Very cool eastern influenced death metal.
350146
I bought this one a few years back and still listen to it a lot to this day along with all of their other albums that I have. The only reason I am reviewing this is because I remember when I was thinking of buying this and saw that it had a bad review. I'll just let you know that person is either a stool sample or doesn't understand it. The production is not great here but the songs are and if you are a fan of theirs, then this is a good chance to see how they sounded in the early stages of their development.
1314951
These Greeks have developed their sound a lot since their satanic deathmetal debut "Thy Mighty Contract". All songs are good, varying in pace and mood.
The overall atmosphere of the album is of course very dark, full of misery. The loathing, painful voice of Sakis fits the music nicely, taking it to even darker levels. One song also features vocal tribute by Fernando of Moonspell.
4208233
A really incredible album. Though I had had a history with the Death Metal genre in the past, I had figured that most of it was originally American/English. What I now realize is the titanic, and I mean TITANIC influence Quorthon has had on extreme metal, in Europe, the USA and abroad. This album was ahead of its time and laid the blueprint for what extreme metal would become in terms of black metal, death metal, and other extreme music forms. I especially like the menacing cover. The gurgled vocals and insaneness of the music, pounding drums, severe guitar tone, the feeling of chaos, it's like being in one of HP Lovecraft's abysses.
521727
Slightly psychedelic 70's prog influenced Trad Heavy Metal. The Velvet Inquisition is hauntingly chilling that has plenty of 70s electric organ sounds but amazing 80s drum and riffs. For the New Gaurdmen of heavy metal, if you enjoy the spooky clarity of Ghost's synth and rock sound, you'll find home in this tune. The Precipice is a delightful gleaming Prog bit. Full of galloping drums and classic Heavy Metal guitar riffage but still shows a slight haunting sound. The vocals on this album, particularly on this song are ghastly clean and hypnotic for sure. The one that cranks out like a sweet bitch is Flying Alone. Deep Purple is written all over this little rallier. It's the fastest song, exhibiting early Speed Metal notes such as Highway Star (Blackmore and Lord could be seen playing their heart out to this) and Queen's Stone Cold Crazy. If you listen this driving, keep your foot in check; more than once I'm surprised I didn't get pulled over.
3381662
The experience of listening to Anaal Nathrakh's third album, Eschaton, is very comparable to that of a person taking their first shot of a Jack Daniels. It isn't crisp and it goes down hard, but in the end it leaves foaming at the mouth and begging for more. Anaal Nathrakh have continued to further their sound in new styles and directions. If I had to sum up Eschaton into one sentence, I would say this is a further progression from Codex Necro into a landscape of pure insanity.

The core elements of the band are still very apparent from the very beginning. The album is very rough around the edges in production area, which is a signature to most black metal bands. The melodies which were introduced in Codex Necro are still very apparent on Eschaton. This isn't an All That Remains album though; the melodies are varied and in no way take away from their brutal sound. The first song to showcase this is the aptly titled, "Between S*** and P*** We Are Born", which I think those two places were my first reaction to the song. The melody just jumps out from nowhere unlike some of the more mainstream metal. The overall sound of the album mixes in the previously mentioned black metal with some hints of Meshuggah (when I say hints I don't mean reliance like Decapitated) and grind like sounds interwoven with it all. All this makes it harder for the average metal listener to truly classify what genre the band belongs in. There are a number of elements that make this album worth listening to.

One of the greatest elements of Eschaton is the length of the album. Paced at a swift 35 minutes, one could argue that this leaves the listener wanting more. However, it has always been of my opinion that I'd much rather be left craving for more of an album than dazed from listening to a 77 minute album that doesn't know when to end the show. The lyrical content of the album is very interesting, if one actually reads the linear booklet anymore. "Timewave Zero" references to the Mayan Eschaton which believes that God will recreate the world for the 7th and final time. "Destroying Angel" is another name for a type of fungi that kills the healthiest of humans upon one bite. If this isn't metal at its most fun and brutal, then I'm a metal fan for the wrong reasons. Both songs are interesting examples in finding ways to deal with the same metal subjects through a different light. Surely, Slayer could take a page from this department.

