My Top 5 Albums of 2014 (Revised)

Hi fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

With COVID-19 wrecking absolute face here in the United States & abroad, it’s kind of hard to keep one’s chin up. I confess I’m not necessarily up to snuff myself: healthwise I’m fine, but emotionally this has been tough. In fact, I admit this has kind of affected my desire to make content. Still, I gotta put out some other things this month besides my Katsucon 2020 review, and I was recently inspired by the past. I don’t always consider revising my oldest content, but after reading one particular list, the gears began to turn weirdly enough. So, let’s welcome the past, and take a look at my revised edition of the top 5 albums of 2014. A quick note: as far as the albums on here are concerned, not much has actually changed. For the most part, the records you saw back in 2014 are mostly here. This revision is more towards opinion than anything, but there is a familiar face taking a spot. Still, let’s see what’s up!

5) Sabaton - Heroes (Song)

I’ve said this before when talking about Sabaton, and I’ll say it again: it took me quite a while to become a fan of these fantastic Swedes. 2014 was sort of a rediscovery for me, since I skipped over their Carolus Rex period after discovering them in 2010. If I had been a fan of the band back then, then chances are I would have put Heroes on the list. Nowadays? I am most definitely putting this album here! Kind of an oddball of a release back then & now, but Heroes is also a unique record as well. Singing about some of the most iconic men & women during WW2, the album is perhaps Sabaton’s most optimistic release they ever did, only to be rivaled by The Last Stand in 2016 (Which is still one of the best albums of the 2010s, and still one of my top 10 albums of all time). Give how dark are time are right now, I think everybody needs a hero in their life.

4) Weird Al Yankovic: Mandatory Fun (Song)

I feel a little sad in moving this record down the list. Make no mistake, I still find Mandatory Fun to be hilarious. Weird Al has always been clever, and even at his most mediocre he can get a chuckle out of me, and his 2014 release is wondering. My big problem is that as time has passed, I seemed to recall this release less & less. It’s still funny, but most of the songs have gotten loose from my mind, and nowadays I don’t recall that many of them. That being said, Mandatory Fun is worth listening too regardless.

3) Judas Priest - Redeemer Of Souls (Song)

In the time since 2014, my love for Judas Priest has only grown. If I’m being perfectly honest, it’s been growing more & more since 2012, but it was the year that my Grandfather passed away where I finally allowed one of the world’s oldest metal bands into my heart. Though Nostradamus from 2008 was a unique Power Metal experience (That a majority of Priest fans had an aneurysm over), Redeemer of Souls was a return of sorts to their older work. It still had some flavorings of their prior release, but more often than not behaved like something you’d hear in the 80s & early 90s. Since 2014, I’ve actually become fonder for Redeemer of Souls. Not by a massive amount, but enough that it’s moved up a spot on this list. If you were disappointed by Nostradamus, then you might like this album more.

2) Devin Townsend: Casualties of Cool (Song) & Z2 (Song)

I said it back in 2014, and I’m saying it again: it’s hard to decide which of these albums are superior, and thus they’re still gotta be tied with each other here. Back then I enjoyed both of these records equally, but since then I’ve become a little more enamored with Casualties of Cool. Z2 is still great, and I love how silly it can be, but the Ambient nature of Casualties of Cool combined with Country Rock & Jazz is really neat. Not only that, but if you can get the version with the 2nd CD (Alongside a DVD), you’re treated to a few demos & tracks from the cancelled Ghost 2 project, and they’re just as good as the main CD’s material. Still, both albums from one of Canada’s premiere metallic artists are top notch, and you shouldn’t miss either of them.

If you recall my original list, I didn’t have any Honorable Mentions section. Reason being? I didn’t think of it at the time! With this revision, I think it was appropriate to have at least 1 Honorable Mention.....and I think I know just the album for this.

HM) Black Light Discipline: Death By A Thousand Cuts (Song)

Confession: I still kinda like this record. Back in 2014 I dug this release quite a lot, but my take on it has changed a bit. It’s still fun, but maybe I don’t find it as intense as I did 5+ years ago. Some tracks seem to try to be a bit too edgy sometimes, and the Industrial doesn’t come across as heavy as I once recall. On top of that, I only seem to have 2 songs stuck in my head, and out of 12 songs that’s not necessarily a good thing. Regardless, I still kind of find Death By A Thousand Cuts to be something of a nostalgic vision of the early/mid 2010s, and if any of you like Industrial artists who aren’t as well known as some of the more iconic ones out there, then this might be more of your liking.

1) Septicflesh - Titan (Song)

If there was one album on this list that I haven’t changed my opinion, it would be this one. In fact, my love for Titan has only increased since then. Funny fact: despite discovering this album in 2014, it wouldn’t be until March of 2016 when I actually bought a physical copy. That doesn’t matter, as my number 1 album of all time has stayed with me for 5+ years. The 3rd entry in the band’s Symphonic Death Metal journey, the singles that were released before the record hooked me, and when it fully came out, I was enchanted by every track. Enough to the point where I put the whole thing onto my MP3 player at the time. Titan is also important to me because it finally got me to understand Death Metal, and got me to understand the fans of the genre. I’m still not a full-blow Death Metal fan, but I’ve grown to be more accepting of the style.....and I have Titan to thank for that.

And that was my revised top 5 albums of 2014. Again, not much has changed from the original in terms of what was on here, but my opinions of what’s on here definitely has changed somewhat. I do have one last thing planned for March, and with April on the horizon.....Compilation Month may return for a 3rd time. See you all next time!


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If you’d like to see my original version of this list, click on the link below:

My Top 5 Albums of 2014

Convention Review: Katsucon 2020

 

Got some sad news fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

With the rabid  movement of the Coronavirus here in the United States,  many conventions and other large events are being outright cancelled at the worst, or delayed/postponed at the best. Genericon is unfortunately one of the conventions that in the cancelled category, and it breaks my heart. So, with a review for that con thrown out with the bathwater, I needed something to replace it.....so why not do a review of a convention I went to last month for my first time ever!? Yep, the cycle has been broken in going to just 2 conventions, and a new one has appeared in my geeky life that may become a permanent staple. With that out of the way, it’s time I showed you what I thought of Katsucon 2020. Let’s begin!

