alexi laiho is dead.

Shocking news. Really hit me when I heard earlier today. Playing some Bodom tonight in honour of him.

Crazy, crazy, crazy....

I've never been to big on his band, but there's no denying his technical skills and huge influence to metal musicians worldwide.

41 years, for fuck's sake....

Hey there guys! How's everybody doing? In light of the recent passing of Alexi Laiho, I decided to drop by here and pay my respects for the man. I revisited a good chunk of Children of Bodom's discography upon hearing the news. This truly saddens me. 41 years old is no age to go.

Going back through their catalog, I remember just how fond I was of Something Wild, Hatebreeder and Follow the Reaper. I listened to all three of these, and also Hatecrew Deathroll and Are You Dead Yet?. I know some perceive AYDY as the beginning of CoB's decline, but I actually really enjoy the rhythm guitars on some of the tracks. Early CoB was all about the leads, and that's all fine by me, but with Roope Latvala joining back around 2005 and CoB changing their sound to a thrashier, less neoclassical/melodeath sound, they actually stepped up their game in terms of rhythm guitars. After Blooddrunk I basically stopped following the band, but I know some people actually enjoyed some of their later releases (Halo of Blood is supposed to be pretty good, right?) so I might give it a spin later.

Anyway. I hope everybody is doing good. Happy New Year folks!

With my Friday night tunes in lockdown I've been putting different artists on to discover new bands and one of my best as of late is a band named Shylmagoghnar (with an awkward name like that predictive text is a godsend). They're a dutch band who combined progressive metal with elements of black metal and I've been made up to find them. So much so I bought the CD of Transience the day after discovery. They're also impressive with making some lengthy instrumentals which I'm always a sucker for. The linked track isn't one of them but it's a great example of what they can portray.

https://youtu.be/sKUQI0d5mEQ

Meanwhile, still collecting more CDs and vinyl which is the best thing I can do with nowhere to go at this time but at the very least I've given myself quite a boost with some Blind Guardian and Helloween LPs. If there's any bands for me to make a vinyl collection out of it's definitely the ones that have stood the test of time for me.

Any good discoveries from anyone else az of late?

No way am I letting this club go to page 2 like some old sick dog that needs to be put out of its misery.

Who is still around? I need band or new album recommendations; I've been so out of the loop listening to the same stuff for years. Still a big fan of doom + viking themed death metal. I lean towards melodic themes, but open to whatever.

Also, glad to see you posting your music. Awesome work my dude

I'm still here. I'm just too busy with work and other stuff to be on here nearly as much as I was before. As for new music, have you given Spelljammer or Eye of Doom a listen?

I'm adding them to my queue now to check out! Thanks

Did you get a chance to give them a listen?

I really liked Spelljammer a lot. I wasn't as crazy about Eye of Doom, I can't put my finger on it; Maybe the vocals? Too light? Not as heavy feeling? Something just didn't click for me.

Spelljammer makes me feel like I'm sinking into the ground though, and I love it lol.

Yob, Ufomammut, Subrosa, Obscure Sphinx do anything for you? I got nothing for viking death metal, though. Welcome back!

Seeing Helloween announce their new album for June has me super excited. I may not get to see them until May next year now but at the very least their new self titled album (seriously, they did a self titled EP already back in 1985) is much to look forward to given Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske's return to the band. And on top of all of that they've got a gobsmackingly awesome artwork to go with it. I don't know about anyone else but this is perhaps one of the best album covers in metal I've ever seen! Makes up for all the CGI crap they did on their albums from the last 20 years.

Now that's a name I've not seen in forever! How's it going? 😃

Thank you a lot! :-)

Well, I've been lurking here for a while, disappeared and just clicked newgrounds.com today and BAM - the thread is alive again. Not bad, people ;-)

In terms of listening habits - it's all Danzig now these days, especially his mid-era, after the over-industrial, crappier stuff and before his recent dumpster releases...

Heres my 2 cents.

A classic one would be 'Pagan Altar'. Legends in metal, early doom and trad metal.

'Iron Griffin' , again sorta on the trad metal side, but I'd say they're pretty doomy.

And also check out 'Warning'. They sound like the quintessential doom band, highly recommend them.

Fuck yeah dude. Best fuckers on the internet.

We could try posting more. But who has the time, amirite guys, amirite

Now here's an old member! Whoah

It's pretty fascinating seeing people joining clubs and crews in here just like I was when I discovered this website! How trippy is time man. It's been like fifteen years and I still want people to recommend me music in here.

I do a bunch of music stuff these days I might come here and post about it. Peace and love, PenisClOwN

Yo guys an gals,

what are your opinions on the new Gojira album "Fortitude"?

I still don't know what to do with that band, I love some of the ideas, but it all sounds a bit too similar to my ears. Didn't like what I heard of "Magma" and thought the old stuff I heard (bits and snippets) wasn't for me either.

Honestly, I don't get the hype with Gojira. Not to say they're a bad band but I personally don't find them extraordinary as they seem to be made out to be. Even seen them live once and was like "Well, they're ok."

Though that said, I did watch the music video for Born for One Thing a while back and found the song more likeable than I ever recalled from them. Maybe the new album can change my mind on them but I'm not holding my breath on it.

Ooh, speaking of black metal, I'd highly recommend Windswept. Their bandcamp is definitely worth a look.

Also been jamming Path(путь) lately. Kinda post-metal, and they incorporate an accordion, but worth a listen if you're into atmospheric and blackgazy stuff.