Quite honestly, I haven't had this much fun listening to an album since Pig Destroyer's Terrifyer, and Anaal Nathrakh has jumped up a few notches in my department. For people that decide not to listen Anaal Nathrakh just because of their name is on par with not dating a girl because her parents were dumb enough to name her after a fruit. Bottom line, the product is worth more than the name.
857512
I seem to be the only guy I know who had their "forgotten sunrise" ep (included here as bonus tracks)back in the day! These guys had an amazing blend of thick heavy guitars and a deliberately slow pace. This was before death metal became a race towards some imaginary "beats per minute" finish line. The vocalist not only has an excellent gutteral growl but also clearly pronounces his lyrics! I highly recommend this album to anyone who digs death's "leprosy" album and anyone who likes their death with a doomy edge to it.
872815
This just might be my favorite album of theirs, death metal with elements from other genres. The lyrics are good too.
I immediately bought one for sorrow after listening to this.
1292411
Sick band, I love technical death metal and these guys sure can play some technical death metal. love it.
4806916
My favorite album from one of my favorite modern doom metal bands.  Of all the retro bands, these guys sound the most like Sabbath.  That's not saying their a rip-off band.  They've got the Sabbath formula and they use it well with a little trash mixed in for good measure.  Best songs are Mouths of Madness, Silent One, Nomad, and Mountains of Steel.  Very dark and doomy.  Highly recommended for those who are into the retro metal revival.  Also check out Capricorn from these guys.
4478655
I must admit that I find traditional death metal (Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, etc.) rather boring, and so-called 'melodic death metal' horrible. So I approached this cd with caution. But I was in for a very pleasant surprise, as this cd turned out to be amazingly good. Bloodbath manages to be both traditional/old school AND melodic while steering clear of the pitfalls associated with these concepts. This album really, really rocks, it's heavy, it's evil, and though not furiously fast, quite decently paced. Death metal with a rock'n'roll feel, a la early Entombed or The Crown (but of course very different!?).
2369166
I believe the description of their music as "Death/Black Metal" is accurate, because it contains the traits of each. You can hear equal parts Morbid Angel and Mayhem, so if you like one but not the other there is still something here for you to enjoy.
The production is excellent and superbly heavy, which would be part of the Death Metal contribution since black metal is typically raw and under-produced. Keyboards are quietly present here and there, but not too often.
Of course, the artwork is worth the price alone and gets even better inside the booklet, using real nude women and not drawings! However, the back cover does not show a nun getting "@ss raped" as claimed in another review, but rather giving a demon a piggyback ride.
Finally, the lyrics are rather interesting as well. These guys have perversion on the brain for sure (check the song titles), but one line in particular I think really defines their style:

"Take tons of loads in your kisser!"

How can you go wrong with that?
2576973
I have been an Asphyx (R.I.P.) fan since the beginning when I first heard their "Enter the Domain" demo abck in 1988, and had bought everything they had released since.
"The Rack" was their first offcial album released on Century Media in 1991. Originally Asphyx recorded an album in 1990 entitled "Embrace the Death" for CMFT Productions in the UK, but the label went under and never was unleashed until 1996 when Century Media finally released it.
"The Rack" defines the word Brutality with its chainsaw sounding guitars and sick vocals which sounds like Martin Van Drunen is being tortured during the recording of this CD. The one thing I like about this album is the raw and primitive sound it has and is not over produced like a lot of other Death Metal bands have nowadays which takes away the brutality of the recording. The guitars sound is definitely unique which other bands try to duplicate, but fail in doing so. If you are a true Death Metal fan this must be added to your collection. This is definitely one of the most brutal albums in Death Metal history. If you enjoy just plain brutal, barbaric, sadistic, relentless Death Metal than Asphyx is for you.
1471434
Truth be told this isn't the first AA album I bought but it's definitly one of my favorites by them. I discovered them on Fate Of Norns and I never heard death metal like this even though melodic death metal existed before these guys I first heard it through these guys. This album was their first and it is just a hurricane of riffs and melody that really impressed me even though it's not by favorite album by them if's definitly one of them. Amon Amarth is one of my favorite bands and this album is proof as to why great songs great growls and great melodies. Johan Hegg is my favorite death metal vocalist and his growls are what make this album great. My favorite songs are Ride For Vengeance, Without Fear,Once Sent From The Golden Hall, Amon Amarth, and Victorious March. This is essential for any melodeath or death metal fan for that matter go out and get it you won't regret it.
1886021
this is great , i think they tried matching it w/ death cult armagedan but could not pull it off so IF YOUR JUST GETTING INTO DIMMU BORGIR THIS IS DEFINITALY THE ALBUM 2 START OUT WITH my very favorite song on here is INDOCTRINATION and KINGS OF CARNIVAL CREATION!! those are 2 very decent songs
2003246
I got hand it to these guys. This band's music is very diverse. Ever since Idolator, each album has its own sound. In this album they probably made their biggest jump. I wouldn't call this album a metal album. It certainly has metal songs, but some songs lean toward being more electronic and rock. Is that a band thing? Of course not, because they did a very good job with it, and it all fits well together. Some long time fans might not like the new style if they are the type who listens exclusively to metal. To be clear, I don't think it's bad (in fact it's great). It's just different.

