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Angry Metal Guy<p><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/flummox-southern-progress-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Flummox – Southern Progress Review</a></p><p><i>By Kenstrosity</i></p><p>Originally slated to be my main Thing You Might Have Missed feature, Tennessee avant-garde metal quintet <strong>Flummox</strong>’s fifth LP <em>Southern Progress</em> caught me completely off guard. Attracted to the prompt “their most obnoxious album yet,” I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first exposure to <strong>Flummox</strong>’s work. I figured it might be weird, but it’s also distinctive, fun, and infectious. Fearlessly creative, deeply detailed, lyrically cutting, and stupidly intelligent, <em>Southern Progress</em> rapidly became my favorite record released so far this year. It doesn’t seem likely now that anything out of the metalverse this year will surpass it.</p><p><em>Southern Progress</em> embodies a rhizomic system of inspirations and influences that, when harnessed by <strong>Flummox</strong>’s wacky brains, emerges from the soil as something wholly unique in style, sound, and intent. My best attempt to contextualize this material would involve names from the progsphere like <strong>Fair to Midland</strong>, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/best-and-worst-sounding-records-of-2015-angry-metal-fi/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Native Construct</strong></a>, <strong>Pink Floyd</strong>, early <strong>Queen</strong>, and Mike Patton; purveyors of the extreme such as <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yer-metal-olde-strapping-young-lad-city/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Strapping Young Lad</strong></a> and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/slugdge-esoteric-malacology-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Slugdge</strong></a>; avant-garde touchstones like <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/mr-bungle-the-raging-wrath-of-the-easter-bunny-demo-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Mr. Bungle</strong></a>, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/igorrr-savage-sinusoid-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Igorrr</strong></a>, and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/diablo-swing-orchestra-swagger-stroll-down-the-rabbit-hole-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Diablo Swing Orchestra</strong></a>; genre-jumpers such as <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/king-gizzard-or-dawn-of-eternal-night-an-annihilation-of-planet-earth-and-the-beginning-of-merciless-damnation-things-you-might-have-missed-2023/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard</strong></a>; and even cinematic composers like Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/flummox-southern-progress-review/#fn-215851-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> Ultimately, though, there is no comfortable comparison. <strong>Flummox</strong> are a singular entity of weird, wild, theatrical metal capable of nailing every bizarre idea they throw at me, such that in less than a week, I had a majority portion of <em>Southern Progress</em>’ 57-minute runtime pinned to my psyche. All the while, its candid exposition of the queer and genderfluid experience in the Bible Belt (“Southern Progress”) struck a chord so rarely plucked by music on this sphere, and its inspired exploration of the neurodivergent experience as one of its parallel plot lines (“Executive Dysfunction”) gave me an easy avenue to resonate even more deeply with its voice.</p><p></p><p>The tricky reality of <em>Southern Progress</em> is that 750 words is woefully insufficient to encompass all that <strong>Flummox</strong> achieves, but its primary triumph is in universal songwriting excellence. Music like this marks a once-in-a-blue-moon occasion—and an ambitious undertaking—but <strong>Flummox</strong> makes it look effortless as they balance the beauty of melodious, theatrical compositions with the livid, frothing rabidity of searing, off-kilter riffs, thunderous rhythms, and revolutionary attitude (“Southern Progress,” “Femto’s Theme,” “Long Pork,” “Executive Dysfunction”). While these elements are familiar to anyone with experience in the metalverse, their twisted forms instead leave a vivid impression of something altogether more eccentric and uncanny (“Southern Progress,” “Nesting Doll,” “Locust Eater,” “Coyote Gospel”). Well-defined structures and concrete themes play their part in making sure these warped representations stick. Presenting every unhinged idea, cynical line, and explosive outburst inside a digestible package makes <em>Southern Progress</em> somehow even stranger and more enthralling for its deceiving accessibility (“What We’re In For…,” “Always Something Going Down,” “Siren Shock,” “Flumlindalë”).</p><p></p><p>In spite of its unquestionable adoption of metallic methods, <em>Southern Progress</em> is an intensely theatrical affair unfit for the genrephobic, but is nonetheless something everyone should experience at least once. Challenging in a different way than <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/imperial-triumphant-goldstar-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Imperial Triumphant</strong></a> or other known creators of what certain pundits call “not music,” <strong>Flummox</strong> is similarly fearless in their exploration of style and technique, and equally meticulous in application and execution. To that end, <em>Southern Progress</em>’ music is mutated and maniacal, but grounded through several root elements: emotional depth, societal awareness, thoughtful critiques, and artistic integrity. More than just a vehicle for that cogent societal commentary, the potent passion that each member of <strong>Flummox</strong> hemorrhaged into <em>Southern Progress</em> is unmatched by all except the unfuckwithable technical quality of their writing and performances. The fact that this intangible factor boasts such strong presence inside of, and coalesces so harmoniously with, the tangible product proves that <strong>Flummox</strong>’s dedication, attention to detail, and intentional artistry contributes meaningful substance and significance not just to <em>Southern Progress </em>on its own, but also to the greater body of metal as we know it today.