HeavyNBrutalAF

Listens of the Month - SEPTEMBER '26

*first-time listen
(by row):
Mastodon - Marrow Deep 8.5/10 (truly a fantastic new record)
*Interpol - This Mirror Weighs A Ton 8.5/10 (I more or less enjoyed every song on here. It's a bit long, but I think it's probably their best since Antics, surpassing Our Love to Admire and El Pintor.)
*Russian Circles - Enter 7/10 (solid instrumental post-rock debut in the vein of Pelican and Isis)
*Rammstein - Reise, Reise 8.5/10 (most of this just really clicks and I fuck with a lot of it)
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell (2021 Remaster) 9/10 (utterly fantastic heavy metal classic)
The Plot In You - First Born 9/10 (The Plot In You is so goddamn good. It doesn't even matter what era, either.)
Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden (2025 Mix) 9/10 - (absolutely fantastic doom metal album. The new mix is soooooo much better than the original. Saw this entire thing performed live in San Jose!)
*Nails - Fear Based Life 9/10 (2 BRAND NEW BLISTERING FUCKSLAMMERS)
*Yob - Atma 8.5/10 (super punishing and super rewarding heavy riffage, doom-sludge with a bunch of groove and space)


Soulfly - Primitive 8/10 (even more full-throated nu metal on this one)
*Melvins - Gluey Porch Treatments 7/10 (the birth of sludge metal, certainly ahead of its time, predating grunge. Heavy and disjointed.)
*Psychostick - Don't Bitch! It's FREE! (Demo 2001) -/- (ayyy, never heard this demo before, but someone put it on YouTube!)
Alcest - Souvenirs d'un autre monde 8/10 (very pretty blackgaze essential)
Deafheaven - Roads to Judah 7.5/10 (a pleasant and intense listen)
Hot Mulligan - you'll be fine. 9/10 (just a fantastic emo album and I can't wait to see them at Aftershock)
*Blessthefall - To Those Left Behind 7.5/10 (pretty standard at this point, but powerful and enjoyably energetic regardless)
Stone Temple Pilots - Core 9/10 (a classic with some of the best rock songs ever written)
Spite - Nothing Is Beautiful 8/10 (kick-ass groove metal and deathcore, big step up from the debut)


President - King of Terrors 3.5/10 (it still doesn't click for me. It's like someone prompted AI to generate Temu Sleep Token. There's such little soul, originality or authenticity here. It feels so disconnected from all its hype and promotion, and it's not even quirky.)
*President - Blood of Your Empire 5/10 (better than the EP, and I like a bit of what they got going on here, but I can't help but remain baffled by the disconnect between the music and the imagery. There's still a lack of originality.)
*156/Silence - From a Distance 8/10 (fantastic follow-up to People Watching, enjoyed quite a lot of it)
*Sleep - Hempispheres 6.5/10 (a bit lackluster, but not a bad release. Just missing something.)
Deftones - private music 9.5/10
Lantlos - Nowhere In Between Forever 7.5/10 (this has SO much going for it, however I don't think it's as great a full-listen-through as previous albums. That said, I enjoy much of it. I hope they tour the US soon.)
Mastodon - Call of the Mastodon 6.5/10 (super heavy, bordering on death metal at some points. The roughest vocals against the wildest riffs and performances)
Soulfly - 3 7/10 (solid, heavy, passionate album. Doesn't do much new, but it's still a decent listen despite its length.)
Coal Chamber - Chamber Music 7.5/10 (great expansion of their sound from the debut, which was much more caveman in comparison.)


Kublai Khan TX - Balancing Survival & Happiness 8.5/10 (true blue ass-kicker)
Spite - The Root of All Evil 7/10 (a bit left-field for them in terms of production and some themes. Still, a lot of tasty shit here.)
Alcest - Écailles de lune 8/10 (another beautiful and pleasant listen, Solar Song takes the cake for me)
Soulfly - Prophecy 8.5/10 (on one hand, this is very heavy and blistering, on the other hand, this is very, dare I say, soulful. I think Max really captures what makes this project unique and powerful on this one to the most successful degree yet. Maybe a bit too jammy here and there, but it's a great album nonetheless.)
Queens of the Stone Age - Queens of the Stone Age 6.5/10 (solid enough debut with some rockin' riffs... it's got enough charm, swagger, and stoner tendencies to carry it through. Wacky and jammy, a bit long.)
Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) 10/10 (it is so easy to see how this is considered one of the greatest albums of all time)
Coal Chamber - Dark Days 7/10 (a good blend of the debut and Chamber Music, with some great highlights and some mid filler)
Soulfly - Dark Ages 9/10 (Max ups the ante on basically everything here. Intense album, likely my favorite from them.)
Helmet - Meantime 8.5/10 (RIFFS)


Rivers of Nihil - The Conscious Seed of Light 8/10 (it's actually remarkable how well they nail it right off the bat with this debut)
Anthrax - For All Kings 8/10 (what a great album, it's a great combination of everything they've done up until this point, aside from maybe the more ferocious and lightning fast stuff in their past. Riff heaven, plus Joey sounds great.)
Soulfly - Conquer 8/10 (full-on lethal, ferocious, berserker-mode tracks, but I think Max's Cavalera Conspiracy debut he put out around the same time is superior to this, therefore I don't think it's as inspired. Still plenty of total ragers on here. It does suffer from Andy Sneap syndrome though.)
Melvins - Ozma 7.5/10 (I like it more than the debut, but it still feels slightly lacking and not fully realized. Ahead of its time regardless.)
*Municipal Waste - Slime and Punishment 8/10 (every time I throw these guys on, I get so pumped up and wanna do nothing but thrash and PARTY.)
*Stone Temple Pilots - Purple 8.5/10 (what a great, consistent rock album)
*Drop Dead, Gorgeous - In Vogue 7.5/10 (what a killer album for the time. Crazy how SeeYouSpaceCowboy straight-up made this album their entire sound. A captivating post-hardcore MySpace era classic.)
*Blessthefall - Hard Feelings 7.5/10 (uplifting with huge production, and some actually righteous, pummeling, destructive breakdowns)
Kublai Khan TX - New Strength 7/10 (it's super heavy, but not much sticks with me compared to other albums.)