For starters, let me just say that I didn’t see gaggles of cosplayers & various shades of Otaku. For all intent & purposes, I saw the geek equivalent of Genghis Khan’s Mongolian horde! I haven’t seen this many people since the glory days of Connecticon, which at this point is 5 years this year. A lot of the hotel was packed: definitely not the hallways of the rooms, but everybody else had tons of people. Even the dealer’s room (More on that in a bit) was filled to the brim with con goers. I confess I was pretty overloaded by how many people I saw the entire weekend, but I’m not going to lie when I say that it was wonderful seeing so many individuals like myself!

Relating to the amount of people I saw, it was also incredible to see so much cosplay in one space! It didn’t matter what grade of costumes I saw: I witnessed just about each & every skill level there was. I saw basic cosplay, intermediate cosplay, and cosplay so good I can’t never even remotely re-create it. In fact, here’s just a sliver of the costumes I saw!

Next up is the hotel and convention center. For Genericon, I just room with a friend of mine, and he’s got nice digs. For Connecticon I stay with a couple buddies at the Marriot hotel next to the center, and that place is pretty swell. The Gaylord? Holy shit it was huge! Never in my entire life have I seen a hotel that massive in scale! It honestly felt like a miniature city, what with all of the tiny stores & restaurants on the bottom parts of the building, and the hordes of Katsu goers just added to this feeling. The convention center was pretty big too, and despite it’s similar layout when compared to something like the con center for Connecticon, it still felt like it’s own thing. Hell, even the area around the hotel & center was great, as there were plenty of restaurants and shops to visit if I didn’t want to stay within the Gaylord. Gotta love the options!

Next positive were the panels. I confess I hardly went to any of them, as being a new guy I decided instead to explore & watch everybody, but the sliver of them I did go see were awesome. My three favorites were the Cabaret show with drag performers (Who, btw, did a hell of a job), the hentai dubbing panel (There were supposed to be more than one host, but there were complications), and the rather humorous “Boob Physics” panel. That last one had a lot of.....jiggles, if you know what I mean. I definitely enjoyed seeing the descriptions of the other panels, but I enjoyed wandering around and looking at everybody that was there a little more.

And finally, I gotta talk about the dealer’s room. Like with the horde of people, I haven’t seen a marketplace this big since the last Connecticon I went to. There was a hell of a lot of stuff to buy, and it’s pretty much what you’d expect. With the exception of one specific thing (More on that below), you could find just about anything you wanted. I had spent almost all of my cash, but thanks to some swift impulse control on the last day, I managed to leave Katsucon with at least a little bit of money for pitstops on the way home. Pretty impressive if you ask me!

As for anything mediocre, I can’t really think of anything. I could argue that some of the lines were bad/long, but even then they all moved quickly & efficiently. I could argue that the trip down and back was long, and coming in at 8 to 9ish hours (I come from New York state.) I can see why some people from my neck of the woods would hate this, but it was smooth in both ways. In the end, I really can’t think of anything that was just.....meh.

Now we get to the negative stuff, and there’s really only 2 negative things I can say about my first Katsucon. The first would have to be the pricing. Not for the con-badge or hotel room, but for hotel’s food & such. Holy crap I haven’t seen anything this expensive in a while! At first I thought it was just me, but nope a lot was expensive. Even the bubble tea stand was 6 dollars per drink, and that’s not counting the 2 dollar individual Twix bars they were selling. The lunch buffet was around 15 to 20 dollars I believe (Excluding tax & tip), which isn’t that bad. The breakfast buffet? Coupled with tax & tip, it all came out to a huge 31-something dollars, which I think is absurd! I get that the hotel needs to make money (Hence why the Dealer’s Room had no food vendors), but there a fine line between making a living & making wallets cry.

The other negative thing I got to complain about would be the schedule app. To be perfectly honest, this actually wasn’t a completely bad thing. Granted, I highly prefer my schedule to be in the booklet itself so I can look things up quickly, but the app wasn’t bad by any means. All days were there, and it was easy to pick & choose which panels I wanted to go to. Again, prefer the schedule in the booklet, but the app wasn’t so bad.

Katsucon 2020 gets a 9 out of 10. For my first time, this is some pretty high praise!

And that was my review for my first ever Katsucon. Again, it was a wild experience, but this firestorm of insanity may very well be something I revisit in the coming years as long as I got the cash. Again I’m sorry for getting this out so late, but due to the cancellation of Genericon I figured that a review of this convention is a good substitute. I’ll see you later this month for some additional content. Until then.....stay crazy Katsu!

Metal Overview: Bathory (Part 3)

Welcome back fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I know I just posted up part 2 a few days ago, but like I said in that post, things got scrambled thanks to the computer update. Luckily, today’s post was quicker to research & type up. Thanks in part to this being Bathory’s least productive period in terms of quantity, the quality massively makes up for this. These 3 albums may be the strongest that Quorthon & the gang ever created, and act as a fitting end for a storied career. So let’s take a look shall we? This is part of my look at Bathory. Enjoy!

Destroyer Of Worlds (2001)

Though the Viking Metal output was generally well received, fans were hungry for a return to the Black Metal roots of Bathory. They were hungry for the darkness that made the band who they were, and they wanted it soon. Quorthon thought about this, and granted their desires in the form of Destroyer Of Worlds. Put out on the 9th of October, 2001, the record harkened back to some of the band’s earliest material. Destroyer Of Worlds got it’s name from verse 32 in chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita, which in turn was quoted by J. Robert Oppenheimer after the dropping of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On top of that, but this album also happens to be the longest in Bathory’s career: playing for just about 66 minutes, Destroyer Of Worlds is the most substantial out of everything they’ve made.

