Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

my prob with Austin is that his stuff is always too long so his albums always seem to have plenty of room to get inconsistent, which hurts my ratings. He writes plenty of great 4/5 songs but then there's always one or two tracks I just feel like should've been b-sides.

You know, I don't necessarily disagree with you. But I think I enjoy the tracks you would consider less important more than you do. Matter of opinion, of course.

Album Rating: 4.0

hate how weak the guitars sound

Album Rating: 4.5

Been listening to this album a lot more this week - absolutely gorgeous.



I think the production on this record is perfect - I love the overlying hazy feeling of it and the way the harmonized guitar leads kind of melt in and out of the riffs, never really taking the forefront. It almost reminds of me of a record like Jesu's Silver, which is fucking awesome. There are some moments where it doesn't work, like the first half of Oaks Ablaze but that's because there isn't enough going on musically to take advantage of the production style.



Whoever said the drumming felt off time at parts is definitely spot on, but I don't think it takes away from the record. It has a very human feel, kind of like old rock records from the 70s where you'd consistently hear the kick or snare being off by a 1/4 of of a beat. I think the fills are whatever, nice to hear him show off some skill, but where he really shines is consistently choosing the right pattern to emphasize a strong sense of rhythm in what could otherwise feel like an amorphous haze of riffs.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

yes, agree with everything.

Yep. Near-perfect record.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

easily my aoty for last year, other things were close but also not close at all

did you check that Misthyrming album tho?

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

yeah i did, i liked it a lot! i don't think it made the list of 20 I made but it could be that I didn't listen to it enough to give me enough of an impression to write about it



you should peruse the list ;]

Album Rating: 4.5

I struggle to single out a single best album from last year since there are a handful of records that I feel are the clear best of their genres but pretty difficult to compare to one another in an objective way. There were a number of enjoyable BM albums last year but I do find this is the one I come back to the most.

Album Rating: 2.5

Does this have any of the shitty hillbilly country singing which was on that kentucky album?

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

no, or i don't think so.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

it does not, but u should really save judgment for hearing it anyway

Album Rating: 4.5

New split w/ Waldgefluster on thetruepanopticon.bandcamp.com



edit: I guess it is a pre-order and preview.

That solo in Into The North Woods is incredible

I am afraid this is too polished (not in a good way for black metal), should i listen to this? The only one man USBM band i can tolerate is Leviathan, is it any close?

I wouldn't know, but then again I usually don't care about polish as long as the music is awesome, and this rules.

Album Rating: 4.4 | Sound Off

Mongi that solo blew me away when I first checked this band.

Album Rating: 4.5

"I am afraid this is too polished (not in a good way for black metal), should i listen to this? The only one man USBM band i can tolerate is Leviathan, is it any close?"



not even remotely. it's not that polished tho but it's not similar to leviathan in either production terms or stylistic ones

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

it's not as lo-fi as the s/t but he's never used a "clean" style--even his blackgaze stuff is purposefully fuzzy.