Soulfly - Omen 7.5/10 (in and out like a breeze, super punky and thrashy, tasty riffs as always, but not much else. Kinda lacking.)
Hot Mulligan - I Won't Reach Out to You 7.5/10 (good EP, excited to see them at Aftershock)
My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys 7/10 (probably their most experimental and adventurous, and least "emo". I don't think I vibe with it like I do with past works.)
Rivers of Nihil - Monarchy 9/10 (riveting and fantastic progressive tech-death)
*Melvins - Bullhead 8.5/10 (this is definitely the "Melvins have arrived" album right here. Disjointed as all hell, but chock full of personality and pure sludge.)
Nirvana - Nevermind 10/10 (35 years of an album that changed the entire world)
Kublai Khan TX - Nomad 8/10 (a true-blue capture of their signature sound they they would only go on to refine)
Soulfly - Enslaved (Special Edition) 8.5/10 (ok, BIG step up across the board with this one. While it's still kind of a departure from the nu metal and tribal metal of the first batch of albums, it is HEAVY. Not sure why the recurring Soulfly instrumental track is put on the Special Edition instead of the standard edition, though. Lots of cool stuff here.)
Grindstone - Nowhere Under 8/10 (this is genuinely such a great album, it's a damn shame these guys never blew up.)


*Pierce the Veil - Collide With the Sky 8/10 (there's no denying that this is a great album, it's just not for me. It kinda solidifies me choosing to seeing Black Label Society over them at Aftershock.)
The Devil Wears Prada - Color Decay 7.5/10
Soulfly - Savages (Special Edition) 7.5/10 (a lot more stripped-back, more nu metal with slower grooves than the last few albums or so. Still pretty damn heavy.)
*Stone Temple Pilots - Tiny Music... Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop 7.5/10 (it's alright. A lovely enough listen.)
*Municipal Waste - Electrified Brain 7.5/10 (solid ass-kicking album, not much different from previous works, but still some killer standout tracks.)
Hot Mulligan - Why Would I Watch 8/10 (this is some of their sweetest material)
Soulfly - Archangel (Special Edition) 6.5/10 (this is the first record of theirs that feels slightly underwhelming, especially on the production side. It's still not a bad album by any means, and enough of it bangs.)
*Drop Dead, Gorgeous - Worse Than a Fairy Tale 6.5/10 (it's interesting enough, but not something I see myself revisiting)
Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name 9/10 (this moves fully into progressive death metal territory, adding keys, sax, and clean vocals to a dazzling and epic array of beauty.)


Soulfly - Ritual 7.5/10 (solid batch of tracks, a decent culmination of their sounds and styles up to this point.)
Kublai Khan TX - Absolute 8.5/10 (straight-up brutal)
*Melvins - Houdini 8.5/10 (sludge and grunge... call it slunge.)
Hot Mulligan - The Sound a Body Makes When It's Still 8.5/10 (really looking forward to seeing them at Aftershock)
Alcest - Les voyages de l'âme 8.5/10 (a very pretty and relaxing listen)
*My Chemical Romance - The Mad Gear and Missile Kid EP 6.5/10 (basically extra tracks from the Danger Days sessions)


Albums/EPs I listened to more than once: Marrow Deep; Fear Based Life


Strongly recommend: This Mirror Weighs a Ton; Heaven and Hell; First Born; Foundations of Burden; you'll be fine.; Core; private music; Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers); Dark Ages; Meantime; Monarchy; Nevermind; Where Owls Know My Name


Do not recommend: King of Terrors; Blood of Your Empire


Album/EP of the month: Marrow Deep


Song of the month: The Vanishing by Mastodon

2 weeks ago |[YT] | 1

HeavyNBrutalAF

Donate or tip my channel! 💲 If you guys donate $100 before Aftershock (Oct 1) I'll react to the new dog turd song put out by Falling in Reverse! 💩 I'll even shout you out in the video!

Handles for my Cashapp and Venmo in comments 👇🏻

4 weeks ago |[YT] | 1

HeavyNBrutalAF

Listens of the Month - AUGUST '26


(by row):

*Faith No More - Introduce Yourself 7.5/10 (lots of attitude, swagger, and great performances)
Morbid Angel - Formulas Fatal to the Flesh 8.5/10 (insane record that sounds like a relentless culmination of everything they've done up until this point)
Deftones - Eros 8.5/10
Alcest - Le Secret (2011 Re-recording) 8.5/10 (excellent little debut EP from these French pioneers of blackgaze, arguably the birth of the subgenre)
Whitechapel - Hymns In Dissonance 8.5/10 (this is their heaviest album yet, and has the production to boost the case, even though the high-mids might be a bit too elevated, maybe around the 800-900 Hertz mark.)
Death - Spiritual Healing 7/10 (still my least favorite overall)
My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge 9/10 (very much enjoyable to this day)
White Zombie - Soul-Crusher 6/10 (incomprehensible, chaotic, full of attitude, piss, and swagger. Almost senseless. Essential noise rock.)
Coal Chamber - Coal Chamber 7.5/10 (an essential nu metal debut)


*Dance Gavin Dance - Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean 6.5/10 (thus begins a long overdue deep dive on these guys. A bit disjointed, and doesn't leave much to memory, but not bad for a debut)
Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve (30th Anniversary Remaster) 8/10 (sounds much better than the original. Still ahead of its time musically, even though I enjoy what they go on to do much more.)
Pantera - Cowboys From Hell 8.5/10 (always thought the second half was much weaker, but front to back there is plenty of ass-kicking to go around)
Katatonia - Discouraged Ones (Reissue) 8.5/10 (I love how gothic this one gets at times, and with a bit different production, some of the songs here can stand out a lot more.)
*Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below 9/10 / 8/10 overall: 9/10 (Speakerboxxx was much better than I was expecting. Damn fine album, very consistent, great features, great songs. The Love Below is smooth AS HELL. Just fantastic, but tapers off a little bit in the second half.)
Gnarls Barkley - Atlanta 8.5/10
*Decrepit Birth - ... And Time Begins 7.5/10 (relentless and insane brutal tech death from start to drawn-out finish)
Interpol - Turn On the Bright Lights 10/10
Slipknot - The End, So Far 7.5/10


Katatonia - Tonight's Decision 7.5/10 (I feel like some of the material here could go a bit farther, but some tracks here are very interesting and more realized than others, Jonas's vocals and writing being the main wild card)
Shpongle - Tales of the Inexpressible (Remaster) 9/10
*Blessthefall - Hollow Bodies 7.5/10 (big step up from the previous record, a lot more refined.)
Katatonia - Last Fair Deal Gone Down 8.5/10 (crazy how much inspiration they got out of Tool's Ænima for this one, given how it sounds a lot more like what Tool would go on to do, even though this was released a week before Lateralus! I think this is just a step above the previous albums in terms of cohesion and songwriting, like they've finally found their footing and are set to go on to make their best work.)
*The Plot In You - The Plot In You 8.5/10 (fantastic collection of recent EPs and singles. Killer shit.)
*Dawg Pound - Closer 2 Death 8.5/10 (bone-shattering Rochester hardcore)
Disperser CA - Critical Moment of Agony -/-
*Marilyn Manson - One Assassination Under God - Chapter 2 7.5/10 (I more or less liked each song here. I might like Chapter 1 more. Good lyrics as always.)
White Zombie - Make Them Die Slowly 6/10 (a notable stylistic shift from the debut, taking a more derivative traditional heavy metal approach. The production and recording is pretty bad, a better sound would have made these songs punch a lot more.)


