mjhk75

Am I the only one who likes the EP better than the album?

I was so relieved when I listened to WWCD for the first time and realized they hadn’t changed their sound AT ALL for a major label. My only issue with it is too much Westside Gunn, I just don’t like his voice, but that’s a matter of personal taste (I could do without the Eminem verse too, but that goes without saying). Other than that it’s exactly what I was hoping for from these guys.

I love it so much. I'm honestly surprised that no one else even mentioned it, I would have thought it would make at least a few 'gummers lists, but oh well. "Isabella" is my SOTY, hands down.

https://twitter.com/AROD/status/1201930987640221697?s=20

It's not in my top 5. Can't tell me nothin'. Great lists though, both lobster and spud (mmmm….lobster and spuds...). At least we can agree on Blood Incantation!

It was in consideration for my top 10 - in the end I didn't put any rap on my list, but it was definitely one of my favourite rap albums of the year (along with Black Moon and Griselda). A whole new album of Premier beats with THAT voice over top? No complaints here.

Thanks lobster. Hell of a run from 1-6 too (completely unbiased opinion).

1. Alex Lahey - The Best of Luck Club 2. Tomb Mold - Planetary Clairvoyance 3. Counterparts - Nothing Left To Love 4. Oso Oso - Basking in the Glow 5. Martyrdod - Hexhammaren 6. The Menzingers - Hello Exile 7. Brutus - Nest 8. Paganizer - The Tower of the Morbid 9. Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race 10. Gatecreeper - Deserted

I just stopped buying them two years ago, when my car got written off in an accident and my new car didn't have a CD player. (Related: I own every Van Halen album on CD. Yes, even Van Halen III).

I don't know of anything Mr. Nelson has written post-Stereogum, but one thing he's doing is selling vintage music shirts: https://www.etsy.com/shop/junknyc

Forest of Tygers is the highlight for me too (and I must say, I Will Die of Violence is just a great metal album title).

My favourite discovery of the month is the new Paganizer, which admittedly won't win any prizes for experimentation, just old-school-style Swedeath done with lots of energy, and without taking itself too seriously. (The first track is called "Flesh Tornado" - what more do you need?) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be59zqnrHAw

Also, now that I've read the track blurbs - Aaron, I don't know what was in your turkey, but whatever it was, keep it up.

Black Market, Black Friday, black metal...I'm noticing a trend here.

Seconded. One of the best Black Market intro essays ever, regardless of writer - thanks Ian.

Happy Thanksgiving to all you American 'Gummers. I'll just be here at my desk working all day while you're stuffing yourselves in front of the TV. It's OK, don't feel bad about it or anything.

Here's a handy choogle primer: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2007-04-18/466915/

YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! (I, um, am a fan of this band).

You can’t judge a book by its cover. Well, I mean, sometimes you can. And this is one of those times. So forget I said anything.

And that goes double if they play a see-through B.C. Rich.

Also out this week: the Shady Records debut from the Griselda crew (Conway/Benny/Westside), which I'm cautiously optimistic about based on the two singles.

I did. It's fine.

...thank Death Metal for what's on our plate.

Not to mention its 17-word title.

For the record, being able to interact with the staff in the comments section is one of the best things about Stereogum.

I was never really able to get into Starspawn (as I've said before, when it comes to death metal, bludgeoning > experimental), but this one is really clicking for me. Not that it's threatening Tomb Mold for my metal AOTY, but it'll be in my top 10, which I was definitely not expecting going in.

I bet the guy she was singing that about was real happy.

Well, the world may be fucked up, but my day just got better at least.

As usual, the Best Metal Performance nominees are a deeply strange, seemingly random selection (I've never even heard of I Prevail, but hey, Death Angel! Candlemass!!): “Astorolus – The Great Octopus” — Candlemass ft. Tony Iommi “Humanicide” — Death Angel “Bow Down” — I Prevail “Unleashed” — Killswitch Engage “7empest” — Tool

Just last week, Jeopardy asked us “what is death metal?”, which is a question that has baffled philosophers since the dawn of time, or since the 1980s, whichever came later. Scholars (or at least Wikipedia) would have us believe that death metal is “an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music”, and while that may be true on the surface, there are depths to this mysterious art form that even the world’s greatest crowdsourced online encyclopedia could never hope to fathom. What is death metal? To some, it’s the joy of discovering a work of art that moves you, mind, soul, and body (but especially body). To others, it’s the sorrow that comes with contemplating the inevitable end of life, the grand leveller that comes for us all in the end. And to still others, it’s the actual physical pain that comes with subjecting themselves to what, to the untrained ear, has often been described as “what the hell Is that godawful noise?” Joy, sorrow, pain...it truly encompasses the entire range of human emotion. What is death metal? You might as well ask, what is life?