</p><p>It is for this reason that <strong>Flummox</strong>’s <em>Southern Progress</em> isn’t just an excellent album, but also an important one. Aside from its high artistic merit, <em>Southern Progress</em> is a timely and fierce challenge against the dehumanization of queer, gender-nonconforming, and even neurodivergent communities across the American South—and, by extension, the country—especially by organized religious (read: Christian) entities. But it’s also a celebration, a triumphant expression of pride and love and resilience that only comes from openly and unashamedly discovering, struggling with, and ultimately embodying all that you are in spirit, body, and mind. Everyone deserves to know this feeling without fear of stigmatization, fetishization, violence, or isolation. <em>Southern Progress</em> is an unorthodox and fun, but wildly effective, advocate for that cause.</p><p></p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> Excellent!<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/flummox-southern-progress-review/#fn-215851-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a><br><strong>DR:</strong> 8 | <strong>Format Reviewed:</strong> 320 kb/s mp3<br><strong>Label:</strong> <a href="https://needlejuicerecords.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Needlejuice Records</a><br><strong>Websites:</strong> <a href="http://flummoxed.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">flummoxed.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/flummoxband" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/flummoxband</a><br><strong>Releases Worldwide:</strong> April 11th, 2025</p><p></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/45/" target="_blank">#45</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/apr25/" target="_blank">#Apr25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/avante-garde/" target="_blank">#AvantGarde</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/danny-elfman/" target="_blank">#DannyElfman</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/diablo-swing-orchestra/" target="_blank">#DiabloSwingOrchestra</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/experimental-metal/" target="_blank">#ExperimentalMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fair-to-midland/" target="_blank">#FairToMidland</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/flummox/" target="_blank">#Flummox</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/folk-metal/" target="_blank">#FolkMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/gospel/" target="_blank">#Gospel</a> <a 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Angry Metal Guy<p><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/sonus-mortis-synapse-the-hivemind-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Sonus Mortis – Synapse the Hivemind Review</a></p><p><i>By Grymm</i></p><p>Ever since I was awoken by the editorial staff here <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1232580/Knock_on_the_Coffin_Lid/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">rap-tap-tapping on my coffin lid</a> earlier this year, I’ve been 3 for 3 in terms of albums by one-person bands. Completing the hat trick this time around is <strong>Sonus Mortis</strong>, a prolific death/doom act navigated by one Kevin Byrne, who was originally the bassist for Irish upstarts <strong>Valediction</strong> before splitting off on his own. His eighth album in 12 years,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/sonus-mortis-synapse-the-hivemind-review/#fn-214290-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> <em>Synapse the Hivemind</em> sees Byrne tackling personal privacy in a world that’s continuously being overrun by A.I. and the all-seeing eye of the camera. But what interested me was that, despite the output, I’d never heard of <strong>Sonus Mortis</strong> before, or his claims that Byrne’s band is a mix of death/doom with symphonic black metal elements. So what does that even sound like, both on a musical and conceptual level?</p><p>Melodeath. It sounds like melodeath. Mind you, that’s not a bad thing at all, especially considering that it sounds a great deal like Andy Gillion-era <strong>Mors Principium Est</strong> in many ways, right down to the incredible guitar and keyboard leads that Byrne lays down throughout the album. His screams also recall Matt Moss of the dormant-but-much-missed <strong>Slugdge</strong>, hissing about drones (“Eyes in the Sky”) and the modern working wage (the title track) with venomous intent. Byrne’s got the musical chops to carry his vision to fruition, raging against literal machines and reigniting the passion to win one’s humanity back against technological oligarchies and the need for systemic control.</p><p>I just wish the same could be said for the songwriting. One of the complaints I have against modern melodeath rests in the fact that if you’ve heard one song on an average melodeath album, you’ve pretty much heard the whole damn thing. Sadly, it applies here, as <em>Synapse</em> suffers from the songs almost using identical tempos, motifs, and patterns from each other. Listening to the whole album in one sitting just feels like a well-practiced and impressively-performed blur of leads and atmosphere, making it hard to differentiate from one song to the next without making a lasting impact. Due to this familiarity and extreme deja vu, 50% of the album’s problems exist here.</p><p>The other 50% rests in Byrne’s singing voice, which can best be described as an acquired taste. His screams and growls are on-point, and get the blood pumping just right. His cleans, however, do not fit the music at all, either trying for James Hetfield-esque melodrama, complete with Hetfield’s “<em><strong>YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAH!!!