@corrupt - I think I pierced my final assessment. No more juggling. I'll wait for the final confirmation from MS Tower. Happy to be getting a chair inside.
01. A Shrine To Madness 02. Moonlight Equilibrium 03. On Stirring Seas Of Salted Blood 04. Conspiring With The Damned 05. The Window 06. Carbonized In Cruciform 07. Den Of The Picquerist 08. Malenchanments Of The Necrosphere 09. The Grave Robber's Work 10. The Raven 11. Great Burning Nullifier 12. Blood In The Ink
Deathcore Hybrid metalcore + melodic death metal - now there's a title that has a really negative stigma surrounding it amongst a large portion of the more discerning metal crowd. Now, normally, I'm against discarding an entire genre, but rather take my sweet time shitting on bands individually. However, considering The Black Dahlia Murder's strangle-hold on being probably the most popular band in the genre, I'm beginning to understand why people are afraid to approach deathcore metalcore + melodic death metal hybrids.
To be fair, these guys appear to be achieving exactly what they are setting out to do; create quasi-extreme music for people who don't normally enjoy extreme music. Admittedly, the first few leads shown in Ritual are actually pretty nifty. Much like eating mini-donuts, the first few are pretty damn good, shortly followed by the realization that you should find other means for sustenance. It seems almost like a compilation of half-assed aspects that are done better by other bands. The blistering extreme thrash moments make me want to listen to Skeletonwitch, the melodic leads make me want to listen to perhaps Arsis, and the "evil" sounding bits make me want to listen to Hannah Montana.
Terrible? Nah. To call Ritual a terrible album would be to say it left some kind of impression. Unremarkable. I like that word; feels comfortable using it on this album. Go eat an entire loaf of white bread with nothing on it, then you'll have an idea of what listening to this album is like. Yeah...it's not a shitty experience, just a pointless one.
Hahaha yeah actually it's the only album I've heard this year, and It kickass, boring? bland? well it's your opinion and am sure there are many people will disagree with you, did you even heard some of their old albums to compare it with this one?
Yes, and they aren't good either
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal
Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
Hahaha yeah actually it's the only album I've heard this year, and It kickass, boring? bland? well it's your opinion and am sure there are many people will disagree with you, did you even heard some of their old albums to compare it with this one?
Hahaha yeah actually it's the only album I've heard this year, and It kickass, boring? bland? well it's your opinion and am sure there are many people will disagree with you, did you even heard some of their old albums to compare it with this one?
Well, doc, it's over. "The Lexicon" has lost ALL respect for you and your opinions because of a genre tag. before you toss yourself in front of a train, can i have all your stuff?
I just don't like this stale generic overporduced totally easy on the ears biteless stuff that people keep labelling as some sort of death metal when in fact it has nothing to do with it.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal
Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
I just don't like this stale generic overporduced totally easy on the ears biteless stuff that people keep labelling as some sort of death metal when in fact it has nothing to do with it.
Haha, you're too picky good sir! Have a drink, and just enjoy heavy metal for what it is!
I'll jump on the bandwagon and say that this is not deathcore. It's a generic designed to sell melodeath album, and it's served it's purpose well enough. It is indeed similar to eating white bread, only white bread is fucking delicious. This is like eating whole grain bread, without the nutritional value. Because we need a bread metaphor.
90% of posts here deal with what genre Black Dahlia plays. Who gives a fuck what genre it is. It's music that counts, not a label you put on it. I also noticed that everyone who loves this album is ourtraged by the definition of TBDM's music. Those who aren't fans don't give a shit.
WOA the amount of comments about the genre is hilarious what a pathetic way to get all whiny because Godin wrote a review about how fucking average at best this band is.
Quote: seeing you guys call this band good made me lose all respect for you guys as a human beings with taste because these guys are clearly not good and imo never have been.
Yeah... I totally fixed that post.
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49 Rod, let me love you.
The off-and-on love affair I've had with this band is now almost exclusively with them while their playing live. Definitely worth seeing. Lots of energy. Agree that this album is mediocre, though. And Deflorate and Nocturnal. In spite of that long-winded, opaque review I wrote for Deflorate a couple years ago praising TBDM.
Well, doc, it's over. "The Lexicon" has lost ALL respect for you and your opinions because of a genre tag. before you toss yourself in front of a train, can i have all your stuff?
Yes. It's well-timed. My cat needs shots and I don't feeling like paying.
If I completely cut out the first paragraph, there would be no logical reasoning for this nerd raging. I said deathcore twice, and suddenly I'm the worst reviewer out there.
EDIT: The review is fixed. Perhaps this will save me from my crucifixion.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
Another bullshit review on another awesome album. Way to go, Doc, you've hit a new low!
Hit a new low? How exactly? For stating how plain, safe and overdone this album is? Or for using the word deathcore twice? The new edited version of the review really stresses the futility of those comments. The genre which I pigeonholed them is actually totally irrelevant to the rest of the review.
The internet must have pushed reading comprehension skills to an abysmal new low if the use of the word "deathcore" twice is the focus point of all this animosity.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
Was an enjoyable album, like most things this band has put out, nothing less, nothing more. Never expected anything groundbreaking or original, or terribly artistic, just an enjoyable listen.