Best Track? I gotta say that I like Lake Of Fire quite a bit. It’s got the dark imagery of the band’s early output, but with slow Viking Metal pacing, and maybe just a tiny hint of gothic flavoring to it. The guitarwork is fantastic, the drumming is great, and Quorthon’s vocal work feels revitalized from the prior decade. As a way to open up the album, I’d say it easily succeeds.

Lake Of Fire

Worst Track? While a great album quality wise, Destroyer of Worlds’s biggest problem is that it doesn’t know what it wants to be. Like Snake Bite Love from Motörhead and Infinity from Devin Townsend, it’s a great collection of songs, but no unifying theme to tie it all together. Some come across as blackened, some are thrashy, and some make me want to pillage. Apart from that, the record isn’t quite exactly the titanic Black Metal return that fans were expecting. There’s definitely tracks that have some more blackness to it than others, but in general Destroyer Of Worlds dips it’s toes into the pool rather than dive down to the bottom.

Destroyer Of Worlds. Not the full-blown Black Metal return that fans were expecting, but it was about as close as they were going to get at the time. It may not have a solid theme, but the overall quality easily makes up for this. If you were dissatisfied with the Viking & Thrash Metal routes they walked down on, then you may like what this album provides. However, despite their partial return to their past, Bathory heard the horns blowing in the distant winds. It seems there was one last trip to Valhalla in store for them. Next album!

Nordland I (2002)

With Destroyer Of Worlds bringing back some of the old ways of vintage Bathory, fans were excited that the band was returning to their roots after having been away from Black Metal for 15 years by 2002. However, this was not to be the case, as instead they went with the allure of Viking Metal once again, and Nordland would be this return. Released on the 18th of November, 2002, Nordland saw what is perhaps a massive refinement of the previously mentioned sub-genre. While albums like Blood Fire Death and Twilight of the Gods were fantastic, the production quality was rather dated by the early 2000s. With Nordland? You have an album that still sounds fantastic nearly 20 years after it’s original release, and not only that, the Power Metal-like vibes that were first born within Blood On Ice came back in force. Though I enjoy Bathory’s first release of the 2000s, I find the pull of Nordland to be stronger.

Best Track? For me it’s a tie between the thrash-laden Broken Swords and the epic Great Hall Awaits Fallen Brother. Instrumentally, both songs somewhat harken back to the earliest period of the band, but with more modern production behind them so they don’t sound like they were performed in an echo chamber. Broken Swords in particular almost sounds like a forgotten Black Metal track they never put on a release. Granted, the subject matter is obviously different, but it’s easy to see the connections. The later track feels like a tale straight from the village elder: powerful, epic, strong, etc. You feel the weight of the song with each note, each drum beat, and each bit of vocal work from Quorthon. That’s an impressive feat if you ask me!

Broken Swords

Great Hall Awaits Fallen Brother

Worst Track? Personally, I really can’t think of anything bad about Nordland. You could argue that going back to Viking Metal just a year after letting out the Black Metal tease that was Destroyer Of Worlds might be a cop out, but with the album being this good I’m not that upset.

Nordland. An wonderful return to Bathory’s Viking powered metal, it’s refinement in terms of sound and production makes it a release that may age better than what came before it. I definitely recommend this release to anyone that prefers the band’s Viking Metal period than anything else. Next album!

Nordland II (2003)

Released on the 31st of March, 2003, the circumstances around Nordland II were interesting. Before it’s release, rumors surrounding the album were numerous, not the least of which was that the Nordland series was supposed to by a 4-release epic saga of Nordic tales. Each and every single rumor was ultimately squashed by Quorthon, when in a late 2003/earlier 2004 interview (Don’t know the date off the top of my head) he stated that the saga in question was essentially finished with Nordland 2. In a bit of tragedy, he stated that he was set to fully return to the Bathory’s vintage Black Metal roots, which would have been highly appreciated by those who were fans of their earliest work and the potential of Destroyer Of Worlds. As for what I think.....I dig it! The album doesn’t come across that much different than the first Nordland (Save for some small improvement in terms of sound & production), but it’s still a fun journey through Nordic fantasy!

Best Track? Vinland is a bit of a surprise to me. The first time that I know of where the story of the Vikings discovering America was in metal music caught me off guard (Though I wish in was in the history books more), the song is appropriately epic. The instrumentation is almost paced as if you were actually on the journey with the Norsemen themselves, and Quorthon’s vocal work almost comes across as if he was telling a story. It’s a really interesting approach to a piece of history that many seem to ignore, and I am very thankful that this song exists.

Vinland

Worst Track? The only bad thing I can point out, and even then it’s really nitpicky, would be the album cover. At the end of the day, it’s just the album cover from Nordland 1 reversed and the colors slightly altered. Again, it’s really nitpicky to point this out, so I’m not really going to complain.

Nordland 2. Further refined from what made the prior album so good, it may be even more epic & powerful than the first Nordland. Whether you’re at a D&D session, wandering through Skyrim, taking a walk through the woods, or just sitting down in a comfy chair with a good fantasy book, it’s just perfect. Easily recommended!

And sadly we come to the end of Bathory’s career. As most if not all of you know, Quorthon tragically passed away on June the 7th, 2004, due to a heart attack from congenital defect he had. The Black Metal & Viking Metal community felt a shockwave from his death, and the vibrations can still be felt on rare occasions to this day. Regardless, without Bathory we wouldn’t have two of the metal world’s most iconic genres. Hats off to you Quorthon! Hats off to you and your legacy! With that, we got March to look forward to in just a few short days. See you soon!

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If you’re curious about these albums, then click on the links below to listen:

Destroyer Of Worlds

Nordland I

Nordland II

Metal Overview: Bathory (Part 2)

I’m so sorry fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I had every intention of getting today’s post up around the middle of this month, but due to a computer overall, not to mention going to my first ever Katsucon (Might get a review up sometime in March), my schedule got messed up. Fortunately, I managed to listen to the subject matter of today’s post, as we return to the beast that is Bathory! We’ve now entered the 90s time for this band, where they proudly entered the nordic seas on the mightiest of longboats, ready to lay siege to any unsuspecting village. So let’s not waste anymore time, and take a look at part 2 of my overview of Bathory. Plunder awaits!

