Cruciform (Aus) - Atavism (1993)

Cruciform is an Aussie doom/death barely known, with only a full length and a demo released throughout their career. Both genres here are well blended there is more doom than death here, the riffs however are really slow, repetitive (but not boring) and moody but with a strong death metal feeling. The drumming is more doom than death metal but then again we have parts that resemble a lot to the typical death metal drumming style. The production is also really good, actually excellent, you can hear from the whisper to those killer riffs without any kind of trouble! In this album we have three kinds of growls really deep ones, the others that are closest to the raspy growl, and finally one that is more in the middle of those mentioned before. These guys also use keyboard or synthesizer, I'm not really sure, they use it only for the intro of the album and that's it and that's my only complain about this album, the intro is kind of long and it doesn’t really add anything interesting to the album. Enjoy!

192 kbps
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Agatus (Grc) - The Weaving Fates (2002)

Agatus is probably one of the most important bands from the Hellenic BM scene, especially because of their first album being an essential one amongst the followers of that scene. In their sophomore album Agatus have done something really different and refreshing comparing to their peers Greek peers and other scenes. In my opinion this is one of the greatest black metal albums released in the post 2000 era. One thing that one will notice right away is the strong heavy metal influences, this album is epic, crushing, and at the same time unique. The lyrics are cheesy as hell specially the ones of "Conqueror of Fear" that might be a turn off for some people but then if you are one of those that care too much for what they say just don't read them! The guitar work here is the most important thing, it's well done, lot of nice riffs, like the one at the beginning of Night of a Thousand Stars. The vocalist does an excellent job specially in the song "Conqueror of Fear" this is pretty much my favorite song of them, it's metal in every single way, it has awesome riffs, an excellent drumming, and epic as fucking hell. Being these guys Greeks you will found the typical Hellenic influences like the synthesizers and piano and they are done in such a wonderful way that you would want to listen to this more, a clear example of this is found in the song "Progonalatria" when you think the song won't get anymore epic than that it just gets! If you don't like this you should kill yourself!

192 kbps
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Age of Agony (Hun) - War, Hate, Blasphemy (2005)

Age of agony is one of those bands that worship OSDM, and they do a pretty good job at it. Most Retro dm bands fail like Nominon, Bloodbath, Kaamos, and Ribspreader; they are absolute shit and they just fail at trying to revive something that is almost impossible to bring back. On the other hand we have a couple of pretty good retro or not necessarily retro bands that just know how to write modern dm but heavily influenced by old bands like Repugnant, Dead Congregation, Nerlich, and Age of Agony. Age of Agony like most old bands rely more on the guitar work than anything else, the riffs are pretty good some of them will remind you of early Suffocation and others of early American and Swedish DM. The guitarists are not technical at all they keep it very simple and in my opinion sometimes simple is better. The drumming is really interesting, this is not a blast beat album, they are well used, and pretty much keeps the music in a mid paced direction. The vocalist sounds a bit like Frank Mullen at least for me, kind of monotonous at times but I guess that's alright. The only complain that I have about this album is the production, it could have been better, you will hear the vocalist and most of the drumming coming from the left speaker and in the very few fast parts of the album it sounds like complete shit; other than that is a pretty good album. Enjoy!

256 vbr
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Agonized (Fin) - Gods...(1991)

Agonized is a really unknown Finnish band that only released a demo and what a demo if you ask me! This demo is pretty brutal compared to most bands from the early Finnish scene except Demilich. Agonized has a really dark, creepy, and sinister atmosphere only surpassed by fellow country mates Demigod and Depravity. The vocalist uses a different kind of growl something in the middle of Antti's vocal and your more typical death metal growl. The music here is pretty much mid/slow paced with some fast parts. The guitar work is pretty simple yet does a pretty good job. The production is also pretty good for a demo

160 kbps
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Phantasmagory (Ukr) - Odd Sounds (1999)

Phantasmagory is an obscure band from Ukraine that has released three albums and all of them are highly unknown probably because the Ukraine scene is known for its BM scene. These guys rely heavily on keyboards and synthesizer to create a really weird and abstract atmosphere. These guys are also very proficient musicians with their instrument and one can hear the bass throughout the whole without any trouble, and if you pay enough attention to the music you will hear a couple of nice bass solos, something that is not very common in dm, besides of course some technical death metal bands like Gorgut or Pavor. The drumming is also good, not really technical but makes it appearances here and there. The guitar work is really good, both guitars do an excellent job, lot of good leads and riffs are found in this album. The production of this album is not that good taking into account that this is an album that was recorded in 1990; the production here is kind of muddy and the vocalist can't be heard that well. The singing is similar to the raspy growl of the guy from Sadist, some clean vocals can be heard through the album but they are really short. I recommend this album for people interested in bands similar to Sadist's first album or are new to this genre, despite a couple of problems with the production this album is highly recommendable. Enjoy!

