Album Rating: 4.0

a line of deathless kings is so underappreciated, feel like that one gets lost in the shuffle of their discog by some but it's among their best

Album Rating: 4.0

Agreed, A Line of Deathless Kings is a great album. As is this.

Album Rating: 4.0

i do think ALoDK edges this but that's fine, i still love this one. ghost of orion i like too, it is a bit of anomaly in their discography in that it's slower and more relaxed than most of their work but it suits a mood. the only thing i really don't like about that one is the production on the vocals.

Album Rating: 4.0

alodk is fucking amazing

Album Rating: 4.0

Idk guys, alodk sounds like MDB on autopilot.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

light at the end of the world is the most underappreciated tbh

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

I always enjoy ranking the LP’s and it changes some over time, so here goes:



1. Turn Loose the Swans (5)

2. The Dreadful Hours (4.5)

3. The Angel and the Dark River (4.5)

4. A Line of Deathless Kings (4)

5. Feel the Misery (4)

6. Trinity (not a real album, I know but I don’t care, soooo many incredible and crushing songs)! (4)

7. As the Flower Withers (4)

8. Songs of Darkness, Words of Light (4)

9. Like Gods of the Sun (3.5)

10. A Map of All Our Failures (3.5)

11. For Lies I Sire (3.5)

12. The Light at the End of the World (3.5)

13. 34% (3)

13. A Mortal Binding (2.5)

14. The Ghost of Orion (2.5)

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

see? like i said, underappreciated.

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

Under appreciated to some, sure. All a matter of personal preference of course. But even Andy stated he was unhappy with “The Light” when he compared it to The Dreadful Hours. My primary issue with TLATEOTW is that it doesn’t have any songs, save “She is the Dark”, that are absolute classic MDB (whereas many of their other albums contain a handful of classic tracks). Plenty of good material though, it’s not as if I skip any of the songs.

Album Rating: 4.0

Cmon guys there is only one MDB album that is truly underappreciated and we all know the answer to that.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

what concept of a classic are you using here?

Album Rating: 4.0

I thought one of The Light's characteristics was that it has very distinguishable songs.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

yeah me too lol

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off



In my opinion, a classic is a song that is nearly perfect in its execution, that people demand and expect at live shows, where every riff, section and vocal melody fall perfectly into place. A song that hits hard emotionally, that stays with you long after you hear it, that you can’t get enough of - it literally blows you away! The songs on the Light are certainly distinguishable, but I don’t enjoy them as much them as many of their other albums as a whole. Kind of pointless to debate as it’s all a matter of personal preference. I had a discussion on the metal archives with someone who gave A Mortal Binding 100%, stating it was their only perfect record, without a single flaw, and stood high above Turn Loose the Swans. I couldn’t possibly disagree more and have trouble understanding that perspective, but it is what it is: art is subjective and there is no right or wrong. To you the Light is under rated, to me it is not.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

a metal archives refugee, my god.

Album Rating: 4.0

yeah this album definitely isn't flawless but there isn't a single MDB record that is flawless - classics can be flawed. i think i could point out a flaw in practically every single one of my 5/5's because for me the classic rating is about an emotional connection to a record - having a life changing experience with it, something that has shaped you. frankly i find that more interesting to talk about too, a unique perspective on why someone loves something as opposed to asinine arguments about how good a drum fill is or isn't.

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

I agree, the emotional connection and how it shapes you is critical. Someone whose entry point to MDB was ‘Turn Loose’ versus say ‘For Lies I Sire’, may have an entirely different perception and be shocked when they go back to the bands earliest content. I love talking about the first times I heard MDB, it really was what you explained - emotionally resonant, never to be forgotten, and even jaw dropping. Turn Loose the Swans happens to be a record that I find flawless from both perspectives, emotionally and analytically. Every second just works for me.

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

I’m there with those of you that love A Line of Deathless Kings. Aaron’s vocals are absolutely insane here, from the quality of his voice and vibrato, to the typical passion and uniqueness he exudes, to the almost timeless beauty of the vocal melodies. This album has a great synthesis of classic doom/death doom/gothic riffs.

Album Rating: 3.5

came around to this

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

Still can't get into this one. One of the rare MDB albums I have little interest in returning to. I just don't feel the passion or inspiration in these compositions, try as I might. I feel like Andy has really boxed himself in with the songwriting patterns and style on the last 2 LP's, along with overly predictable riffing.