Hammerheart (1990)

After the release of the classic Blood Fire Death, Quorthon and the rest of Bathory decided that this new direction with Viking Metal was the way to go. Inspired by the equally iconic Manowar (Despite Quorthon describing the story as “another total misconception”), the band ditched the dark & satanic imagery of their prior output, and embraced the ways of the Norseman. Thus the start of their viking journey began with Hammerheart! Released on the 16th of April 1990, this release marks the first full blown Viking Metal album, and by god do I love it. Gone is the band’s blackened outlook, and in comes a more fantastical look at Norse mythology & culture. I should not that this is the only time that Bathory ever made a music video for anything off of their albums. Observe!

One Rode To Asa Bay

Best Track? Home Of Once Brave! At first the song isn’t much. Just some guitar work & drumming that rarely if ever changes in terms of volume and pacing. On top of that, Quorthon’s volume doesn’t change much either, leading to what might be for some a repetitive track. However, I’d argue that said repetition is actually what gives Home Of Once Brave it’s character, personality, and flavor! The simplistic nature of the track is what makes it so addicting & good, and I confess to repeat it once or twice when I listen. That might sound weird, but that’s why I think it’s Hammerheart’s best song.

Home Of Once Brave

Worst Track? While there’s no band songs of note, I did detect a hint of ego the first time I listened to it, and upon repeated listens I noticed it more and more. It’s not overwhelming in any way and it won’t ruin the experience, but it’s always going to be there. Like a shadow in an otherwise bright room, somehow it’s gonna stick around, and there’s no way to avoid it.

Hammerheart. The first Bathory album I listened to and bought, yet it’s not the first Bathory album I fell in love with. Still, this beast cements itself as the first true Viking Metal record for the band, and one that is considered to be a capstone of the genre. Next album!

Twilight Of The Gods (1991)

Released on the 29th of June, 1991, Twilight Of The Gods continues down the Viking Metal path that they first step foot on just 3 years prior. Titled after an opera created by Wagner, the album also shows off plenty of Classical influences and heavy Epic Doom as well, creating an album that’s quite impressive in terms of everything. However, Twilight Of The Gods is the first Bathory album were Quorthon had complete control over every aspect of the album. From the electric & acoustic guitar, keyboards, bass, and drum programming, he did it all. Even the background vocals was all done by him, as he multi-tracked himself on here as he did on the prior album, albeit in a more choir-like manner. All together, this makes Twilight Of The Gods perhaps the first opera-like metal album, and one bathed in blood & mead.

Best Track? It’s gotta go to the first three songs. Clocking in at roughly 30 minutes all together, the triumvirate of the title track, Through Blood By Thunder, and Blood And Iron all together tell a cohesive story that’s just mesmerizing. Epic in every sense, they take you on a journey through the Norse lands, all the while an incredible battle takes place every step of the way. It’s loud, it’s bombastic.....and I like it!

Twilight Of The Gods

Through Blood By Thunder

Blood And Iron

Worst Track? If there was one thing to complain about Twilight Of The Gods, it would be the immense pretentiousness that is felt throughout the whole record. Quorthon seems to let his ego go, and in the process made an album that think’s a little too much of itself. At the same time, I don’t know how it’s so pretentious. Hammerheart had an ego behind it, yet it never went quite as far as this record did, and it has a similar feel as well. Even if Quorthon didn’t do everything on the album, there’s something lurking within the music that just fuels it’s ego.

Twilight Of The Gods. Perhaps the most egotistical out of Bathory’s discography, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad in any capacity! The fantasy & epic nature of many of the songs on the album would be great for any session of D&D or Skyrim, and even if you don’t like those things, it’s still a great piece of music for anyone who likes mead & longboats. Next album!

Requiem (1994) & Octagon (1995)

Despite the creation of a new subgenre, Quorthon wasn’t going to rest on his ass. With the creative gears still whirling in his head, he set out to do something else to satisfy him. Problem is, by the mid 90s he was getting drained, and Bathory was beginning to not make him feel content. So, he put the band on hold for some time for a short solo record. While I’ve never listened to the music from this time, from what I’ve been able to find it’s had a more mixed reaction. However, even his solo career wasn’t what he wanted, and so he came back to Bathory, and in another shift, the band became like one of the retro Thrash Metal groups he & the rest of the guys liked. So, for a brief time Bathory were a thrash band, and 2 albums came from this. Requiem from the 14th of November, 1994, and Octagon from October the 17th, 1995. Each album harkened back to the routes of Thrash.....for better and for worth.

Best Track? Bit of a tough one, since both albums fundamentally sound & feel the same. On the Requiem side, I gotta say that the title track is quite nice. It definitely shows off what you’re getting into when listening to the album. No trace of Norsemen, and only the faintest wiff of anything blackened. Instead, you’re treated to some of the most lo-fi Thrash Metal you’ll probably every hear. Drums coming down hard, guitar work that screeches, and Quorthon’s voice still comes across as if he was a devil of some kind. If there was ever a way to open a Thrash album.....Requiem is one of them.

Requiem

On the Octagon side, I think that Deuce just pleasantly comes out of nowhere. On an album of thrashers, it’s funny to hear a KISS cover song, but at the same time it’s not surprising given one of Quorthon’s nicknames. Ironically, Deuce might be the best sounding thin on Octagon: while the recording still isn’t the best, the drum work seems much more serviceable here, and thus makes it easier to listen to. Not only that, but it’s weird (In a fun way) to see a Black/Thrash Metal take on a hard rock song from one of the most iconic bands in the world. Somehow, all three sides come together and create something that’s completely original....and I love it!