Mac Miller - Macadelic 7.5/10
Soulfly - Soulfly 8/10 (great debut that picks up where Roots left off, with a bunch of kick-ass tracks, although 70 minutes is a bit too long)
White Zombie - God of Thunder 7/10 (a significant turning point for the band with the addition of Jay Yuenger on guitar)
Limp Bizkit - Significant Other 7.5/10 (a ton of fun, and much more dynamic than the debut. More enjoyable than one would think)
Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile 9.5/10
*PeelingFlesh - PF Radio 7.5/10 (wacky, brutal, killer slams.)
Spite - Spite (Deluxe Edition) 8.5/10 (haven't spun these guy's early stuff since 2019. Kicks a ton of ass for a debut.)
*The Beatles - Rubber Soul 9.5/10 (BEATLEMANIA CONTINUES! This is starting to introduce the slightest tinges of psychedelia to their signature sound. Some of the production only ever slightly holds this back, but it's still my favorite so far.)
*Pink Floyd - More 4.5/10 (it's not as kooky and sporadic as the first 2 albums, but it's not very interesting or engaging either.


Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV 10/10
*Pierce the Veil - Selfish Machines (Reissue) 7/10 (it's probably just not my thing, and wears out its luster as it goes on, but it's not even a bad album.)
Mastodon - Cold Dark Place 8.5/10
Kyuss - ... And the Circus Leaves Town 7/10 (this album screams "we're breaking up and have nothing left to say but are contractually obligated to release another record". Despite this, it's still definitely worth a listen.)
*Excision - Apex 8/10 (an X-cellent entourage of bangers)
*Makoto Matsushita - First Light 8/10 (great album. Ahead of its time.)
Hot Mulligan - Pilot 8/10 (love this debut full-length, although it's a little bit one-dimensional)
*Frolic - Fusion of Spirits -/- (pretty solid Bay Area thrash, production needs serious work, especially on the drums, which swallows everything in the low end. Good tracks.)
Sevendust - One 8/10 (still a very solid and consistent new album)


Knocked Loose - A Tear In the Fabric of Life 8.5/10 (finally checked out the accompanying animated short film for this.... it's like Tool meets Slenderman. EP still destroys to this day.)
*2pac - All Eyez On Me 8/10 (good assembly of tracks, and a good album to vibe out to, nothing on here that is truly poor or mediocre in quality in any way, but I feel like I've enjoyed other works of his more, and for a double album, it's actually not really that gripping or engaging, despite a handful of great cuts here and there.)
*Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know 8.5/10 (holy damn, these are the heaviest Iommi riffs I've heard in several albums... Dio, Butler, Iommi, and Appice, the Mob Rules lineup, deliver killer track after killer track, an excellent final send-off for the late, great RJD, it might as well be a Black Sabbath album. Not perfect, but surprising and enjoyable.)
*Mastodon - Marrow Deep 8.5/10 (hard to really break down the new album, but I'm loving it so far. The last leg is probably the best out of any Mastodon album, to be honest. Overall, it's definitely their heaviest and most concise, focused, complete work in quite some time as well. I do wish it was a bit better in the hook department, but the riffs are godly, and the compositions and performances are infectious.)
*Black Sabbath - 13 7/10 (not a bad final album, it's serviceable with modernized production and good performances.)
*Superheaven - Live In Austin 8.5/10 (neat little live EP, go see them if you have the chance!)
Katatonia - Viva Emptiness 8.5/10 (some truly stellar songs on here)
Clutch - Robot Hive/Exodus 8/10 (consistent as all hell, wacky and groovy)
The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute 9/10 (I love this album, but I forgot just how much excess, needless noise and filler between compositions there is.)


Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy 8.5/10 (one of the most prominent examples of the band expanding their style and sound)
Moose McLane & the Broken Antlers - Self-Titled EP -/- (I gotta say, I absolutely love this EP, and for those of you even remotely into country or southern rock, GO LISTEN TO THIS SHORT LITTLE EP RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND, GODDAMN IT.)
*Run the Jewels - Meow the Jewels 7.5/10 (a great novelty remix album that works best if you know the original song, and a neat spur-of-the-moment experiment that I wish more artists were more willing to try)
Crossfade - Crossfade 9.5/10
*Obituary - The End Complete 7.5/10 (very solid for what it is, nothing too unexpected from them)


*first-time listen


Albums/EPs I listened to more than once: Eros; Marrow Deep


Strongly recommend: Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge; Speakerboxxx/The Love Below; Atlanta; Turn On the Bright Lights; Tales of the Inexpressible; The Fragile; Rubber Soul; Led Zeppelin IV; Frances the Mute; Houses of the Holy; Moose McLand and the Broken Antlers; Crossfade


Do not recommend: More


Album/EP of the Month: Marrow Deep


Song of the month: Chrome by Katatonia

1 month ago (edited) |[YT] | 2

HeavyNBrutalAF

Listens of the Month - JULY '26

What a month...

(by row):
Limp Bizkit - Three Dollar Bill, Y'all $ 5/10 (happy 29th birthday to a heavy, funky, riffy, sloppy, corny debut)
White Zombie - Psycho-Head Blowout 6/10 (noisy, unintelligible, and raucous. Rob sounds like a maniac. Fun fact, Kurt Cobain was said to have loved this debut. Just listen to this and imagine it's Doodlebob on vocals... absolutely hilarious experience.)
Karnivool - In Verses 9.5/10
*Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes 8/10 (I enjoyed this much more than I was expecting to. Genuinely good album, a bit of Alice In Chains influence here and there too.)
*Cradle of Filth - Bitter Suites to Sucubi 8.5/10 (this is fucking awesome)
Deftones - Koi No Yokan 10/10 (one of the greatest albums ever created)
Kyuss - Blues For the Red Sun 8/10 (24 years of this heavy stoner rock classic)
Invent Animate - Heavener (Definitive) 9.5/10 (listen to this fucking album)
Silent Planet - SUPERBLOOM 9/10 (still a fucking awesome metalcore record)

Moose McLane & the Broken Antlers - Self-Titled EP -/- (IT'S FINALLY HERE!)
*The Steeldrivers - The SteelDrivers 8.5/10 (such a great bluegrass debut. This is the band Chris Stapleton was originally in.)
TokenGrass - Hoe-Downin' 8.5/10 (now we just need This Yee Will Become Your Haw)
Cryptopsy - None So Vile 10/10 (30 years of this brutal death metal masterpiece)
Deftones - Eros 8.5/10
Lamb of God - Into Oblivion 8.5/10 (it's actually remarkable how great this new album turned out)
Hot Mulligan - Honest & Cunning 7/10 (decent EP)
Vianova - Hit It! 8/10
Joji - BALLADS1 7.5/10 (when it hits, it absolutely hits. When it's mid, it's kinda mid. Love it regardless.)

