and riffs stood out massively to me this time.



Glad you checked this and a strong 4.0 is right! To me it even is a strong 4.5 haha!

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah, I loved Mannequin too - as someone who had listened to pretty much nothing post-Midian, I feel this is quite different, but not in a bad way.

Album Rating: 4.5

Very true. Have you checked their latest two? Hammer and Cryptoriana? They're seen as among their best after the early ones, and rightfully so!

Album Rating: 4.0

Nope, but I did hear very good things about these, they're on my list!



Hurt and Virtue goes HARD btw

Album Rating: 5.0

This is probably the COF I listen to the most, some absolutely HUGE songs and the orchestra and choir rules.

I think this gets overlooked because they moved to Roadrunner and got accused of ‘selling out’ - as if they weren’t already flogging tonnes of merch on rep and slogans like ‘Jesus is a cunt’ alone!

The production is absolutely top tier as well, the huge sound as Babylon AD hits, the snap of the drums at the beginning of Better to Reign the strings on I Thank God For The Suffering... top album

Album Rating: 4.5

Yeah absolutely. And The Smoke Of Her Burning is among their very best. For such a long album I always feel it flows by super quickly.

U sitting down?

I have never heard this

Album Rating: 4.0

Never understood these accusations of selling out tbh. Releasing a 76 min long concept album is not really my idea of selling out.

Yeah BM bands selling out is a different beast

Album Rating: 4.5

... Egarran!!!!!!!!!!!!



Listen to it. It's magnificent. Many a career highlight as far as I'm concerned. And some top Dani lyrics, for a lyrics guy like you there's lots to love here!

Album Rating: 5.0

Egarran - it’s time to remedy that! Listen ASAP!



Lol Metz I totally get your point but for black metal it’s like having an album that doesn’t sound like a storm in a tin can is selling out so signing to Roadrunner and hiring (off the top of my head) a 32 piece orchestra and 16 piece choir was seen as a bit much :D

Album Rating: 5.0

Oh yeah Trif agreed, I think conceptually and lyrically this is probably Dani’s best and most realised vision.

Album Rating: 4.5

Yeah totally. He goes nuts on this, heavily poetic and not so different from rap at all, when one considers a heavy focus on flow/groove/rhythm. Is it weird that I associate his delivery here with rap? It has always felt that way to me. And I mean this as a huge compliment to Dani by the way.



Going to listen to this again now and I'll try to note down some instances of rap-Dani.

Album Rating: 4.5

Probably all of An Enemy Led The Tempest qualifies. That track is huge and humongous and I think it is top 5 or even 3 Cradle to me. In-sane-ly good.

Album Rating: 4.0

Lol too true Shemson.



I might have to listen to Nymphetamine again too - I only played it the one time in its entirety and didn't really think much of it at the time so I 3'd it but I might be able to actually enjoy it now, since I'm having such a blast with Damnation.