Deuce

Worst Track? While there isn’t exactly any bad song per se, I think what weighs both of these albums down is the drum work, which I can sincerely say......isn’t that good. Not abysmal necessarily, but on both albums the drumming can only be described as St. Anger-esque. Just mindless pounding all over the place, and nothing to focus it. On top of that, Requiem and Octagon aren’t exactly the best when it comes to production. I can only conclude that both records were recorded inside an echo chamber.....inside a blast furnace.....next to an airport! While anyone can listen to these 2 releases for a short term and not rip out your eardrums, long term listening can make you bleed from your ears. Yeah, it’s kinda that bad!

Requiem & Octagon. Not god-awful by any stretch of the imagination, but due to the drumwork and production behind them, I find that these two records are the ones I want to listen to the least for when I want to binge on Bathory. Still, there’s some material to sink your teeth into if you like your Thrash Metal on the lo-fi side of things.....but they don’t have the meat on it’s bones like on the release to come. Next album!

Blood On Ice (1996)

If there was one big positive about the band’s brief foray into Thrash, it gave Quorthon a much needed boost of energy. With his creative juices flowing once again, he decided that the past was needed to be called upon, and Blood On Ice was what he made. Released on 27th of May, 1996, Blood On Ice is.....dare I say.....the band’s first ever Power Metal album. Yes, I said it! For an even briefer period of time, Bathory may have gone down the Power Metal path with their ode to Norse Mythology & Robert E. Howard (More specifically, the Robert E. Howard book The Grey God Passes), and it happens to be my favorite Bathory album because of this. Hammerheart might have caused me to take notice, but it was Blood On Ice that actually got me hooked onto the band. That might be weird for those who like their Black Metal release more, but given my nature people shouldn’t be surprised.

Blood On Ice has a bit of interesting history behind it. Despite the mid 90s release, it’s origins can be traced back to 1989. Smackdab between the iconic Blood Fire Death and Hammerheart, Quorthon has recorded the foundation for Blood On Ice, yet he left it behind. The reasoning? Quorthon didn’t think that the blackened fanbase would appreciate the Nordic fantasy concept the record represented. So he fished up what he made a few years later, and was surprised by how well it aged. So, he re-recorded everything, added on some extra stuff, and put the album out for all to listen to.

Best Track? I kinda gotta give it to The Lake. Much like Home Of Once Brave from Hammerheart, the song has heavy repetition with it’s drums & guitarwork, but that repetition creates a hypnotizing atmosphere that just pulls you into album even more than it already has. This is even more remarkable when you realize that Blood On Ice was supposed to be released before the previously mentioned record, which technically means that The Lake did it first. Still, it’s a track I never skip when listening to the album, and in fact I sometimes find myself repeating it a few times cause it’s that addicting.

The Lake

Worst Track? To even remotely suggest that there’s any song on Blood On Ice is laughable! Each & every single tune is a treat to listen to! If there was one thing to complain about (Even then I wouldn’t be among these people) it would be that perhaps the more fantasy/Power Metal-like leanings of the album might be a turn-off for those who prefer the band’s Black Metal/Viking Metal material. As Quorthon said in interview, he wasn’t necessarily sure that the fans would like this album, and given the more mixed reaction among some listeners....he might not have been wrong.

Blood On Ice. My absolute favorite out of Bathory’s discography. The Power Metal tinged nature of the story, combined with the Viking imagery, makes for a unique concept. Not only that, but the instrumentation, vocal work, and atmosphere are at there best on this release. Perhaps out of everything that Bathory released in the 90s. Absolutely recommended for anyone into fantasy!

And thus ends part 2 of my look at Bathory. Again, sorry about being so late with this post’s release. I had everything on track for a smooth release for this and part 3, but the upgrade to my rig delayed things a bit. Still, I hope you enjoyed this article, and I’ll see you all in just a few short days for my final examination of this legendary band. Until then, pillage away!


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If you’re curious about these albums, then click on the links below to listen:

Hammerheart

Twilight Of The Gods

Requiem

Octagon

Blood On Ice

Metal Overview: Bathory (Part 1)

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome......to the month of Bathory!

That right, Bathory! All throughout February I’ll be taking a look at one of the cornerstones of not just Black Metal, but the progenitors of Viking Metal as well. I’m something of a relatively recent convert to the Bathory faithful if I’m being honest, having only been listening to the band since April of 2018. However, it’s a conversion I take whole heartedly, as with so many bands outside my comfort zone I sit down and listen to I seem to like almost immediately. As with so many of the other bands with larger libraries, I’ll be splitting up this legend into 3 separate posts. This is an especially good move, since Bathory went all over the place in a sense. Let’s not waste anymore time: put on your corpse paint, light a candle in the room, and take a look at part 1 of my overview on Bathory!

Bathory (1984)

Our story begins in 1983 within the suburban district in Västerort in the western part of Stockholm Municipality, Sweden, known as Vällingby. 17-year-old Thomas Börje Forsberg (Then known as Ace, after Ace Frehley of Kiss) decided that the time was right to form a band. Taking up the guitar, he managed to acquire the services of bass guitarist Frederick Melander and drummer Jonas Åkerlund. They had the musical talent, but the band needed a name that would match their style.

After a visit to the London Dungeon, Quorthon (The new name that Thomas would select) had settled on Bathory as the name for the band, though Jonas says that it was taken from the Venom song "Countess Bathory", and the band had actually considered several names beforehand. Around this time, Quorthon was working part time at Tyfon Records, of which his father Börje Forsberg was the owner. In late 1983 to early 1984, the small record label was putting together the Scandanavian Metal Attack album, which was a collection of songs from various Scandanavian metal bands. By a stroke of luck, one of the bands happened to drop out of the project, and Tyfon let Bathory take their place on the album. They recorded 2 songs for the album, which were "Sacrifice" and "The Return of Darkness and Evil". These two songs alone incredibly drew in 95% of fan mail sent to the label after the record's release, and said fan mail was dedicated to Bathory!

After this overwhelmingly positive reception from the fans, Tyfon asked the band to record a full-length album, but unfortunately Quorthon’s bandmates had moved away. Replacing them would be Rickard Bergman as bassist and Stefan Larsson as drummer, and on the 22nd of May, 1984, they had their first and only rehearsal together before recording the album. After heading to a converted garage to record (Heavenshore Studio) and using it’s homemade eight-channel tape recorder for an incredibly short amount of time (32 and 56 hours), the recorded what would become their first album. Then on October the 2nd, 1984, their self-titled album was released.