*Faith No More - We Care A Lot 7/10 (interesting debut that isn't fully recognized sonically, and is very much a product of its time, despite putting its own twist on the rock and post-punk sound of the early 80s.)
Bring Me the Horizon - There Is A Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It, There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret 8.5/10 (excellent album, it maintains a decent amount of the sound of Suicide Season but shows how much they were willing to push their sound forward even back during this earlier era of their career, eventually leading to Sempiternal)
Katatonia - Brave Murder Day (2006 Peaceville Reissue) 8/10 (great album to get lost in, this includes the Sounds of Decay EP)
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II 9/10
*Demolition Hammer - Epidemic of Violence 9/10 (absolutely one of the best thrash albums out there. Endless ass-kicking and headbanging.)
Slayer - Seasons In the Abyss 8.5/10
Gnarls Barkley - Atlanta 8.5/10
*Black Sabbath - Forbidden 6/10 (the new mix makes it sound modern. That's about the only positive. I expected rapping, but... I didn't really hear it? Nevertheless... undercooked songwriting, decent riffs, 90s metal syndrome.)
Fleshwater - We're Not Here to Be Loved 10/10 (the greatest debut album put out this decade)

Joji - Piss in the Wind (Deluxe) 6.5/10 (most of it is obviously underdeveloped, but I still vibe with a whole lot of it. Crazy how most of the deluxe songs are better than most of the songs on the standard album)
Black Label Society - Engines of Demolition 8/10 (definitely one of their better albums)
*Neurosis - Souls at Zero 7/10 (cutting edge for its time, although a bit bloated)
*Napalm Death - Smear Campaign 8.5/10 (blistering and eviscerating and obliterating and FUCK. Could be trimmed a tad, but still, so many enjoyable parts and songs.)
Unpassing - Pyrophoria -/-
Karnivool - Themata 9.5/10
Devin Townsend - Snuggles 5.5/10
Baroness - Yellow 9/10 (Yellow & Green turned 14!)
Baroness - Green 7.5/10

*horsegiirL - NATURE IS HEALING 9/10 (unexpectedly beautiful and tranquil. Overwhelmingly positive, almost psychill in some moments and songs. Some outright bops too, a great variety of genres and styles. Her barn, her rules indeed.)
*Exodus - Persona Non Grata 7/10 (lots of righteous riffs, kick-ass sections, and killer harmonies, but nothing too standout or cutting edge, plus it's a little lengthy)
*Loathe - A Stranger to You 9/10 (THE LONG IS OVER! A fantastic expansion of their sound that I will enjoy dissecting for quite some time)
*Bring Me the Horizon - Count Your Blessings: Repented 8.5/10 (it's genuinely insane how much better this sounds than the original. Anything Buster Odeholm touches is gold.)
Charli XCX - brat 9.5/10
Megadeth - Megadeth 6/10
*Exodus - Goliath 6.5/10 (it sounds great, but nothing really sticks, and I expected more from the return of Rob Dukes)
*Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet 9.5/10 (cutting edge, brutal, ahead of its time, venomous, and important.)
*Pierce the Veil - A Flair For the Dramatic 8/10 (genuinely great for a debut)

Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? 9.5/10
Mac Miller - The High Life 7/10 (Mac's first release under the Mac Miller moniker, and it holds up well as a classic frat rap mixtape, with stellar production)
*Ozzy Osbourne - Scream 7/10 (apparently the story behind replacing Zakk Wylde for this one was that Black Rain was sounding too much like Black Label Society. Regardless, this one has a lot of big energy and heavy moments. First 4 tracks are the best.)
Whitechapel - Kin 8.5/10 (this album is actually aging quite well)
Hot Mulligan - Opportunities 8.5/10 (fantastic EP)
My Chemical Romance - I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love 7/10 (24th anniversary of this debut. This is easily their most emo-sounding album, and there's certainly a charm to it.)
Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley 9/10 (a high quality classic)
Pink Floyd - Animals 10/10
*Avenged Sevenfold - Statica 6/10 (their most experimental yet. Not even the same band, it seems. Still pretty neat.)

Fleshwater - 2000: In Search of the Endless Sky 5.5/10 (to me, I still don't get much out of it compared to the debut. It's underwhelming and has few memorable hooks.)
Pantera - Power Metal 8/10 (such an exhilarating step up from the previous albums. Underrated.)
Enya - A Day Without Rain 9/10 (I've loved this album since I was a child)
ISON - STARS & EMBERS 7/10 (while a lot of it treads the same water, it does have some highlights, particularly Embers and the first couple tracks)
*Lowen - A Crypt in the Stars 7.5/10 (Doomy Middle Eastern-tinged prog. The production is a bit weak, but the songs are righteous, and the vocals sell it all for me. Very interesting record. I can see these guys opening for Castle Rat.)
Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction 10/10
*Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant 8/10 (epic, rocks, sound great, kicks ass. No real complaints here!)
The Mars Volta - Deloused In the Comatorium 9.5/10 (incredibly enjoyable and very special album. The performances are astounding.)
Gorillaz - The Fall 6/10 (still a chill listen)

*The Beatles - Help! 9.5/10 (BEATLEMANIA CONTINUES! This may be my favorite so far!)
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III 8.5/10 (great folky, bluesy album)
*Rush - Test For Echo 6/10 (the title track sounds a little bit like what Tool would go on to do. I didn't get too much out of the rest of this one.)
Billy Howerdel - What Normal Was 8.5/10
Deftones - Private Music 9.5/10
Converge - When Forever Comes Crashing 8/10 (an odd, pummeling, rip-snortin' good time)
*No Cure - It Is Going to Get Dark 9/10 (Jesus ever-loving Christ, this absolutely FUCKS)

*first-time listen

Albums/EPs listened to more than once: Eros; Snuggles; A Stranger to You; STATICA