192 kbps
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The Lamp of Thoth (UK) - Portents, Omens & Doom (2008)

Miskatonic records has been putting out The Lamp of Thoth material for a couple of years, starting with Cauldron of Witchery. Which includes a stunning version of Cirith Ungol's Frost and Fire. They doomify that song to the nth degree. Miskatonic now unleashed Portents, Omends, and Dooms satanic frenzy upon the world.

When listening to this album it's a must that one would put what style of doom metal the Lamp of Thoth are going for. The band isn't trying to do something that is revolutionary, yet they aren't another retro rip off band. That being said, how do we find this middle ground? Well, the band has a lot of riffs that are reminiscent of their predecessors; however, the band uses the musical ideas and mixes them with an anti-religious, pro-satan atmosphere. When stating that the band has the pro-satan atmopshere, it's not clear what is actually going on in the music; the band uses the satanic/cult atmosphere in an incredibly uplifting way. Their message is more about, what could be possible better than fucking on the local church altar, in the most mocking way possible. The Lamp of Thoth runs through some catchy songs/quirky songs that embellish Satan like Blood On Satan's Claw to something dark and sinister like Victorian Wizard. Mention quirky songs might put some people off, but when listening to The Lamp of Thoth the band meshes both quirky/uplifting songs with the dark and sinister songs.

All of this being said, it must be noted that the album should be listened as a song by song album, rather than some unifying concept. All the songs are quite good and are great to listen on their own and in the album. Sit down, crack open the nearest craft brew, and vast in the glory of Satan!

www.myspace.com/isentorr to listen to Hand of Glory!

Necromantia (Grc) - Scarlet Evil Witching Black (1995)

This is probably one of the best black metal albums ever released, together with Varathron’s first! Necromantia's sophomore is a monster of black metal album, one of the few albums that was way ahead of it's time and it's still ahead when it's compared to other black metal bands. One of the things that made this album so ahead of it’s time were the two basses, no guitars were used in this album except for the few solos found, another thing were the other instruments used from saxophone to flute and even a flamenco kind solo in the last song. As you can imagine this is more of an avant-garde album than anything else and everything is so well done that it’s hard to believe that only two guys did all this. One of my favorite songs in this album is Black Mirror and that riff at the beginning pretty much kills everything else recorded by their Norwegian peers, this is not about rawness or ‘kvltness’ but how black metal should be done, everything is done in a tasteful way, nothing is missing, the production fits the idea of the album. Enjoy!

320 kbps
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Dead Congregation (Grc) - Purifying Consecrated Ground (2005)

This is the first ep released by the guys of Dead Congregation after changing names. This ep is a lot different than their full length and also a lot different from the demos that they released under the name of Nuclear Winter; the atmosphere is way more sinister, the riffs have a stronger black metal feeling, and the production is also different, rawer would be my guess. The riffs in this ep will make you feel like you are in some sort parallel universe where Satanism, madness, and evilness are all that matters. If you are familiar with Incantation or Immolation you will hear a lot of similar sounding riffs through this ep. Enjoy!

192 vbr
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Burial (Hol) - Relinquished Souls (1993)

Burial’s first and only full length is pretty much Massacre but from a different country. If you are familiar enough with Massacre’s first, you will noticed a lot of similarities from the beginning of the album, like the same thrashy and morbid riffs that will keep you headbanging, the vocalist also sounds pretty much like Kame Lee, and even the drumming is very similar. Production wise is as good as or even better than Massacre’s From Beyond.

224vbr

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Dolorian (Fin) - When all the Laughter has Gone (1999)

There are band that tries to sound all evil and dark, most of them fail, then we have bands like Dolorian that are completely out of this world, this is one of those albums that are all about despair, darkness, and evilness, and that’s something that is really hard to find. The way this band uses the synthesizer is very impressive, they use it a lot but only to create an atmosphere of endless despair and darkness. These guys also use the piano; the piano is played in a real subtle and moody way. The vocalist does an amazing job, it’s one of the things that I enjoy the most; they are raspy and deliver a lot of emotions. Enjoy!

