The Music Banter Members' Journals Monthly Update Thread

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Since I've been bleating on about it for about a month or more now, you'll no doubt realise that Metal Month is here, and I've been busy trying to squeeze it all in (ooer!) and get the widest scope on Heavy Metal that I could. So if you thought I was going to wimp out and not review "real" metal bands, let me drop a few names: Death. Carcass. Candlemass. Kreator. Morbid Angel. Yeah, Morbid Angel. I don't say I'll like everything I review, but I'm giving them all their chance. From Death Metal to Doom Metal and Nu-Metal to Thrash, Prog Power and even Melodic, and despite what I said originally, even Black Metal is getting a look in. They're all there, and more besides. Plus the ABC of Heavy Metal, The Batlord's Top 10 Poseur Bands, and a whole hell of a lot more. It's all to be found in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html, with much more to come over the next three weeks.

You've had a few odd choices, but if you reviewed Swansong then I will consider your Carcass review to be irrelevant.

[Trollheart]

Originally Posted by The Batlord

You've had a few odd choices, but if you reviewed Swansong then I will consider your Carcass review to be irrelevant.

Nope: "Heartwork". Not that I think it makes much of a difference. Yes I've had odd choices but I did ask for help and CERTAIN PEOPLE were too busy to help me so I had to make my own determinations. Definitely in some cases I chose the "easier" or more well-known albums, but I think I did ok all in all.

Mind you, you won't be happy till I listen to "Scream bloody gore", will you?

[Trollheart]

Before I get to this week's update, I'd just like to reiterate what I said above. This goes way beyond music and into a very dark and uncomfortable place, none of which I intend to discuss without her permission out here in the open, but due to the nature of the event I won't be featuring Junkyard Donner's update to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-tripping.html this week. However I do strongly encourage you all to read what she has written and then, if you feel as anyone who reads such a thing should, send Stephanie your support in whatever way you feel best suits. I'm sure she would appreciate it. That's all I will say on the matter, and hope I'm not overstepping my bounds.

As to the other journals, well Anteater is looking at a strange movie directed by Peter "Lord of the Rings" Jackson in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...n-dollars.html while

doggedly refusing to give in to the general slump in activity around these here parts, Ki has several updates to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html, with a rant about cover versions of classic songs, a look into the future and another song that's stuck in his head. Good man, Ki! There's only a few of us left, it would seem...

... literally. I'm up next, and with Metal Month in full swing some of my other journals have perforce (it's an old word, meaning "as a result" or "unavoidably due to this") suffered, though I've done what I can to keep them from falling off the front page. Plenty to get excited about in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html of course, with reviews of albums by, among others, Sepultura, Morbid Angel, Kreator, Entombed, In Flames and Doomsword. Also new albums from Stratovarius and Orphaned Land, as well as the continuing ABC of Heavy Metal, the Metal that Made Me and more, including links back to some old metal reviews I did way back when. Still lots to come of course.

The other journal I've been keeping up to date is my TV one, and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html you'll find the final episode in season one of Spooks, with the same due early next week for The New Statesman, and that promised return of Supernatural as it heads into season two. I've also reviewed by first album in my new journal, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...m-reviews.html, so swing by and see how wrong I got it. And did I get it wrong, let me tell you!

Valiantly bringing up the rear as ever is Unknown Soldier, who despite some caustic comments in my main journal is still The Man, and stuck deep in 1978, where he's reviewing albums by Van Halen and Rainbow.

And so we finish up another weekly update. Beginning to turn very much into a case of "the usual suspects" these days! Oh well, as I said (and keep telling myself) maybe the dark winter nights drawing in will encourage more people to write. Or perhaps not. Either way, whatever happens, I'll be here to report it.

Till next week
Toodles!

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Valiantly bringing up the rear as ever is Unknown Soldier, who despite some caustic comments in my main journal is still The Man

Caustic!!! It's called keeping you on your toes and not letting you rest on your laurels

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Nope: "Heartwork". Not that I think it makes much of a difference. Yes I've had odd choices but I did ask for help and CERTAIN PEOPLE were too busy to help me so I had to make my own determinations. Definitely in some cases I chose the "easier" or more well-known albums, but I think I did ok all in all.

Mind you, you won't be happy till I listen to "Scream bloody gore", will you?

It totally makes a difference. Not that you'd like Swansong, but they are completely different albums. Swansong is probably more like the entombed album you reviewed. And you have pleased my by reviewing Heartwork. The purists can say what they want but Heartwork is superior to Necrotism and is one of the most fantastic and unique extreme metal albums I've ever heard. Almost like if Judas Priest went death metal.