The album must have done something right, as the 1000 copies were sold out in 2 weeks, and has gained something of a cult following since it came out. AllMusic critic Rob Ferrier wrote: "The music itself has a certain lo-fi charm, and if you're into this sort of thing the raw power of this debut cannot be ignored." Canadian journalist Martin Popoff called the album "a cruel joke but a historically poignant one" and remarked how, despite striving "to be the leading edge of repellent extreme", Quorthon's debut is very musical "versus the black-hearted Norwegian acts" that would cite him as a main influence. As for me, I like it! It’s not my favorite out of the band’s first 4 releases, but it definitely has some lo-fi charm to it that sometimes tickles my fancy.

Best Track? I’m kinda torn between Necromansy (Yes, that’s how it’s spelled on the album) & Raise The Dead. Both are lo-fi, raw, heavy, and absolutely chilling. Raise The Dead particularly so, and it feels like the foundation for another song I’ll be talking about later in this post. Regardless, these tracks are creepy to the 10th degree, and once you listen to them both you can see why this record helped create the first wave of Black Metal.

Necromansy

Raise The Dead

Worst Track? The length of time is perhaps the single biggest detriment to the band’s self-titled debut. Playing for just 26 minutes and 52 seconds, Bathory is the second shortest album to date I’ve covered (Razor’s Armed & Dangerous EP was the 1st shortest album I’ve covered). I was able to listen to this once and have it stick because of how bombastic it was, but for newer listeners you may want to play it a couple times.

Apart from the running time, the production value isn’t exactly all that good. Now, I believed the version I listened to was the re-mastered edition, but even still it comes across as incredibly dated just in terms of sound. I get that one of the appeals of Black Metal is the lo-fi sound and production, but even so I always found it lazy as far as the basic production is concerned. That being said, it provides to the atmosphere as much as it did during the second wave in the 90s (And perhaps even beyond in some cases), so I can’t complain that much.

Bathory. Maybe a bit on the short & dated side, but at the same time remains one of the most iconic founding releases for one of the most infamous Heavy Metal subgenres out there. If you’re in the mood for a quite proto Black Metal fix, then Bathory is for you. Next album!

The Return (1985)

If the self-titled debut was to show the world that they were around, then The Return was the statement. Released on the 27th of May, 1985, The Return is the album most think of as the definitive Black Metal album of the first wave of the genre. There are certainly many others (Mainly Venom’s iconic 2nd release, Black Metal), but for those like myself, we will always point to this album as where the style started. Lo-fi production, screeching guitar & vocal work, drumming that pounds like thunder, and filled to the brim with dark imagery that conjures things best left unmentioned. Even to this very day, The Return is regarded as one of the finest of Bathory’s career, and I for one agree with that sentiment. Everything they did on their last album, they amped up to 10 on The Return, and then broke to knob off so the neighbors can hear it!

Best Track? The Wind Of Mayhem is just a badass song! I absolutely love the mix of Thrash-like instrumentation coupled with Quorthon’s Black Metal shriek, and just how well both sides mesh so well together. I picture a group of metalheads deep in the woods at night, surrounding a massive bonfire, and trying to call up some kind of ancient demon to do their bidding. Quorthon himself said that The Return was the most evil piece of music he’d ever recorded, and from the sound of this song....he might be right.

The Wind Of Mayhem

Worst Track? Kinda like the band’s self-titled album, the production quality isn’t all that good. It still comes across as dated, and it easily shows it’s age. That being said, it sounds & feels far better than what came before it. It’s definitely a lo-fi production through & through, but I get the feeling that maybe Bathory had a little more money given to them on this release, and thus things sound a little bit better.

The Return. Dated? Most definitely! At the sametime, it’s the most logical step in the advancement of Black Metal, and an important step at that. However, as classic & evil as it may be, it wouldn’t compare to the blackened record that was to come. Next album!

Under The Sign Of The Black Mark (1987)

Sweet Lucifer’s light what an album! As dark & evil as the return was, I don’t quite think it could reach the level of wicked brutality that Under The Sign Of The Black Mark reaches. Released on May the 11th, 1987, the album marked something of a shift with it’s devilish imagery. Beforehand, Quorthon said that the band were not Satanists but used 'Satanic' references to provoke and attack Christianity. With this and the album to come, he realized that Satanism is a "Christian product", and started attacking both sides due to seeing them as "religious hocus-pocus". A bit odd to go after both sides, but who am I to judge, as Under The Sign Of The Black Mark is my favorite out of this terrible trio. As fantastic as The Return was, there was far more experimentation & risk taking on this album. Not only that, but it sounds the best when compared to what came before it, and has aged incredibly well since it came out 30+ years ago. If I was to recommend a Black Metal album from the 80s, this one will mostly likely be the first one I talk about!

Best Track? Call from the Grave hands down! If Kathaarian Life Code was a 90s Black Metal song that unnerved me, then this 80s titan is it’s equivalent. Atmospheric to a T, the 30-second buildup is that of a hoarse breathing, but once that time is up it tears into perhaps the most sinister guitar & bass playing there ever has been made, accompanied by drumwork that sounds like thunder. Quorthon’s vocals are at his best here, staying at a perfect mixture of shrieks, growls, and sinister rumbling. Though it only plays for nearly 5 minutes (4 minutes & 53 seconds to be exact), you’d swear that due to the immensely dark atmosphere it goes on for much longer.....but in a good way!

Call from the Grave

But take your pick everybody! Virtually every song on here is fantastic to listen to, and worth your time! From the slower paced Enter The Eternal Fire (My 2nd favorite track), to the more blistering songs like Equimanthorn and Woman of Dark Desires, there’s not a single track that isn’t awesome. Even the outro, despite being just 24 seconds long, harkens back to my favorite song off of the previous album.