Strongly recommend: In Verses; Koi No Yokan; Heavener; SUPERBLOOM; Moose McLane & The Broken Antlers; None So Vile; Eros; Into Oblivion; Atlanta; We're Not Here to Be Loved; Themata; Yellow; NATURE IS HEALING; A Stranger to You; Count Your Blessings: Repented; brat; Fear of a Black Planet; Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?; Kin; Welcome to Sky Valley; Animals; A Day Without Rain; Appetite For Destruction; De-Loused In the Comatorium; Help!; What Normal Was; Private Music; It Is Going to Get Dark

Do Not Recommend: Three Dollar Bill, Y'all $; STATICA; 2000: In Search of the Endless Sky;

Album/EP of the Month: Eros

Song of the Month: Candy by Deftones

2 months ago (edited) |[YT] | 3

HeavyNBrutalAF

HEYYY so I'm exhausted from working endlessly in the heat almost everyday, BUT!! I WILL be going live tomorrow evening after 6PM PST to listen to the new LOATHE album for the first time! We'll also be listening to Bring Me the Horizon's new COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS: REPENTED and playing some games!!

Odds are, it'll be a 2-parter, so STAND BY AND BE READY AND STAY TUNED, because I'll likely be doing a stream for each!!!

THANK YOU ALL <3

2 months ago |[YT] | 2

HeavyNBrutalAF

Listens of the Month - JUNE '26

(by row):
*Suffocation - Blood Oath 7.5/10 (not too memorable, but plenty of stank-face moments throughout regardless, and very consistent)
*Napalm Death - The Code Is Red... Long Live the Code 8.5/10 (this shit is peak)
Cannibal Corpse - Vile 7/10 (there's certainly better records from them.)
*Six Feet Under - Haunted 6/10 (competently written and performed, but I get very little out of it.)
*Anal Cunt - Everyone Should Be Killed 7.5/10 (an endless, incomprehensible, brutal trainwreck of fun. Barely even music, and I love it.)
*Black Sabbath - Dehumanizer 8/10 (this album is awesome. Arguably their best since, and definitely most SABBATH sounding album, since Mob Rules.)
Obituary - Cause of Death 8/10 (I like it better than I did before, but I think I still prefer the first album)
*Motörhead - Sacrifice 7.5/10 (this one's a bit different, and the production is a little all over the place. That said, a lot of it kicks ass.)
*Boogie Down Productions - By All Means Necessary 9/10 (an essential classic, and upon hearing it's easy to see why it's so revered and considered the birth of conscious hip hop. They really started the necessary conversations for the culture and genre.)


*Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions to Hold Us Back 9.5/10 (you can hear so much of the influence this went on to have, and every song hits in some way or another.)
Unpassing - Pyrophoria -/- (I GOT TO FILL IN ON BASS FOR THESE GUYS IN UKIAH)
*Invent Animate & Silent Planet - Bloom In Heaven 9/10 (great collab EP)
*The Beatles - Beatles For Sale 9/10 (BEATLEMANIA CONTINUES! I pretty much enjoyed every track on here.)
*N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton 9.5/10 (an essential gangsta rap classic. A lot of it still holds up very well, especially in terms of the beats, flows, production, and performances, but some of the lyrical themes are pretty ignorant.
*Beastie Boys - An Exciting Evening at Home with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego 6.5/10 (basically an encore EP of Paul's Boutique. Top-notch sampledelia.)
Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden 9.5/10
Fleetwood Mac - The Dance 10/10
Lamb of God - Wrath (Bonus Track Edition) 8.5/10 (not many LoG fans know about We Die Alone, Shoulder of Your God, and Condemn the Hive)


Death - Leprosy 9/10 (one of the best early death metal releases)
*Zach Bryan - Summertime Blues 7.5/10 (enjoyable country EP)
*Blessthefall - Awakening 6.5/10 (it's genuinely solid, but a lot of it blends together and doesn't lend itself to memory that much.)
*Dimmu Borgir - For all tid (Remaster) 7/10 (genuinely not a bad debut at all, solid melodic black metal.)
Sewerslvt - Draining Love Story 8/10 (truly a damn good album)
*Cynthoni, Sewerslvt - Draining Love Story (In the Eyes of Cynthoni) 8/10 (amazing production, you can just get so lost in this, and enjoy every bit of it without feeling overwhelmed or underwhelmed)
Knocked Loose - You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To 9.5/10
Eminem - The Eminem Show 9.5/10
Sleep Token - Even In Arcadia 9/10


*Rammstein - Mutter 9/10 (this was fantastic)
Autopsy - Severed Survival 8/10 (excellent early death metal)
Joji - Piss In the Wind (Deluxe Edition) 7/10 (first time hearing the deluxe songs... and these are generally much better than the album songs, with a lot more depth.)
*PeelingFlesh - Human Pudding 7.5/10 (nasty slamcore EP, butt-puckering, stankface material)
Morbid Angel - Domination 8/10 (nothing here is bad, maybe a little disjointed, but everything sounds tight and focused)
*Anthrax - Worship Music 8.5/10 (damn, this album kicks ASS. Great songs throughout)
Hopsin - Knock Madness 7/10 (it's actually kinda funny how much I used to listen to Hopsin in the mid 2010s. I remember waiting for this to drop on iTunes back in late November 2013, and revisiting it now... I actually still kinda like it? Half of the stuff here is actually pretty damn enjoyable, the other half? Very hit and miss, mostly more miss. Same issues as before. The first half of the album is certainly better than the second. Trim off a few songs or so and this could almost be a classic.)
Nails - You Will Never Be One of Us 9/10
*Rivers of Nihil - Rivers of Nihil 8.5/10 (a fantastic return to form and back-on-track album following The Work. Genuinely awesome record. Wasn't expecting a Hillary Clinton sample on here either...)


Mac Miller - Balloonerism 8/10 (easily his most drugged-out album)
*Rush - Counterparts 8/10 (genuinely a great album, likely their best since Signals)
*AC/DC - '74 Jailbreak 7/10 (interesting foray into their earliest work, showing off their direct inspiration from American rock, especially southern blues)
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin 9/10 (total classic)
*Deftones - Eros 8.5/10 (yes, the long-lost legendary album has leaked... I have so many thoughts about this thing. I put up a video on the channel discussing much of it at length. It's REALLY GOOD AND GROWING ON ME A LOT DESPITE BEING UNFINISHED.)
The Contortionist - Language 9/10 (such a proggy jam. Very spacy.)
Katatonia - Dance of December Souls 7.5/10 (a solid debut somewhat ahead of its time for its blending of subgenres)
Deftones - Private Music 9/10
*Skrillex - SOMA 5.5/10 (lots of straight-up house, mostly bass and Latin, some dubstep. Some of it bangs, some of it is annoying. Not as grand, bold, or memorable as other albums.)