Hey, I'll like to join too. I listen to thrash mostly, groups like Slayer, Anthrax, Testament, Megadeth. Sacred Reich, Lich King, Sodom, Tankard, Death Angel, Dark Angel, Municipal Waste, D.R.I. but also groups that play other subgenres like System of a Down, Sabaton, Powerwolf, etc.

I started reading your post, and I really was looking forward to writing "But Baha, have you seen them live though?" But you actually did, haha. So well, I don't know what to tell you. If you've seen them live and didn't get into their music, there's hardly anything I can do to make you like them.

They're all about massive build-ups and payoff, thick, sycopated and extremely precise riffs and palm-muted, machine-gun like riffs with drums that pound and support every single chug-chug made by the guitar.

I guess the environmental themes, the whole fantasy type thing going on with the flying whales and all, also appeals to me. But again, it might just not be for you. I personnally do not love everything they do, but some of their stuff, like From Mars To Sirius, I really like to spin every once in a while.

While we're on the subject of black metal, if you're into the more post-rocky stuff, I do highly recommand Panopticon, especially considering how he's releasing singles for his upcoming stuff right now.

Autumn Eternal is a solid album

Panopticon - Autumn Eternal

Oh, and if you guys don't already know Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, they are german black metal band, and one of my favorites these days. Their 2019 album, Mardom, is a solid, 2nd wave inspired album that still feels very fresh and scratches all the right itches for me.

Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult - Mardom

I see a lot of thrash metal in there, and some great crossover stuff too! If you haven't checked out bands like Power Trip, Voïvod and Vektor yet, you might really enjoy their work. Welcome to the Metal Hell! Enjoy your stay ;)

There's been a little development since. I have given their new album a few spins and have to admit it is giving me a new outlook on the band. Some of the songs on Fortitude have convinced me.

I think with seeing them live at the time, if I had been more adapted to them from actually knowing their songs I would have had a different perspective. Sadly, I just didn't make the investment then.

If I look into them some more soon and remember to post here I'll express some additional thoughts then.

Hey look at that! There are a bunch of other metalheads here! I'm a huge fan of folk metal and have been for a long time. Bands like Arkona, Eluveitie, Korpiklaani, Ensiferum, etc are right up my alley. I'm also a fan of death, melodic death, thrash and NWOBHM. A good friend of mine has long had a mission of getting me more into power metal, which is kind of working.

In the before times, I would go to about 10 or so concerts a year, so I am desperate to get back to a show. My next show should be Rammstein in Montreal in August, but I doubt that will happen, even with all the strides we've made here with covid.

Anyone else keeping up with traditional metal and speed metal?

Some legit bands out there keeping the NWOBHM and speed metal sound alive and well. There's a ton of relatively newer bands.

Just to list a few:

• Traveler (personal favourite, I can't recommend this band enough)
• Skull Fist
• White Wizzard (Inconsistent line up, but the "Over the Top" era of the band is gotta be my favorite. Wyatt 'Screaming Demon' Anderson(vocals at the time), could compare to an Axl Rose on roids and metal as heck IMO)
• Haunt
• Enforcer
• Cauldron
• Acid Blade (most recent discovery, their demo's really sick, apparantly mostly recorded live)

Heck even some older bands are still making bangers or making a resurgence

• Cirith Ungol
• Satan
• Lord Weird Slough Feg (or just 'Slough Feg')
• Chastain

..just to name a few

Enforcer owns. I've been a fan of theirs for a while. I'd also like to throw in Kryptos. Awesome old school feel.

Also, Lost Society's first two albums were balls to the wall awesome new thrash. Pity how they turned out.

I do love me folk metal and those are some good shouts right there. Ensiferum has remained one of my favourites from folk metal alongside Moonsorrow.

I'm curious, which bands would they be?

I feel a bit out of the loop with them as of late and I've been hearing of some good new bands from them in recent years. Just looking at your list, one name I haven't heard in years is White Wizzard. I know at some point I lost interest in the band but can't even remember why.

Also, good shout on Slough Feg. One of my all-time favourite metal bands and it's great to see love for them wherever!

It's mainly through concerts he's convinced me to go to with him. Either we're going to a power show or listening to it on the way there/home. He's got me into bands like Amaranthe, Powerwolf, Hammerfall, Battle Beast, Kamelot, etc. I was already aware of the bigger bands like Blind Guardian and Nightwish, but I never would have ended up seeing them were it not for him. I discovered Sabaton on my own after seeing them open for Iced Earth many years ago before the...unpleasantness and was incredibly impressed.

Also, I somehow convinced my wife to have our first dance at our wedding to an acoustic Amaranthe song. Don't know how I pulled that one off.

Dang, cant believe Kryptos fell under my radar, thanks for the recommendation. Yeah, Enforcer is mad lit, really one of the bands the opened my ears to other traditional metal bands(new and old) that isnt Maiden lol

Slough Feg's sound is an all time classic right? Mike Scalzi's vocals is something to behold.

A lot of great names there, although Amaranthe I haven't been so much into. I remember hearing their first album ages ago and really didn't like it. Although, I suspect that since then there has been improvements to the band given the raves they got later on.

Now that sounds like a hell of a show. Admittedly it's hard for me to listen to any Iced Earth at this time due to the events with Jon Schaffer but when I did see the band back in 2013, they did put on a really good show and proved how worthy Stu Block was for the band's new vocalist.

Fair fucking play that! 😁

He's an underappreciated talent in metal, that's for sure. I remember first hearing Down Among the Deadmen and Traveller and were blown away by them. Still some of my all-time favourite metal albums even to this day. I just wish there had been a bit more kick to their last two albums. They're not bad, it's just they have done far better.