Worst Track? Absolutely nothing! While still coming across as dated sounding, Under The Sign Of The Black Mark has aged far better than the two releases before it. Though the band is still using basic recording & production technology on this album, for whatever reason everything just sounds & feels like a piece of music that’s had some more attention given to it.

Under The Sign Of The Black Mark. Perhaps the most evil and sinister of Bathory’s 80s output, it might very well be one of the most important pieces of foundation for the Black Metal boom of the 1990s. Just as the band were poised for unholy domination however, for as the band would be essential for creating one metal genre......a year later they would be the creators of another. So let’s get on our horned helmets & chainmail, grab our axe, and jump onto the nearest longboat for some pillaging!

Blood Fire Death (1988)

After dominating a majority of the 1980s as one of the premiere founders of Black Metal, Quorthon and the gang made a jump from one side of the metallic fence to the other, and it’s name.....was Blood Fire Death. Released on October the 8th, 1988, Bathory departed from the satanic imagery somewhat, and instead used more from Norse mythology and Vikings. This made the band less evil in a way, but that wasn’t the only thing that changed. Songs had slower tempos, acoustic passages, and choral background singing. The end result is Blood Fire Death, the world’s first Viking Metal album. Despite this change, it was still firmly rooted in their Black Metal past, as the brutality of their older work never left. I welcome the change, as while I respect Black Metal far more than I once did, I’m still never going to be a full-blown fan.

Best Track? For All Those Who Died is an addictive little tune. Going in a more rhythmic & slower paced direction when compared to how scorchingly fast many of the songs were on the last album, it still keeps within a great deal of intensity. From the guitar & bass to the drums, and Quorthon’s smoother yet still screeching vocals, you’re in for a hell of a ride. This song definitely sounds like something that Vikings would listen to as they rode through the village, taking anything they want while they cut down any villager that gets in their way. Who doesn’t love that!?

For All Those Who Died

Worst Track? While a fantastic start for a new sub-genre, Blood Fire Death......at least for me.....comes across like Under The Sign Of The Black Mark part 2. Smoother in parts, less reliance on evil/satanic imagery, and production value that rises above the previous 3 records, but part 2 to the previously mentioned release regardless. I get that when a band tries/creates a new genre things aren’t immediate, but even then it’s shocking at how confusing it can be when you listen to UTSOTBM & Blood Fire Death back to back and not necessarily recall which album is which.

Blood Fire Death. A departure from the black & satanic into a more Norse realm, it never forgets where it once came from and delivers a blistering assault on your eardrums! If you weren’t fond of the intensity of Bathory’s last 3 releases yet still want something nice and heavy, then this is the album for you.

And that was part 1 of my look at Bathory. Not only did you see the roots of Black Metal, but you also got onto the first of their Viking longboats as well. Now we sail into the 1990s, and into the misty waters of the band’s Scandanavian age. Will they manage to be as powerful & relevant as they were in the 80s? See you all in a week or 2 to find out!


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If you’re curious about these albums, then click on the links below to listen:

Bathory

The Return

Under The Sign Of The Black Mark

Blood Fire Dead

5 Metal Albums Anime Fans Might Like

Salutations fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I think there are plenty of anime fans out there that are into Heavy Metal, and there are a bunch of metalheads who might be curious about anime (And manga by an extent). In the world of metal, there are a lot of bands who’s brushed up against the land of the rising sun at a bus stop, or have flat-out glomped Japan in an effort to absorb it’s goodness. Hell, there’s some bands who embraced anime & manga themes without actually doing so on certain releases! I wanted to show off a couple of these kinds of records, so without any more delays, here are 5 metal albums.....that anime fans might like.

(I realized in hindsight that most of this list is Power Metal. Not surprising, given the nature of that style & plenty of other anime/manga.)

1) Whispered - Metsutan: Songs of the Void (Song)

If you were to tell me a year or two ago that there was a band in Finland that was one part Death Metal, one part Power Metal, and one part Japanese folklore & instrumentation, I would have laughed for minutes on end. Color me surprised when towards the end of last year I happened to discover such a band alongside another Finnish gem I’ll be talking about later (Hint Hint), and said discovery took me by surprised. It make take a little bit to interpret this bizarre mix, but trust me when I say that it somehow works. Somehow, the brutality of the Death Metal mixes with the upbeat nature of the Power Metal, and it’s all tied together with the ribbon that is the Japanese folklore/instrumentation. You might be taken aback at first, but Whispered’s 3rd release really is something to look out for!

2) W.A.S.P. - Still Not Black Enough (Song)

A bit of an oddball choice, but hear me out on this one!

Sometimes, life isn’t all sunshine & rainbows. Sometimes, life is painful, and we go through some of the worst it throws at us. However, on occasion it’s this darkness and pain that actually pushes us to do something positive with ourselves. In the case of this obscure gem, sometimes the characters we hold close to our hearts go through some tough times. Sometimes the bad guy wins a fight, or maybe a friend or family member gets hurt. They gets into a tough spot, and for a bit they stay there. Eventually, however, they manage to get out of the rut that they were in. It may take a while, but eventually they do. That’s Still Not Black Enough in a nutshell: tragic & sad, yet somehow there’s a pathway through all of that pain that’ll lead you into something better. Even if you’re not in a bad spot, I still recommend this album to anyone that likes their metal on the more hidden side of popularity!

3) Sabaton - Heroes (Song)

For every piece of tragedy in the world, there is always a counterbalance to it. In the case of this list, we have perhaps one of Sabaton’s most upbeat records in the form of Heroes. Though there is some seriousness to be had with certain tracks, the overall experience is definitely a happy one. There were some truly remarkable people during World War 2: From the daring escapades of the all-female division of the Russian airforce, to the Polish solider who entered into Auschwitz to save his people (My particularly favorite track), and to the German tank commander who defied Hitler to save civilians from Berlin, Heroes is an honest & genuine collection of tales about the soldiers who fought during one of the darkest times in our world’s history. Given what the Earth is like right now, perhaps we need them once again.