</strong></em><em>” </em>inflections that pull me out of the game entirely (opener “Biomechanical Horrors”), or aiming to dethrone Mikael Stanne’s haunting croons but whiffing it (the title track and “The Perfect Host”)<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/sonus-mortis-synapse-the-hivemind-review/#fn-214290-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a> they act as a stark reminder that if you can’t perform a certain way, you can always seek help from the outside. There’s no shame in doing so.</p><p>One final bit of advice, and I experienced this personally all-too-recently: the grind mindset. I respect the hustle, I really do. Eight albums in twelve years sounds impressive (and it is), but the factory-like churning of albums causes a negative impact on your art. Slow it down a bit, take time away from what you’re working on (if you can manage), and let your piece breathe a bit. Assess what can be added. What can be taken away? What can be improved upon? Because all these things will benefit not only your music, but you personally. Because while <em>Synapse the Hivemind</em> has some cool ideas and amazing musicianship trapped behind okayish songwriting, I know Byrne and <strong>Sonus Mortis are </strong>capable of much, much more.</p><p></p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> 2.5/5.0<br><strong>DR:</strong> 7 |<strong> Format Reviewed:</strong> 192 kbps mp3<br><strong>Label:</strong> Unsigned/Independent<br><strong>Websites:</strong> <a href="https://sonusmortis.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sonusmortisband" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br><strong>Releases Worldwide:</strong> March 27th, 2025</p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/independent-unsigned/" target="_blank">#IndependentUnsigned</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/irish-metal/" target="_blank">#IrishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mar25/" target="_blank">#Mar25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-death-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mors-principium-est/" target="_blank">#MorsPrincipiumEst</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/slugdge/" target="_blank">#Slugdge</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sonus-mortis/" target="_blank">#SonusMortis</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/synapse-the-hivemind/" target="_blank">#SynapseTheHivemind</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/valediction/" target="_blank">#Valediction</a></p>
Angry Metal Guy<p><strong><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-black-dahlia-murder-servitude-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Black Dahlia Murder – Servitude Review</a></strong></p><p><i>By Angry Metal Guy</i></p><p></p><p><strong>The Black Dahlia Murder</strong> lost a giant on May 11th, 2022, with the death of co-founding member Trevor Strnad, who had penned the lyrics and fronted <strong>TBDM</strong> across its <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/amg-goes-ranking-the-black-dahlia-murder/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">nine-record discography</a>. The question of how you replace someone as well-loved and well-respected as Trevor must have been a matter of some discussion internally. The solution from the veteran melodeath outfit was to keep the job in-house. Rather than bringing in a new face, guitarist and co-founder Brian Eschbach picked up the microphone, while he was replaced by Ryan Knight—who previously slung the six-string from 2009’s <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-black-dahlia-murder-deflorate-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>Deflorate</em></a> to 2015’s <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-black-dahlia-murder-abysmal-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>Abysmal</em></a>. Even though I appreciated this solution, it was still difficult to press play on 2024’s tenth <strong>The Black Dahlia Murder </strong>LP, <em>Servitude</em>. It felt strange to know that our affable, bearded, and dad-bodded metal nerd was no longer going to be screaming at me about lycanthropy. I wondered whether I could enjoy a Strnadless <strong>TBDM</strong> record or if it would change their sound irrevocably.</p><p></p><p>You know how <strong>The Black Dahlia Murder</strong> sounds. Giving strong Gothenburgian vibes, <em>Servitude</em> still deals in the bounce of the Björriff (like “Panic Hysteria” or “Asserting Dominion”), but with the post-<em>Ritual</em> light chaos and groove that helped to transform and mature their sound (“Evening Ephemeral,” “Mammoth’s Hand”). The guitars anchor <em>Servitude</em>’s sound, held firm by sick riffs at breakneck speed, accented with unexpected melodies (“Servitude”), stadium solos (“Mammoth’s Hand”), <strong>Gorod</strong>ian gymnastic harmonies on an <strong>Obscura</strong> vault track (“Transcosmic Blueprint”) and even 29 seconds of <strong>Opeth</strong> (“An Intermission”). While Ryan Knight and Brandon Ellis give a master class in metal guitars from neoclassical to thrash, the rhythm section of bassist Max Lavelle and drummer Alan Cassidy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-black-dahlia-murder-servitude-review/#fn-203799-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> rumble and blast, driving the sound forward with an intensity that stems from Florida rather than Sweden.</p><p>Over the flurry of guitar gymnastics and blast beats, Eschbach’s growls and screams pace a familiar path. At first, my brain didn’t want to accept what it was hearing. When listened to actively, however, I recognized the lower screams and throatier gutturals. And then suddenly, Eschbach was just the vocalist; barking lightning (“Panic Hysteric,” “Evening Ephemeral”), working both his slightly condensed upper and lower ranges in the trademark style of which Trevor was master. While familiar, Eschbach’s approach to rhythm feels like a guitarist doing vocals. He works in lockstep with the groove being carried by the band to create staccato punctuations (“Transcosmic Blueprint”) and syncopated swings (“Asserting Dominion”) that make his performance stand out.