Palms - Palms (Deluxe Edition) 10/10
*Dimmu Borgir - Stormblåst 2005 7.5/10 (great atmosphere and vibe. Well done.)
Whitechapel - The Valley 9.5/10
*Sleep - The Sciences 8/10 (stoner metal gods)
Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage 9/10
*Silverback 916 - 1 vs 100 -/- (GORILLA RIFFS)
Pantera - I Am the Night 5.5/10 (less glammy, but still cheese up top of cheese. Terry is still the worst thing about this. "Hot and Heavy" gets caught in my head whenever I'm doing laundry and adjusting the "hot" temperature and "heavy" soil level settings on the washing machine.)
*August Burns Red - Phantom Anthem 8/10 (ah, that good ol' ABR consistency)


Nails - Unsilent Death (10th Anniversary Edition) 9.5/10
Kyuss - Wretch 7.5/10 (rough and hard-rockin')
*Incubus - If Not Now, When? 6.5/10 (by far their softest work up to this point, to where it's almost uncharacteristic. Reminds me of Birds of Tokyo. It does pick up a bit towards the back half. Overall inoffensive.)
Cannibal Corpse - Gallery of Suicide 7.5/10 (solid, a few righteous, gruesome bangers, overall not bad, slightly bloated)
The Plot In You - Wife Beater 7/10 (solid debut EP)
Nails - Every Bridge Burning 9/10


*first-time listen


Albums/EPs listened to more than once: Pyrophoria; Eros


Strongly recommend: By All Means Necessary; It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back; Pyrophoria; Bloom In Heaven; Straight Outta Compton; Take Me Back to Eden; The Dance; You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To; The Eminem Show; Mutter; You Will Never Be One Of Us; Led Zeppelin; Eros (if you can find it lol); Language; Private Music; Palms; The Valley; L'Enfant Sauvage; Unsilent Death; Every Bridge Burning


Do not recommend: SOMA; I Am the Night


Album/EP of the month: Eros

3 months ago |[YT] | 2

HeavyNBrutalAF

LISTENS OF THE MONTH - MAY '26 (sorry for the procrastinating)

(by row):
Thornhill - Butterfly 8/10
Sevendust - Black Out the Sun 9/10 (easily one of their best albums)
Sevendust - One 8/10 (even though it's 7D doing what 7D does best, it feels like a lot more love and care put into the music here compared to previous records.)
Vianova - Hit It! 8/10 (very interesting record, plenty of crushing bits and soaring hooks and melodies, can't wait to see where these guys go)
Thornhill - Heroine 6.5/10
*Sepultura - The Cloud of Unknowing 7.5/10 (a very solid sendoff of an EP)
Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side 8.5/10 (likely their best album)
Blonde Redhead - Penny Sparkle 8.5/10 (their gentlest work by far. Gorgeous stuff. Probably their sexiest and most sensual album overall.)
Karnivool - In Verses 9.5/10

Puscifer - Normal Isn't 7.5/10
Devin Townsend - The Puzzle 6/10 (certainly his most fascinating album. It sounds like impulsive musical thoughts captured at random and then composed, pure stream of consciousness, senseless yet consistent.)
Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding 8.5/10 (just as great as their previous 2)
Skrillex - Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites 8.5/10 (a classic)
Sepultura - Against 7/10 (it's a decent facsimile of Root and Chaos A.D., but I don't get much out of it. Damn heavy though, great blend of tribal instrumentation here and there too, and it even introduces styles that were hot at the time.)
Tesseract - Concealing Fate 10/10
Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God 9/10 (probably their best album)
Sevendust - Time Travelers and Bonfires 7/10 (in some ways, this is certainly one of the best things Sevendust ever did. However, it's all one note for a reason, given it's solely an acoustic album, and it's not what I'd usually go out of my way to listen to what it comes to 7D.)
Sepultura - Nation 6/10 (I didn't get much from this, but it's not bad)

Unpassing - Pyrophoria -/-
Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising 8/10 (I especially appreciate this one because it expands on their sounds a bit more, like the previous one did. The production is excellent, too.)
*Failure - The Heart Is a Monster 8/10 (crazy how they can go without a release for 19 years and then put this out. Some warped touches akin to Queens of the Stone Age and The Beatles here and there. Really dug this.)
Sevendust - Kill the Flaw 8.5/10 (heavy, catchy, and probably their most djenty)
Dethklok - The Dethalbum DKXX: Dethmastered 9/10 (remix and remaster sounds GREAT)
*The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night 9/10 (BEATLEMANIA continues!!! I share a birthday with this one!)
Sleep Token - Sundowning (Deluxe) 8/10
*Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods 7.5/10 (more stripped-back and experimental than ever, some real heavy cuts, but some underwhelming bits too.)
Knocked Loose - Upon Loss Singles 9/10

Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction 9.5/10 (arguably a masterpiece)
Palms - Opening Titles / End Credits 9.5/10
Tool - Lateralus 10/10 (the greatest album ever made turns a quarter-century old)
Deftones - Ohms 8.5/10
*Amon Amarth - Jomsviking 7/10 (first half is good, latter half is meh.)
Dethklok - Dethalbum II 8/10 (I've always wished the vocals on here were more deeper, more brutal, more Nathan.)
*Castle Rat - Into the Realm 7/10 (solid Sabbath worship, very 70s-metal-revival. If you love Master of Reality and stoner metal in general, you'll dig this.)
*Frozen Soul - No Place of Warmth 7.5/10 (solid Bolt Thrower worship with a modern twist, super heavy with great features and nasty riffs)
*Amon Amarth - Berserker 5.5/10 (I didn't get much out of this one. It drags and offers nothing new or captivating.)

