Remembering Ryan Marks
Ryan was an inquisitive soul, eminently funny, and a knowledgeable music enthusiast who was taken from this wretched world way too soon. He would have turned 34 today. This was his favorite place on the internet. List is Cross. |
| 1 |  | Becoming The Archetype
Terminate Damnation
“I joined the site when I was like 14”
Ryan joined in 2007, but had scrubbed or adjusted many of his early ratings since, technically making this his oldest recorded 5 still standing.
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/26516/Becoming-The-Archetype-Terminate-Damnation/ |
| 2 |  | maudlin of the Well
Bath
“I actually have a journalism degree and this is about the extent to which I use it lol
I was inspired by Sputnik, true story”
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/35058/maudlin-of-the-Well-Bath/ |
| 3 |  | Darkosis
Darkosis
“I tried working with MetalSucks once but wow those guys are dicks” |
| 4 |  | Discordance Axis
The Inalienable Dreamless
“The Inalienable Dreamless is an easy Top 5 All-Timer album for me
It will change your life” |
| 5 |  | Mörser
Two Hours to Doom
“I want to say that’s a relatively recent discovery for me too...not sure. Gotta love REAL good grind.
I can’t believe this hasn’t been remastered…it sounds amazing for being recorded in ‘96-‘97.” |
| 6 |  | Venus Star
Smokeless Fires
Ryan always had his ear to the ground when it came to new and upcoming metal releases. He helped with our weekly lists and was set to be a guest contributor for the June edition of our monthly series. “Lesson”, the second track off this album, was his first pick. |
| 7 |  | Oceanic Void
Demo 2022
“We were a slamcore band called Oceanic Void. Unfortunately didn’t last long.
My technique was so damn bad…”
He was shocked to learn his former bandmates had removed their demo and EP from Spotify. You can still find a sample track on the band’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BGff75sWd/ |
| 8 |  | Origin
Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas
“I opened for Origin once.”
Here’s a pic of John sporting some OV swag:
https://imgur.com/a/mWcmIWU |
| 9 |  | Plasmodulated
Plasmodulated
“The guy behind Plasmodulated and Liminal Erosion is kind of a prick. He started this new thing less than two months after Plasmodulated and I made an offhand comment like, ‘What could these prolific people make if they focused?’ and he and some other rando said I looked like I was shoved in a locker a lot as a kid.
I mean they were alright but I was genuinely wondering what they could’ve been if he stayed with them for a minute rather than just immediately moving on.
‘Alright I’ll stop being creative.’
What a wild misconstruing of that term.
I expanded on my point in the most neutral way I could and they shut up real fast, so
Some other guy said it but he laughed at it so
Just wish it wasn’t correct lol” |
| 10 |  | Monochromatic Black
Pneuma
“Well now I’m mad at the band Monochromatic Black for stupid reasons, lol
Their drummer listed a copy of Crowbar’s ‘Sonic Excess’ album, which is just insanely hard to find, and as soon as I bought it he cancelled the order and relisted it at TRIPLE the price. Then he went and complained and got my negative feedback on it removed.
He was like, ‘Bro I’m so sorry, I totally meant to put a 1 in front of the 50. That’s what it’s going for. Again so sorry.’
The last time that particular edition was sold was last November for $40, and that’s the highest price it’s ever gone for. There’s two other versions in Europe going for around €60, but well…we’re basically embargoed. This asshat was like, ‘No I totally meant to charge $149.99’” |
| 11 |  | Francisco Lopez
Untitled #104
“I’m kinda obsessed with CDs, they’re really my thing.” |
| 12 |  | .357 Homicide
Cremating the Dismembered
“Hawks bitching about BTBAM being the worst band of all time when .357 Homicide exists
I’m all for slam but damn. How do you wring all fun out of it??
Thick cockney accent: ‘If ya don’t like slam ya granddad was probly a war desertah.’
Ok that’s a hilarious intro” |
| 13 |  | Mentality (SVK)
Teonanacatl
“This rules. Of course only ever released once. On cassette lol” |
| 14 |  | System of a Down
Steal This Album!
“Honestly it irritates me when bands are super anti-piracy. It makes sense on the face of it but even a HINT of marketing or economic logic would tell you it’s arguably better than making your shit exclusive behind a paywall.
I don’t know why I find it so hard to fully articulate this argument because I wholeheartedly believe in it…
I don’t think it significantly increases the number of people who pay for it, or at least more significantly reduces the number of people who hear it.
You lose more listeners by keeping it behind a paywall than you gain people who pay in, I think is better.” |
| 15 |  | Uzumaki (USA)
Knowledge of a Language One Has Never Learned
“I JUST found out about this guy [Jared Moran, via Ange de la Mort] the other day because he’s in…everything. By way of him I figured out that Occulsed’s vocalist is my old friend Kenny.
He’s the guy that got me into harsh noise, go figure” |
| 16 |  | Funebrarum
The Sleep of Morbid Dreams
“Funebrarum ‘Sleep of Morbid Dreams’ is my personal favorite death metal album of 2000-2009” |
| 17 |  | Krallice
Years Past Matter
“I like Krallice but I’m not a HUGE fan or anything; I just subscribe to this particular videographer and was going through their playlist. I didn’t even intend on keeping it on and now I’m halfway through it. This is one of the most incredible live sets I’ve ever seen.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6mgWRTNCdA
“Yeah Krallice are just a LITTLE too prolific for my liking. They’re consistent enough but it’s obvious certain releases don’t hold up as well. Colin Marston is at that level where just his name in the producer slot is a huge endorsement, and when people eat up anything you touch that tends to make you worse at self-editing. He does a ton of other wild, experimental shit too and…it’s not all particularly great.” |
| 18 |  | Cryptopsy
None So Vile
“I really really hate being A***ican right now” |
| 19 |  | Nadja
Thaumogenesis
“Wondering if emigration is possible/worth it, lol
Canada would probably be the ideal. I predict they’re going to see a lot of influx sooner than later. I wonder how THAT’S gonna go over…” |
| 20 |  | Trichomoniasis
Containment Facility
“I can’t even explain the bizarre, cruel failings of the healthcare system here.”
Not going to go into detail here, but as he disclosed in some of his Sput lists, Ryan was battling his way through multiple hardships by the end of 2025. His love for his cats and his unquenchable thirst for new music were what got him through that time. We kept working on metal release lists until he had to tend to more pressing matters.
“I appreciate that so much, and it helps to have something to focus on and remind myself that I’m really lucky to live in a time where this doesn’t COMPLETELY isolate me from music.”
He would have loved this one. |
| 21 |  | Ram Ventilation
Every Day
This was his final harsh noise release. Most of his work, released under varying pseudonyms, can be found on his Bandcamp:
https://ramventilation.bandcamp.com/music
You will be missed. |
|
