In The Nightside Eclipse

What can I possibly say about this one that hasn't already been stated before? It is one of the single most important releases in the expansive world of Black Metal. It certainly had a profound impact on me. If by some glitch in the universe or some vast cosmic injustice you haven't experienced this monument, then I urge you to drop what you are doing, and spend the next fifty minutes flying through the snow flurries and untamed wilderness of Norway with some beautifully strange Scandinavian teenagers in the midst of the most creative point in their lives, their own celebrated summer of diabolical holocaust. Absolutely mandatory.

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Bullshit Detector 1

I think I love the Bullshit Detector series of compilations more than any other CRASS related records. The first of the series was released in 1980. If clumsy punk and British accents are your bangers and mash, mate, dig in and fatten up on bullshit.

'Ere

Bossa Nova Bacchanal

This album was saxophonist Charlie Rouse's only Blue Note date. Bossa Nova Bacchanal teams the seasoned vet up with Kenny Burrell, Larry Gales, Willy Bobo, and Potato Valdez for a joyous date with Latin and Caribbean flavored jazz. This one could prove useful at a laid back party for your most swingin' pals or a night home wooing your most favorite lady.

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Into The Autumn Shade

O' forgotten classic of Death infused Doom, O' shrouded monument of 90s heavy, O' benighted pillar of sorrowful pummel.

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R.I.P. Ronnie Montrose

SF Native and total badass, Ronnie Montrose.

Cemetery

Another nugget nicked from the treasure trove that is the Terminal Escape blog. Noisy Death Rocking Punk goodness from Chicago. There is something particularly inviting about the general atmosphere of this recording, captures an authentic '80s vibe perfectly. Reminds me of a bit TSOL's better stuff, Cortex, Christian Death and black nail polish.

Boo!

Stormheit

Branikald are part of the notoriously sketchy Blazebirth Hall scene. Mainman Kaldrad operates in Forest. Although Kaldrad's political views are clear, Branikald deals in non-political subjects such as depression, nature, and the esoteric. The music is hypnotic and evocative, not unlike Forest. Stormheit was Branikald's first release, maybe their best. You decide.

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Music Machine

These mop tops started out gigging on the Sunset Strip in 1965 as The Ragamuffins but soon after they changed the name to Music Machine. The band had a couple of minor hits but discord settled in. The band essentially split, but foppish dandy-pantsed frontman, Sean Bonniwell signed to Warner Brothers as Bonniwell's Music Machine. The resulting album was really just a collection of unreleased material by the original band. Maybe lazy, maybe a dirty move on Bonniwell's part but either way it is a great record of vintage dated psych pop deliciousness. Farfisa organs, fuzzy guitars, and Bonniwell's exaggerated vocalizings conspire to create a near perfect album. This is my happening and it freaks me out! Bonniwell passed away a few months back and no one told me.

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Solid Rock

Bollweevil's contribution to the growing list obscure NWOBHM relics by bands that only released one single is this plucky little gem. The A side is a rookie rocker with great fuzzy tones and lyrics about rocking. The B side is a more 70s hard rock number with a mellow intro. Bollweevil have an amateurish charm in their clumsy and overly stiff playing. Rock Solid!!!

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Bloodsoaked

Bloodsoaked may be Mexico's first Death Metal band having formed in 1989. The band's brief three year career yielded a demo, a full length, and an EP, and all are awesome relics of putrid Death Metal. 1993's Frost Image is a bit murky in the production, has a few questionable riffs, and that cover art is weak, but beneath these issues lies a decent early '90s Death Metal album.

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The Wizard of Nerath

Nergal is one of the earlier purveyors of Hellenic Black Metal that doesn't get the recognition of your Rotting Christs and Varathrons, perhaps because those bands were better. But I like Nergal, and their first album The Wizard of Nerath. It is so Greek Black Metal By Numbers it's hard not to.

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The Martian Brain Squeeze

The Neos, what can be said? They came from Victoria, British Columbia, they were insanely fast. In 1982 they bashed out two ridiculously awesome EPs. Here is one of them.

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Shakespeare

Shakespeare were from the bullshit town of Eskilstuna Sweden known mostly for stainless steel and handball. You know the drill, these Svenne youth release one fucking amazing single, fail to rocket to superstardom, and go back to working at the Volvo factory. Meanwhile an incredible record drifts further and further away into legend.

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Goat Father

Finis Gloria Dei is another excellent band from the same camp as Seigneur Voland, Blessed In Sin, Desolation Triumphalis and the like. I believe this unit's mission statement is to be more Satanic than the member's other bands. Goat: Father of the New Flesh, Finis Gloria Dei's sole full length, musically reminds me of Grand's Belial's Key, and the more Celtic Frosted moments of Darkthrone. These guys lack some of the melodic sensibilities you may have come to associate with the French Black Metal, but they make up for it with simple, effective, headbanging riffs. Goat: Father of the New Flesh is a triumph of good old fashioned Satanic Black Metal.

Goat!

From the Womb to the Grave

Massacre's 1986 album From the Womb to the Grave may be a bit late to the punk party but it remains hands down one of my favorite bits of Finnish teen angst. If you don't like this album, you don't really like Finnish Hardcore and you can take off that stupid shoe string headband thing that you wear to all the shows.

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In Absentia Christi

Monumentum may be the best known purveyors of this type of maudlin Italian gothic doom, along with Canaan. In Absentia Christi is Monumentum's debut. It's brilliantly strange, melodramatic, and extremely Italian.

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F.O.A.D.

FUCK OFF AND DIE!!!

The Legacy

Testament, some people call them "thrash for girls," but duuuuude, the first two albums kill, okay? Much of the magic of The Legacy is the solo work of Alex Skolnick, the guy writes songs within the songs. Testament were slick and technically proficient from the get go (having cut their teeth under the name of Legacy) and The Legacy is about a strong as a debut album can be. Seriously, even if you thought you didn't care for thrash before, The Legacy could change your mind. Mandatory!!!

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R.I.P. Michael Davis

Michael Davis, bass player of one of America's greatest rock bands ever, The MC5, has passed away. He was 68. To Valhalla, Michael.

Breakout!

Here's an absolutely essential bit of hard rocking metal from a sadly overlooked Australian band called Taipan. The band released a single, couple of EPs and then called it quits in 1986. However, Taipan resurfaced in 2007 and has since released three albums. This EP sometimes called Taipan and sometimes called Breakout was released in 1984, and contains four catchy NWOBHM inspired rockers. Seriously mandatory.

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