Dethklok - Dethalbum III 9/10 (this is their best record, only behind the first one)
Sevendust - All I See Is War 8/10 (one of their better records for sure)
Whitechapel - Mark of the Blade 6/10 (it's pissed and heavy. A couple great tracks, a couple good ones, the rest is decent, meh, or forgettable.)
*deadmau5 - SATRN / COASTED / FALL Remixes 7/10 (solid little EP)
*Amon Amarth - The Great Heathen Army 7.5/10 (noticing the tracks have a bit more love and attention put into them, a bit more focused and inspired. A solid step back in the right direction.)
Dethklok - Dethalbum IV 6.5/10 (it's probably their heaviest album, but it still feels lacking.)
*Castle Rat - The Bestiary 6/10 (very stoner-doom, more mystical, medieval, and stripped-down than the debut. A bit of a slump, but it's not bad.)
*Black Sabbath - Tyr 7/10 (a lot more adventurous and thematic)
Tool - 10,000 Days 10/10 (totally missed this masterpiece's 20th birthday back in April)

*Psychostick - Toxic Crusaders Original Soundtrack 7/10 (this is so enigmatic of what a great video game soundtrack should sound like, and I have so much respect for them to do this and do it this well, even though I know nothing about the game.)
Deep Forest - Deep Forest 8/10
Pelican - Pelican EP 8.5/10 (awesome, heavy sludge EP)
Team Sleep - Team Sleep (Deluxe Edition) 9/10
Crossfade - Crossfade 9.5/10
Gojira - Magma 9.5/10 (this album turns 10 pretty soon, which is INSANE to think about... I remember when it dropped. I remember that whole summer. This was an essential soundtrack to the whole rest of that year....)
*Isis - Live V 9/10 (a full playthrough of their best album, the masterpiece Oceanic, live in London, 2006)
Devin Townsend - Snuggles 5.5/10 (It's soothing, gentle, and ambient. It doesn't do much beyond that, and the songs blend together. A relaxing experience.)
Strapping Young Lad - Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing 5.5/10 (2 of their best songs, and the rest is okay or meh. Production varies, the bass drums on a few tracks sound like toothpicks.)

Sevendust - Blood & Stone 7.5/10 (absolutely one of their best produced albums. Emotionally driven, almost like a Seasons part 2, but kinda less heavy overall.)
Meshuggah - Immutable (Indeliable Edition) 8.5/10 (so much better than the original version)
*Celtic Frost - Monotheist 10/10 (celebrating it's 20th anniversary, I'm finally hearing it for the first time... and it's absolutely incredible. Just as much of a masterpiece as anyone says it is. Argubly flawless.)
*Devin Townsend - The Moth 7/10 (Really hard to give a fully honest opinion without dissecting and sitting with the album further. This is almost too immersive for just an album. Like, this is straight-up a rock opera. It needs an accompanying movie. That being said, I like it!)
Disperser CA - Burning at Both Ends -/-
Disperser CA - Critical Moment of Agony -/-
Sleep Token - This Place Will Become Your Tomb 8/10
The Weeknd - My Dear Melancholy, 7.5/10
Sevendust - Truth Killer 7/10 (it has a few great songs, but the rest is mostly mid or filler)

*deadmau5 - Escape Remixes 8/10 (great track, solid remix collection)
*Nile - Vile Nilotic Rites 8.5/10 (good and nasty, chunky and tasty, heavy and brutal, one might say.)

*first-time listen

Albums/EPs I listened to more than once: One; Penny Sparkle; The Puzzle;

Strongly recommend: Black Out the Sun; Penny Sparkle; In Verses; Concealing Fate; Twilight of the Thunder God; Kill the Flaw; The Dethalbum; A Hard Day's Night; Upon Loss Singles; Deconstruction; Opening Titles / End Credits; Lateralus; Dethalbum III; 10,000 Days; Team Sleep; Crossfade; Magma; Monotheist

Do not recommend: Berserker; Mark of the Blade; Snuggles; Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing

Album/EP of the month: The Dethalbum

Song of the month: Dagger Dragger by Castle Rat

3 months ago |[YT] | 2

HeavyNBrutalAF

It didn't take long for copyright to cut the stream short 🤷🏻‍♂️

That said, this is almost too immersive for just an album. Like, this is straight-up a rock opera. It needs an accompanying movie.

4 months ago |[YT] | 0

HeavyNBrutalAF

Well. I DID have a reaction to edit for the new Loathe song. Problem is, the audio is completely fucked. Which really sucks, because this song blew my mind, featured my new camera, and starred Spinel sitting on the desk next to me.

This channel is starving for content as it is, and this is just depressing.

5 months ago |[YT] | 2

HeavyNBrutalAF

Listens of the Month - APRIL '26
Lots of death metal this month. Lots of great shows, too.
(by row):
Whitechapel - Whitechapel 8.5/10
Deicide - Serpents of the Light 9/10 (another ass-kicking assembly of blasphemous brutality)
*Interpol - Our Love to Admire 8/10 (a lovely listen, especially the second half)
*Immolation - Unholy Cult 7.5/10 (not too shabby, solid performances and content)
Behemoth - Evangelion 8.5/10 (an eviscerating onslaught of blistering intensity)
*Lantlos - Nothing In Between Forever 7.5/10 (a lot more experimental than I expected... not nearly as earworm-heavy as previous albums, not nearly as intense, but I appreciate what this album was going for.)
Deicide - Insineratehymn 7.5/10 (it's not bad. A little more toned down and one-note compared to previous albums.)
*Interpol - Interpol 5.5/10 (I didn't get much out of this one at all)
*Deicide - In Torment In Hell 7.5/10 (big step up from the last one. Neat riffs and transitions here and there.)


*Interpol - El Pintor 7.5/10 (big step up from the previous one)
*Immolation - Harnessing Ruin 6.5/10 (I found it iffy at first, but dug it more as it went on. Production can be kinda butt at some points, but sometimes the song lengths favor the material that's here, and a fair amount is kick-ass.)
*Immolation - Shadows In the Light 7.5/10 (this one is more riffy and brings a lot more energy. Plenty to headbang to on this one.)
*Interpol - Marauder 6/10 (not exactly boring, but not exactly engaging or memorable either.)
Behemoth - The Satanist 9.5/10 (still very remarkable, and their best overall work)
*Interpol - The Other Side of Make-Believe 6/10 (clunky and underwhelming, decent background music.
*Deicide - Scars of the Crucifix 8/10 (big step up on all fronts, crazy sweeping solos, killer songs)
Conan - Violence Dimension 8/10
*Immolation - Majesty and Decay 8.5/10 (friggin' awesome album. Easily one of their best-sounding and heaviest.)


