Average Rating: 4.11 Rating Variance: 0.69 Objectivity Score: 57% (Somewhat Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicKoji Kondo The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time OSTPink Floyd The Dark Side Of The MoonPink Floyd Wish You Were HereTame Impala Lonerism4.5 superbGojira The Way of All FleshNirvana Nevermind4.0 excellentBehemoth The SatanistBlack Crown Initiate Song of the Crippled BullCog The New NormalThe Sword ApocryphonApocryphon packs a punch to say the least. Ten lively tracks assemble in an uninhibited, albeit methodical fashion and create a thrilling roller coaster ride, which loops and swerves around mammoth riffs, memorable hooks, colossal drums and zealous vocals before terminating after 45 minutes. I didn't regret buying a ticket. This fiery record is heaviness in its purest state. At only fifteen seconds into the initial track The Veil of Isis, I knew that I was in for a nostalgic trip that would stem back to the beginnings of my love for metal. It helped that Cronise’s vocals were reminiscent of a young Ozzy Osbourne. Tracks like Cloak of Feathers and Eyes of the Stormwitch are the catchiest I've heard in a long time, and the eponymous track Apocryphon consolidates each exalted aspect of their sound into a powerful album closer. Apocryphon will be reverberating off the shed walls of middle aged metalheads reliving the ‘glory days’ for a long time to come.3.5 greatTaberah NecromancerTaberah have procured legions of fans since their meek beginnings in 2004. After touring Australia extensively, the band chronicled their early years of blood, sweat, beers, and tears in their debut album The Light of Which I Dream. Their sophomore effort, Necromancer, is a mature offering that effortlessly eclipses their juvenilia. This album is a headstrong response to the dwindling demand for honest old-school heavy metal. Burning in the Moonlight, Warlord, and the title track were my personal favourites, with a notable mention awarded to My Dear Lord - which opened up with some ethereal vocal harmonies. Necromancer is an exuberant album at heart. Its grandiose grooves and vocals are punchy and inspiring for the most part, but they can grow excessive. Despite possessing the most forgivable of flaws, Necromancer is a conscientious release that emanates the true flair of heavy metal. Taberah have managed to produce an eclectic album in the vein of Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, varnished with a signature, modern twist.2.5 averageLinkin Park The Hunting PartyThe hype surrounding the release of The Hunting Party excited the inner teenager of Linkin Park fans worldwide. Fans were promised a throwback to the seminal nu-metal albums they fell in love with; the Linkin Park of old was back.rDisappointingly, The Hunting Ground fails to recreate the magic of Hybrid Theory or Meteora. Instead, the listener is subjected to a sloppy battle of genres - with no clear winner.rSome of the tracks are decent, and at times it sounds like their classic approach is working. However, a memorable vocal hook on Until It?s Gone, and solid instrumentation on Final Masquerade doesn't save the Hunting Party from being a high-energy, but lifeless record.rI may have matured, but Linkin Park need to continue the hunt. rParkway Drive AtlasWith the release of Atlas, Parkway Drive confirms that it is band unrestrained by the timeworn conventions of its genre.rThis time around, the leaders of the Australian metalcore scene are comfortable abandoning the raw mosh-ready sound that defined them in favour of a more inclusive songwriting approach. rThe benefits of this fresh method are displayed in the tracks 'The River' and 'Atlas', but the standouts are 'Dark Days', 'Wild Eyes' and 'Blue and the Grey'. These tracks exhibit a formulaic writing approach typical of Parkway Drive, but tragically put a dampener on many of the other tracks which mostly involve extravagant arrangement ideas that have potential, but never reach fruition.rWhilst the album lacked at moments and Parkway Drive's expansive songwriting attempts fell short, Atlas is a consistent album; featuring enough mechanical drumming, dynamic guitar playing and ruthless guttural vocals to keep any fan suitably amused.
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