What does bother me though is that the review DOES seem to have an innate prejudice, sort of 'I intend to bash this album from the very start' vibe. And I do think a lot of hate this band gets is quite unreasonable in the sense that nowadays there are lot of 'okay-but-nothing-special' Gothenburg-type bands which have quite similiar properties in the sense that they are enjoyable but nothing special but this band is what soaks all the hate, not them. I guess because this was classified as 'metalcore' and it is very trvekvlt to hate metalcore.
Another bullshit review on another awesome album. Way to go, Doc, you've hit a new low!
Hit a new low? How exactly? For stating how plain, safe and overdone this album is? Or for using the word deathcore twice? The new edited version of the review really stresses the futility of those comments. The genre which I pigeonholed them is actually totally irrelevant to the rest of the review.
The internet must have pushed reading comprehension skills to an abysmal new low if the use of the word "deathcore" twice is the focus point of all this animosity.
For starters, I never brought up the genre, because I honestly don't care what genre it is. What I do have a problem with is that from the start, the vibe of your review is very negative and against the band. I'm sorry, but when you go to do a review, leave your initial opinion of the band out of it. Second, you're calling it a "safe" album. Black Dahlia Murder aren't a groundbreaking band by any means, nor do they push boundaries. Does that matter? Fuck no! They're an enjoyable band, regardless, and this album is still very strong. At this point in time, Black Dahlia doesn't have to do anything groundbreaking, being that their fanbase is strong and would not leave them for making a "safe" album. There are so many other bands making "safe" albums as well. Was the new Amon Amarth or Arch Enemy groundbreaking? No. But they were still enjoyable.
So, instead of ripping on these guys for releasing what you call a "safe" album, just enjoy it for what it is. There isn't much "groundbreaking" metal happening right now, anyhow.
For starters, I never brought up the genre, because I honestly don't care what genre it is. What I do have a problem with is that from the start, the vibe of your review is very negative and against the band. I'm sorry, but when you go to do a review, leave your initial opinion of the band out of it. Second, you're calling it a "safe" album. Black Dahlia Murder aren't a groundbreaking band by any means, nor do they push boundaries. Does that matter? Fuck no! They're an enjoyable band, regardless, and this album is still very strong. At this point in time, Black Dahlia doesn't have to do anything groundbreaking, being that their fanbase is strong and would not leave them for making a "safe" album. There are so many other bands making "safe" albums as well. Was the new Amon Amarth or Arch Enemy groundbreaking? No. But they were still enjoyable.
So, instead of ripping on these guys for releasing what you call a "safe" album, just enjoy it for what it is. There isn't much "groundbreaking" metal happening right now, anyhow.
Why should I leave my opinions out of the introduction? I'm still confused as to what the problem is? I didn't care for the album, I'm going to state so in the intro. I then go on to explain why I didn't care for it. Of course the vibe of the review is fairly negative, the music isn't that good.
Quote: but when you go to do a review, leave your initial opinion of the band out of it.
Sir, yessir. With all your reviewing experience, is there any other instructions you would like to give me? Like I said before, everything written in this review is based off my reactions to this one album. The rest is a deduction you made yourself, then jumped on the assumption that I must be on the same train of thought.
Quote:
Second, you're calling it a "safe" album. Black Dahlia Murder aren't a groundbreaking band by any means, nor do they push boundaries.
I never said they had to be ground breaking, but at least do something that isn't already done (better) by other bands.
Quote: There isn't much "groundbreaking" metal happening right now, anyhow.
If you say so.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
What I'm saying is you came in with a prejudice view of the band, and I feel that your opinion was only hurt by that view. If anything, I'm only trying to help you here, bub. As far as I'm concerned, we're all brothers in metal, and idc if we don't like all the same bands or anything like that, I just want a fair review without the prejudice view. You can continue to give me shit all you want, but I'm only here to help.
I've never understood the hype around these guys. They're nothing close to death metal.
This album in particular is a giant bore. There's no intensity. Zero. All I can hear is a constant barrage of triggered drums and some boring vocals. As with many other quasi-death metal bands, you can strip the polish right off by ignoring the vocals.
Since I can't actually hear any death metal aside from a few blast beats, it fits right into the metal/mall-core genre.
Want real death metal? Mitochondrion, Autopsy, Vomitory, and Benighted all have solid-or-better releases this year.
What I'm saying is you came in with a prejudice view of the band, and I feel that your opinion was only hurt by that view. If anything, I'm only trying to help you here, bub. As far as I'm concerned, we're all brothers in metal, and idc if we don't like all the same bands or anything like that, I just want a fair review without the prejudice view. You can continue to give me shit all you want, but I'm only here to help.
Throwing stones from a glass house, are we? It seems you came into this review with a highly prejudiced view on the band/album.
Clearly, fanboys are allowed to slobber all over any band at any time without mockery. Reviewers, it seems, can never actually have an opinion on the album they're reviewing; they're only allowed to point out observations. Negativity is held to a far higher standard, sadly. It's a shame.