*Deicide - The Stench of Redemption 9/10 (incredible. Brutal. One of their best albums, easily. Outshines nearly everything they've done up to this point.)
Sevendust - Cold Day Memory 8/10 (definitely one of their better albums, and a significant step up from the previous)
*Deicide - Till Death Do Us Part 8/10 (pretty damn awesome album with a shaky start)
*Immolation - Kingdom of Conspiracy 7.5/10 (brutal and super heavy throughout, although maybe a bit one-dimensional. Stellar performances.)
*Deicide - To Hell With God 7.5/10 (kinda standard record for them)
White Zombie - Astro Creep: 2000 9.5/10
Behemoth - I Loved You At Your Darkest 8.5/10 (their most stripped-backed and melodic record yet, and it works very well)
*Deicide - In the Minds of Evil 7.5/10 (solid, very reminiscent of their 90s style and sound, they do it well. They notably tune up the guitars too.)
*Immolation - Atonement 8.5/10 (absolutely killer album. A great amalgamation of everything they've done up to this point)


Behemoth - Opvs Contra Natvram 8/10 (excellent record, overshadowed by past works, but perfectly serviceable, with fantastic production)
Lamb of God - Into Oblivion 8.5/10 (one of their better albums, for damn sure. They still kill it this deep into their career.)
*Deicide - Overtures of Blasphemy 7/10 (decent outing, great performances, it's like if their 90s material was a bit more melodic. Nothing too remarkable or inspired.)
*Immolation - Acts of God 7/10 (more cinematic than previous works, but less adventurous and not as sticky as I'd prefer. Production is great, but the songs seem phoned in and the album is a bit long.)
Metallica - 72 Seasons 6.5/10 (with any new Metallica, it's inevitable that it'll draw comparisons to the rest of their career. 3 years later, it's still decent. It needed more stylistic variety.)
*Deicide - Banished By Sin 7/10 (doesn't do much new, but the performances and production are great)
*Immolation - Descent 8/10 (excellent new record that blends a lot of what they've done up until this point)
*Rotting Christ - Pro Xristou 8/10 (pretty excellent album, I need to do a deep dive on these guys, especially after putting on several of their top tracks)
*Behemoth - The Shit Ov God 7.5/10 (pretty standard for them. Intense, heavy, good production. Almost ruined by the album title.)


Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire 9.5/10
*Gaerea - Loss 9.5/10 (incredible sounding album. Likely their best one yet. Very captivating evolution of their sound. It's like if Gojira and Invent Animate had a baby and raised it on blackened death metal and Sleep Token.)
Nine Inch Nails - Tron: Ares 7/10 (solid material, great lead single, good instrumentals, neat interpolations of said lead single here and there. Some of it reminds me of the score for Valorant.)
Mudvayne - L.D. 50 9/10
Whitechapel - Our Endless War 8/10 (this album is a lot better than people give it credit for)
Amon Amarth - Versus the World 7.5/10 (consistent and enjoyable)
*And Hell Followed With - Proprioception 6/10 (it's great if you love the style of classic deathcore of the late 2000s, but personally I didn't get much out of it that I haven't gotten already from early Chelsea Grin, Oceano, As Blood Runs Black, or Carnifex. Solid album though.)
*Blessthefall - Witness 9/10 (incredible metalcore album, no bad songs at all, amazing production and performances)
Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth 8.5/10 (still an essential classic)


*Celtic Frost - Vanity/Nemesis 6.5/10 (it's not bad, it just seems disjointed. The varying styles of metal seem to conflict one another rather than compliment.
Incendiary - Cost of Living 8/10
Sleep Token - One 8.5/10
Death - Scream Bloody Gore 7.5/10 (I've never considered this one to be very memorable)
Obituary - Slowly We Rot 9/10 (tasty all throughout)
*Nile - What Should Not Be Unearthed 9/10 (this album absolutely FUCKS. First time listening to it all the way through. Easily among their best, a strong recommend for tech-death and brutal death metal enthusiasts.)
*Primitive Man - Insurmountable 7.5/10 (doom, gloom, and despair. Earth-shaking heaviness.)
Gojira - Fortitude 8/10 (I listened to the Dolby Atmos version that's on Tidal, and it sounded fantastic)
*Sepultura - Quadra 8/10 (kick-ass songs and killer performances. A solid culmination of their career up to this final point.)


*Decapitated - Cancer Culture 7.5/10 (solid, riffy, kick-ass, a great time)
Slayer - South of Heaven 8/10 (a goshdang classic)
*Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain 7/10 (the first 3 tracks are great. The Almighty Dollar is still sadly very relevant today. Everything else is either decent or meh.)
*Lana Del Rey - Honeymoon 7/10 (I think the performances here are a cut above everything she's done up until this point. It's still a little too sleepy for my tastes, but pretty much every track here is solid to some degree, and it flows well enough, despite being a little long and same-y)
Cannibal Corpse - Hammer Smashed Face (single version) 8/10 (Zero the Here is an underrated Black Sabbath cut, not surprised it's here, given what Chris Barnes goes on to do with Six Feet Under....)
Sleep Token - Two 8.5/10
*Black Sabbath - Headless Cross 6.5/10 (It's a far cry from what they once were, but it's perfectly serviceable. Tony Martin sounds like a blend between Sammy Hagar and Dio. I guess this also just celebrated a birthday.)
*Fox Lake - Lady Luck 8.5/10 (short, sweet, pissed-off and hardcore)
*Kreator - Pleasure to Kill 8.5/10 (so fast at some points, it's almost black metal. Few thrash albums sounded like this back at the time of release.)


Soul Blind - Red Sky Mourning 8.5/10 (bringing back grunge in a big way. The production for this style is immaculate.)
Amon Amarth - Fate of Norns 8/10 (solid and consistent)
156/Silence - People Watching 9/10 (it kinda gets better with each revisit)
Gorillaz - Meanwhile EP 8/10 (cute little EP)
Gnarls Barkley - Atlanta 8.5/10 (upset that this has flown completely under the radar of basically everybody)
*Fox Lake - New World Heat 9.5/10 (one of the most bangin' hardcore records I've heard in a while. It's like Joey Valence & Brae meets Thrown. Great for fans of Mugshot, for example.)
The Acacia Strain - You Are Safe From God Here 8/10 (downright nasty heavy)
*Nine Inch Nails & Boys Noize - Nine Inch Noize 9.5/10 (fucking awesome. Pure hype. Likely recorded straight from the recent couple of tours they did together. Would have loved to see the Coachella set.)
*Sevendust - One 8/10 (just reacted to this whole thing on my channel! I basically give all my thoughts and opinions there!)


*first-time listen


Albums/EPs I listened to more than once: Nothing In Between Forever; Into Oblivion; The Shit ov God


Strongly recommend: The Satanist; Astro Creep: 2000; Atonement; Evil Empire; Loss; L.D. 50; Witness; One; People Watching; Atlanta; New World Heat; Nine Inch Noize
Do not recommend: Interpol; Marauder; The Other Side of Make-Believe


Album/EP of the month: Atonement


Song of the month: Rest My Chemistry by Interpol

5 months ago |[YT] | 5