Like always the musicianship is great. Here we have a new vocalist, Sophia, who is great with the new style. Sadew, who did the vocals on the last album left. While he was good, I felt he was overrated. He seemed to have a more generic growl. Ryo, the bassist, is now doing the harsh vocals again. He has a more unique higher pitched sound which do a good job on his parts. After the last album the band also lost its drummer, Violator.  Gami from Youthquake (a great death/thrash band btw) fills in his shoes.

In Blood Stain Child's new album, they have created a lighter sound. Overall the music is very catchy, and can get stuck in my head for hours. It will be interesting to hear what sound they will make in their next album.
1203645
Coram deo is a band with many different genres conjoined into one. In Evangelion, there's some thrash influenced parts, as well as some progressive/melodic death/unblack metal. The songs are well structured, and the guitars are polished and clean. Also, with some of the same members as Usynlig tumult, the dark, melodically cold riffing and tremolo picking is embodied throughout this recording. The production quality is pretty good, but the running time is relatively short at around 30 minutes. This is a good CD to spend your money on though if your into progressive and melodic death metal inked with unblack.
2184487
I've been hearing for a couple years now that Bloodbath had selected a so-called legend to replace Mikael Akerfeldt on vocals, but they were able to keep a tight lid on his identity.  I had a few names in mind, but one that didn't even make the list was Nick Holmes of Paradise Lost.  Mostly because that band hasn't done death metal in how many years?  Besides, they never had the same brutal assault in their early days as Bloodbath.  Needless to say, this was an intriguing choice on many levels, and I was instantly excited to hear what the new album would offer.

To my delight, "Grand Morbid Funeral" offers a barrage of brutal, devastating death metal elevated by excellent musicianship and sonic variety.  Holmes complements the proceedings with his own unique style, which I'll come back to momentarily.  Musically, you won't find a band today that's better at delivering traditional Swedish death metal, with a seemingly endless flow of badass riffs from the fingers of Katatonia guitarist Anders Nystrm.  And those riffs sound a great deal more like "Resurrection Through Carnage" than "The Fathomless Mastery" this time around, which means a greater emphasis on early Entombed and Dismember.  "Fathomless" had more of a Morbid Angel vibe on a lot of songs, but this new one takes the sound back to the band's early days.

While old-school death metal has its limitations genre-wise, Bloodbath keeps the music fresh and interesting by making use of speeds ranging through slow, mid-paced, fast, and hyper-fast, with sparing but effective placement of blast beats.  They also establish a pervasively creepy atmosphere with occasional, subtle keyboards under the music, as well as eerie guitar melodies akin to those of the aforementioned Swedish death legends.  Rounding out the package is Nick Holmes, who makes a triumphant return to death metal vocals, at least in my estimation.  He has a sinister growl that's ghoulish and acidic, but also precise and discernible.  I've noticed a mixed reaction to the vocals from Bloodbath fans, and I can see why some people wouldn't like them.  They're far from typical, but I think they suit the music perfectly and give the band a somewhat new flavor.

I won't bother naming highlights.  Close your eyes, point to a song, and you just picked out a highlight.  All eleven tracks stand out on their own, making "Grand Morbid Funeral" one of the best metal albums of 2014.  I'm not sure what its final rank will be among this year's standouts, but right now, it's in my top three.  This is an exciting new chapter for Bloodbath.