The Chimera Suite, by Chris Beernink 5 track album

For those that like their Metal with an unconventional twist: a 17-piece extreme metal jazz orchestra.

The Chimera Suite by Chris Beernink
#MetalSky

III, by Uprising 6 track album

One of my favourites from last year:
uprisingblackmetal.bandcamp.com/album/iii

Awesome 😍 Instant purchase.

Screenshot of two posts. First post: "Neighbors three doors down blasting death metal. Sounds like it's in my yard. Here's to more considerate neighbors in 2025. FML" Second Post: "The nice thing about those fucking fireworks is that no one complains about death metal at full volume in the middle of the night."

Just a perfect lineup of posts 😅

Aklash - Reincarnation (Official Music Video) YouTube video by AklashMusic

Aklash - Reincarnation

A Black Metal base, with liberal sprinklings of Prog, Folk, and other genres.

Imperfect World YouTube video by Stryper - Topic

Stryper - When We were Kings

We've all laughed at Stryper at some point, but over the years they've become a really solid Heavy Metal band with a knack for the big chorus.

DARK OATH - Bronze I (Stolen Flame) | OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO YouTube video by Dark Oath

Dark Oath - Ages of Man

Melodic Symphonic Death Metal. Really catchy.

Rise from the Ashes YouTube video by Morbid Saint - Topic

Morbid Saint - Swallowed by Hell

Aggressive Thrash Metal from one of the many great 80's Thrash bands that never quite made it. Everything I could've hoped for from Morbid Saint in 2024.

Darkest Rites YouTube video by The Attic - Topic

Just to highlight a few albums I haven't really seen anyone talk about:

My top choice:
Attic - Return of the Witchfinder

The best King Diamond album since "Them", and I'm only joking a little bit 😜

A layout of the album covers from the post

It's 2025 in 90 minutes, so time for my Metal Albums Of The Year post 😅 #AOTY In order:

1. Attic
2. Morbid Saint
3. Rotting Christ
4. Judas Priest
5. Dark Oath
6. Stryper
7. Nile
8. Sebastian Bach
9. Aklash
10. Body Count

2024 Music Purchases - CD Edition
December: 3

I bought 120 CDs this year, which is about 80 fewer than usual. $1NZ = $0.54US atm, which suuuuucks 😭 Plus shipping is often more than the CD, I just can't justify the cost 😩

#RawheadRexx; #EnuffZnuff; #EdgeOfSanity

2024 Music Purchases Vinyl Edition
December: 1

The year ends with a bit of a whimper, only 1 record this month 😅

I bought 47 LPs and 5 singles this year, which is a pretty good effort considering that my price threshold is relatively low.

#BloodIncantation

A bottle of Def Leppard Gin. A clear bottle, with the triangular band logo in the middle, the image of a leaping Leopard, and the brand name "Animal". The bottle is flanked on either side by Def Leppard box sets showing the band and the cover to the album Hysteria.

I don't drink, but I'm still a big enough Def Leppard fan that I got a bottle of their Gin for Christmas 😀 Have been wanting this for ages. Could never find it here in New Zealand, but apparently my sister has better Google skills than me 🙃

Black Stone Wielder YouTube video by Candlemass - Topic

It's Christmas Eve so, as I do every year, it's time to post the best Christmas song.

An alternative take on the Wise Men visiting a certain baby...

Candlemass - Black Stone Wielder

Fantastic band, but the guy that runs the band was one of the morons that stormed the Capitol building on Jan 6. Do with that info what you will 😅🙃

Screenshot of my Top 5 most listened to artists this year according to LastFM. A layout of 5 squares, each with a band photo in it. They are, in order: Nile, Judas Priest, Stryper, Sebastian Bach, and Morbid Saint.

Screenshot of my Top 5 most listened to tracks, according to LastFM. A list of songs, with the relevant album cover to the left. The songs are: Rise From The Ashes by Morbid Saint; Naqada II Enter the Golden Age by Nile; Gold I (Dawn of Time) by Dark Oath; To Strike with Secret Fang by Nile; Overlords of the Black Earth by Nile.

So I can't technically do a #SpotifyWrapped since I don't stream music, but I do have a last.fm account that tracks what I play😎
I like that my Top 5 artists has both Nile and Stryper on it😂
Also nice to see Dark Oath slip into the Top 5 Songs there (check them out if you like Symphonic Death Metal)

yes I’m religious…I believe in the holy trinity

2024 Music Purchases Vinyl Edition
November: 5

#Wayfarer; #Myrkur; #BoltThrower; #Memoriam

2024 Music Purchases - CD Edition
November: 5

#Stryper; #BodyCount; #BloodIncantation; #FulgurEtMorte; #BoltThrower

I should be buying way more than this but shipping to NZ is just horrific these day 😭

Bassically Taps YouTube video by Stanley Clarke - Topic

30 day song challenge!
Day 3: Not your favourite genre (which would be Metal)

Jazz Bass legend Stanley Clarke, with the interesting idea of a duet with a Tap Dancer:

30 day song challenge!
Day 2: Name in the title

Ahab - Yet Another Raft of the Medusa (Pollard`s Weakness)

Easily my favourite Funeral Doom song. The intro is so beautiful 🥺

30 Day Song Challenge
1: Most listened to song

Based on 18 years of scrobbling data, it's this song by Bolt Thrower 🤘
#MusicChallenge

Mic Contract YouTube video by Body Count - Topic

Body Count have a metal version of an old Ice-T song on their new album, and it is excellent.

OK, I will concede that song is actually pretty good 😂

I'm saying this with the sound of B-tier 80s Thrash in my head. No band back then could play a Metalcore-type breakdown without it sounding lame. Totally works now thanks to downtuning and modern studios. It's a product of it's time, but that's not what I'm looking for.

Top 10 Breakdowns (MetalCore/Deathcore) YouTube video by xBlakeBrutalityx

Tough one but for me: Metalcore has a lot of rhythmic play using just one chord (see below). Which can sound cool (especially with modern recording techniques), but I want riffs in my Metal. They sound similar sonically, but the underlying approach is different. 😂I'm sure this is a bad explanation

I give an enthusiastic YES to all of these except Nu Metal, which can jump off a cliff 😉
Also the only good Core is Grind-, Hard-, and Nintendo- 😄

Great to see you here 🍻

View of the tarmac from a plane. Engine in foreground, flanked by mobile stairs and an unused boarding gate. Cloudy but blue skies in the background

About to fly up the country to Auckland for a concert, for the 7th time this year 😅
Heilung tonight, can't wait

Tickets to Opeth acquired... now I just have to wait literally 365 days until the show 😅 It's so far away I can't even book my flights yet