192 kbps
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Loudblast (Fra) - Sublime Dementia (1993)

My personal favorite melodic, mid-paced death metal album. A great apex in the career of his long standing French metal band. Having evolved from a Slayer-esque thrash band to a death/thrash style, then two Morrisound recorded death metal albums... and later melodic death/groove metal. 'Sublime Dementia' was the band's second album recorded at Morrisound and contains their strongest material. The riffs and song structures are unrivaled in their execution, each song is smartly crafted, unique and memorable. A rare feat in every sense for a death metal band and an original piece of death metal art.

mp3@320kbps
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Monstrosity (U.S.A.) - Millenium (1996)

From it's inception Monstrosity's second (and last) album with George Fisher on vocals is neck breakingly brutal and shit splatteringly technical. The guitar and drum work on this album was easily 10 years ahead of it's time. "Millenium" was Monstrosity's "Pierced From Within", definitely a high point in their career as a band, and as far as I'm concerned their last 'great' album. The sheer twisting intensity of this music is easily enjoyed by any and all fans of all things death metal, technical enough to please shred-diddly fruitcakes and just brutal enough to please both fans of the old school and the new. A very hard release to top, and probably the best true death metal album from 1996. Highly recommended listening.

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Seance (Swe) - Fornever Laid To Rest (1992)

One of the most brutal death metal albums from Sweden's old school. The sound and style of Seance on "Fornever..." is decidedly more in the vein of Dutch and American death metal bands and does not have the "Stockholm sound" you find in bands like Dismember, Afflicted and Entombed. Deicide's "Legion" or Polluted Inheritance's "Ecocide" are good comparisons to be made, although this music is more authentic and varied sounding than Deicide... far less cheesy as well. Seance lost integral member Patrik Jensen (Witchery, The Haunted, Satanic Slaughter) and soon after became far less interesting so I would only recommend this album and the demo "Levitised Spirit."

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Alastor (Prt) - Infernal Lord (2004)

Old school black/thrash from one of Portugal's earlier extreme metal bands (formed in 1988). Their style showcases the rawness of early Bathory and Venom meshed with the menacing growl of Kreator's "Total Death", and the demonic pace of Sodom or Nifelheim's earliest recordings. The influences are sometimes too obvious but "Infernal Lord" flows well and doesn't drag it's ass before its over. The lyrics are likely satanic, though on this third album they chose not to translate their native language into English. I chose this one as a prime example of the bands output, the two previous albums are more raw and sung in English. Worth checking out for fans of old school black metal and early satanic thrash.

mp3@160kbps
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Necrophobic (Swe) - The Nocturnal Silence (1993)

The first and the best album ever released by Necrophobic. This album is a masterpiece when it comes to melodic death/black, lot of tremolo picking through the whole album is found, excellent riffs, very good drumming, and a good production makes it one of the best melodic death albums ever released.

320 kbps
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Sacramentum (Swe) - Far Away from the Sun (1996)

This album in my opinion is in the top 10 of best metal albums ever, everything here is done with such a passion and perfection that is impossible to be overlooked. From the incredible drumming to the and what makes this album so amazing, the guitar work. The guitar work makes a heavy emphasis on atmosphere, and it manages to deliver emotion and an epic feeling every time one listens to it. This is the kind of album that most bands wouldn't even think about it but dream about, mostly because of its complexity. Words are simple not enough to describe this album.

320 kbps
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The Elysian Fields (Grc) - Adelain (1995)

Adelain comes as a melodic black/death album with a lot of of symphonic influences, most of the time I don't enjoy this, but these guys sure know when and how to use them. The use of piano and violin gives the music a really epic sound, the riffs in this album are great, they are moody yet agressive. The vocalist does an excellent job, he keeps the mood of the music with his use of clean vocals and raspy growl. The production is also really good, probably because of George Zaharopoulos (Necromantia, Thou Art Lord). For fans of black and death metal.

192 kbps
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Deteriorot (U.S.A) - In Ancient Beliefs (2001)

Deteriorot’s first and only full length so far is pretty much death metal in the vein of Autopsy/Incantation with Old Swedish Death Metal. The way this album builds up is pretty interesting, relying a lot in the guitarists and vocalist to create an atmosphere of gloomy darkness, the drumming is also good, it helps a lot with the atmosphere. The bass player almost never shows up, except in the beginning of “Manifested Apparitions of Unholy Spirits”. The production of this album is excellent. If you are a fan of Old School Death Metal you will enjoy this.

192 kbps

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Urgrund (Aus) - Unchangeable Fate (2005)

Another masterpiece of black/thrash and again from Australia. Most people will agree with me when I say that the Aussies are damn good when it comes to black/thrash. Urgrund takes some elements from Deströyer 666, gives it a personal touch, a more raw and dark production and what we get is a top notch album. The guitar work is the best, the drumming and vocals are also pretty good Enjoy!

320 kbps
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Goatlord (U.S.A) - Reflections Of The Solstice (1991)

For people that enjoy really sinister atmosphere in their metal, there is no better band for that job than Goatlord. This record is impressive, highly interesting, and like most good metal very underrated. The bass work in this album is pretty good and different in comparison to other doom/death album. It won't disappoint you!

320 kbps
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