What I'm saying is you came in with a prejudice view of the band, and I feel that your opinion was only hurt by that view. If anything, I'm only trying to help you here, bub. As far as I'm concerned, we're all brothers in metal, and idc if we don't like all the same bands or anything like that, I just want a fair review without the prejudice view. You can continue to give me shit all you want, but I'm only here to help.
I wasn't giving you shit at all...I'm not sure where you're getting that from. What I'm saying is most of the things you say detract from the legitimacy of this review are non applicable. Bias? I'm not sure whether or not you read my previous comment, but as I said, I never really had an opinion on the band before listening to this. Like I said, these assumptions of bias and prejudice are basically the conclusions you've drawn yourself with no real reasoning.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
What I'm saying is you came in with a prejudice view of the band, and I feel that your opinion was only hurt by that view. If anything, I'm only trying to help you here, bub. As far as I'm concerned, we're all brothers in metal, and idc if we don't like all the same bands or anything like that, I just want a fair review without the prejudice view. You can continue to give me shit all you want, but I'm only here to help.
Throwing stones from a glass house, are we? It seems you came into this review with a highly prejudiced view on the band/album.
Clearly, fanboys are allowed to slobber all over any band at any time without mockery. Reviewers, it seems, can never actually have an opinion on the album they're reviewing; they're only allowed to point out observations. Negativity is held to a far higher standard, sadly. It's a shame.
Thank you. Though, I did not write the review with any previous opinion on the band, I'm sure the fanboys would undoubtedly call it into question regardless, based on the honesty negativity of it. You might enjoy this article, if you haven't read it already.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
Good heavens, I go to work for half the day and come back to find an all out topic war concerning not the music being reviewed but what genre the music actually is.
As far as I'm concerned, Doc is the reviewer here and it's his opinion that counts. There's a reason the lot of you aren't writing staff reviews on here. And really folks? TBDM is a bunch of regurgitated riffs. While, I don't mind people listening to them and I can stand some of their older stuff, it's important to realize that just because you like the music it doesn't mean everyone else has to like it. So let's all put the fanboy soapboxes away, hug it out and go troll some other topic.
Was an enjoyable album, like most things this band has put out, nothing less, nothing more. Never expected anything groundbreaking or original, or terribly artistic, just an enjoyable listen.
What does bother me though is that the review DOES seem to have an innate prejudice, sort of 'I intend to bash this album from the very start' vibe. And I do think a lot of hate this band gets is quite unreasonable in the sense that nowadays there are lot of 'okay-but-nothing-special' Gothenburg-type bands which have quite similiar properties in the sense that they are enjoyable but nothing special but this band is what soaks all the hate, not them. I guess because this was classified as 'metalcore' and it is very trvekvlt to hate metalcore.
Would have rated it about 7.
I disagree with the review myself, but your implication that people dislike this album to be 'trvekvlt' is idiotic-especially because the reviewer has mentioned that he likes BFMV's album Scream, Aim, Fire, which is a mainstream metalcore album.
user has been banned, but i kept this post up as i find it almost as relevant as screaming and frothing over a genre tag rather than discussing the actual album.
Was an enjoyable album, like most things this band has put out, nothing less, nothing more. Never expected anything groundbreaking or original, or terribly artistic, just an enjoyable listen.
What does bother me though is that the review DOES seem to have an innate prejudice, sort of 'I intend to bash this album from the very start' vibe. And I do think a lot of hate this band gets is quite unreasonable in the sense that nowadays there are lot of 'okay-but-nothing-special' Gothenburg-type bands which have quite similiar properties in the sense that they are enjoyable but nothing special but this band is what soaks all the hate, not them. I guess because this was classified as 'metalcore' and it is very trvekvlt to hate metalcore.
Would have rated it about 7.
I disagree with the review myself, but your implication that people dislike this album to be 'trvekvlt' is idiotic-especially because the reviewer has mentioned that he likes BFMV's album Scream, Aim, Fire, which is a mainstream metalcore album.
Never implied the reviewer disliked the band to be 'trvekvlt'.
However it DOES seem to be the general idea that the 'great general' of people often praise bland gothenburg acts but pan this, because this is 'metalcore', even though for me there is absolutely no difference between the two (in terms of quality or originality), in fact I often tend to like TBDM better because this isn't as keyboard-driven as those are. I like the way keyboards are used in Extreme Power Metal but I tend to absolutely hate them in gothenburg.
So, basically, people are concerned over a genre tag, and not the bland and uninspiring music? Oh fanboys you make me lolz.
Hint: they're not better if you classify them differently.
PS - Louis Vuitton on Metalstorm? That's like the worst spammer ever.
Wtf are you talking about Doc, this ain't Deathcore, this is clearly Eskimo Influenced Blackened Regressive Homosexual DeathPolkaHeavycore. Jeez, man, get your genres straight and shit.
I'm conflicted. When this album was marked as Deathcore, I thought it was horrible. Now that it's hybrid metalcore + melodic death metal, it's my album of the year.
If I can't throw everything in to a basket and instead have to judge it, for myself, on individual merits, how will I know who/what to hate and bash on the internet?