4) HammerFall - Legacy Of Kings (Songs)

The best things are always built upon the past. Whether metal, anime, manga, or gaming, the ones who came before helped create what we love, and they deserve our attention (Or at the very least, respect). In the case of HammerFall, they most easily earn my respect! Taking a slightly different turn when it comes to Power Metal, the band forgoes the usage of keyboard that’s so prevalent in the style, and instead goes for all out guitar, bass, and drums. This in turn make them feel more like a typical metal band but with considerably more cheese put into the dish, and it’s one I happily devour! Uplifting in so many ways, Legacy Of Kings is proof that there’s more than enough room for Heavy Metal to have sunshine, rainbows, and plenty of times for it to be warm & fuzzy.

5) Everfrost - Blue Eyed Emotion (Song) & Winterider (Song)

I’ve gushed about these beautiful Finnish dudes 3 times last month......and I’m sure as shit not stopping any time soon!

There have been plenty of bands, metal or otherwise, that have certainly caught me with my pants down. However, there has never.....ever, been a band that genuinely blindsided me much like these five gents! Though the other albums on this list anime fans will certainly fit into the swing of things....these two records are essential metal albums for all lovers of anime & manga! From the cover art, to the comics within, it’s obvious that these releases are genuine love letters to the hobbies that Everfrost loves. Even taking out the anime & manga connections, both Blue Eyed Emotion & Winterider are absolutely solid Power Metal records. From the guitar & bass, to the keyboard, and to the drums, you are in for a cheesy, awesome, and badass experience. I can’t recommend these albums more than I already have, so seek these guys out already!

And these were 5 metal albums that anime fans might enjoy. As I’ve said before, otaku & metalheads have far more in common that both sides are willing to admit, and these albums definitely show those connections off. Well, the other half of January is here, so see you towards the end of the month for some more content!

My Top 5 Serious Anime Of All Time

Hello Fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and happy 2020!

I’m definitely looking forward to what I got planned for this year, and for that matter, the entire decade. With a new period of times comes some changes to the Heavy Metal Otaku blog. Despite the possibility of World War 3 on the horizon, I’m doing the best I can to keep my spirits up. I guess because of the environment we’re in right now, I’m starting the year off with something serious. Not massively so, as I got something a bit happier further into January. In the meantime, here are my top 5 serious anime of all time. Let’s begin!

5) Crimson Wolf (Hon Ran)

Starting things off is what might very well be the most unintentionally hilarious OVAs I’ve ever watched. On the surface the idea seems quite intriguing (Adverting the apocalypse caused by the discovery of Genghis Khan’s tomb, leading into fantasy/government conspiracy), and to a certain degree it’s used well. However, the potential is ruined by a short length, oddly paced story, and some of the most out there lines ever recorded for a dub. I could also put Crimson Wolf in the “Comedy” category in a big moment of irony, but the potential within keeps me from doing so.......barely.

4) Bleach - Diamond Dust Rebellion

From something accidentally funny to something stereo typically Shonen, Bleach is perhaps one of the most iconic shows in the style. Whether reviled or beloved, anime fans will usually have this as one of if not their first Shonen shows they’ve ever watched. In regards to the movies, they’re shrunken equivalents of a season of the show (In all the right/wrong ways), save for a bit more seriousness given the stakes that are raised. Out of all the movies, I was always impressed by Diamond Dust Rebellion: despite following the Shonen trope somewhat to a T, the threat against Ichigo & the Soul Society seemed genuinely powerful, and it affects some of the characters pretty harshly. Like Crimson Wolf this movie is not for everybody (Perhaps even more so), but for people like me, this easily fits the bill for something fun and serious.

3) Bible Black

I think is the first time in the 5+ years of the Heavy Metal Otaku blog that I’ve actually talked about a hentai, and man did I pick an infamous one. For even casual fans of adult-themed anime, most know of this series for it’s particularly hilarious dub, but what an equal amount of people don’t know is how surprisingly in-depth Bible Black is. There’s actually story! There’s actually depth! There’s actually character! The atmosphere is dark, and even scary at points. There isn’t a massive amount of story, depth, and character due to the pornagrapic nature, and the dark/scary parts seems slightly comical because of what I said above, but the original series & even most of the sequels have a little bit of heft to it. If you’re one of those people who like their hentai with more substance, then Bible Black might be what you’re looking for.

2) A Silent Voice

Okay, now we’re getting serious.

If there was any anime on this list that I would consider to be serious. Maybe even bordering on realistic.....it would have to be A Silent Voice. I praised this movie back in 2017 despite it being an honorable mention, and I’ll still praise it today. Perhaps what makes it a little superior over the original manga is the usage of subtly throughout the movie, which in turn makes the heavy emotional gutpunches that much more powerful. Dealing with physical disabilities, bullying & the damage it does, and dealing with the consequences of one’s actions, A Silent Voice is one of those OVAs that everybody should watch. Whether you’re an anime fan or not, you shouldn’t miss this.

1) Cowboy Bebop

True story: I never watched this classic show in it’s heyday. It wasn’t until the re-release back in the early 2010s that I finally bought it, sat down, and gave it a watch.......that’s when it hit me!

Now, I will say that I do have an issue or two. I’m not the biggest fan of moral ambiguity/moral greyness, but the show does it well for the most part. I’m not the biggest Jazz fan, but the soundtrack for the series is incredibly. What really gets Cowboy Bebop as my number 1 favorite serious anime.....is that it’s a show about people. More specifically, it’s about an examination of people. An examination into their past, how they currently function when we meet them, and the potential to what they may become later in their lives. It’s pretty neat to see if this aspect of the show is true, and it’s neat to see so many other things as well (Race, Film Noir, etc). If there was an anime that is serious and can convert potential anime fans, then Cowboy Bebop is it.

So those were my 5 favorite serious anime of all time. As per usual, my lists always have strange choices on them, and this one is definitely no exception. Well, to step away from seriousness, I got something fun planned for later on this month. So join around the mid of January, where anime & Heavy Metal will collide! See you then.