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-black-dahlia-murder-servitude-review/#fn-203799-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a> While Trevor was freer with rhythm and expression, Eschbach’s performance is percussive and precise. The weakness in his performance can be found in the guttural vocals, which don’t reach as deeply or hit as hard. But when all is said and done, Eschbach’s performance sounds like <strong>The Black Dahlia Murder</strong>.</p><p></p><p><em>Servitude</em> seems like an album written to succeed or fail based on the execution of a well-established sound. The devil is, therefore, in the details: the songwriting, the riffs, and especially the guitar solos. And in those places, <strong>The Black Dahlia Murder</strong> isn’t taking risks. The writing isn’t suddenly progressive, “Aftermath” starts in 7, but they revert to 4/4 and never change time signatures again for the rest of the album.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-black-dahlia-murder-servitude-review/#fn-203799-3" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">3</a> There is no revitalization of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-black-dahlia-murder-ritual-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>Ritual</em></a>‘s or <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-black-dahlia-murder-everblack-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>Everblack</em></a>‘s adventurous arrangements. Where the songs surprise is when they sound <em>chaotic</em>, giving <strong>Carnosus </strong>(who gives <strong>TBDM</strong>) or euro-tech and straying further from the Björriffs that propelled them to prominence (see “Evening Ephemeral,” “Utopia Black” or “Mammoth’s Hand”). And Knight and Ellis drop killer solos. “Cursed Creator” hits with shred and harmony, “Transcosmic Blueprint” gives jazz fusion, while “Evening Ephemeral” starts <em>Servitude </em>off on the guitar heroics that made Ryan Knight one of my favorite guitarists ever. <em>O</em>ddly, though, there are a couple of duds as well (“Asserting Domination” is bland, while “Servitude” is fine).</p><p>The core of <strong>The Black Dahlia Murder </strong>hasn’t changed, so the core of <em>Servitude</em> was going to be good. At 35 minutes of riffy, guitar-driven melodic death metal, it’s easy to surmise that <strong>The Black Dahlia Murder</strong> couldn’t fail on <em>Servitude</em>. And yet, there is a risk inherent to releasing a record following the tragic passing of one of the scene’s most beloved personalities. In a way, you could criticize <em>Servitude</em> for playing it <em>too</em> safe. It hits all the notes you expect it to hit with its Industry Standard Mastering Job™. The Brandon Ellis and Mark Lewis production is functionally indistinguishable from previous albums. And there’s a familiar-but-not-quite feel to certain riffs or melodies. Yet, as a whole, <em>Servitude</em> succeeds at both being very good—hitting extra hard on those last three tracks—and feeling like an honorable way to continue the legacy of one of melodic death metal’s premiere acts.</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> Very Good!<br><strong>DR: </strong>7 | <strong>Format Reviewed: </strong>320 kb/s mp3s<br><strong>Label: </strong><a href="https://metalblade.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Metal Blade Records</a><br><strong>Websites: </strong><a href="https://theblackdahliamurder.bandcamp.com/album/servitude" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theblackdahliamurderofficial" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br><strong>Releases Worldwide: </strong>September 27th, 2024</p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/abysmal/" target="_blank">#Abysmal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/at-the-gates/" target="_blank">#AtTheGates</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/carnosus/" target="_blank">#Carnosus</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/deflorate/" target="_blank">#Deflorate</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/everblack/" target="_blank">#Everblack</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/gorod/" target="_blank">#Gorod</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodeath/" target="_blank">#Melodeath</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-death-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/metal-blade-records/" target="_blank">#MetalBladeRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/obscura/" target="_blank">#Obscura</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/opeth/" target="_blank">#Opeth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ritual/" target="_blank">#Ritual</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ryan-knight/" target="_blank">#RyanKnight</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sep24/" target="_blank">#Sep24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/servitude/" target="_blank">#Servitude</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/slugdge/" target="_blank">#Slugdge</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-black-dahlia-murder/" target="_blank">#TheBlackDahliaMurder</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/trevor-strnad/" target="_blank">#TrevorStrnad</a></p>
Thomas<p>For this week's <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/ThursdayFiveList" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ThursdayFiveList</span></a> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://metalhead.club/@neurothing" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>neurothing</span></a></span> is looking for <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/TheOpener" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TheOpener</span></a> <br>And without further ado, here are some of my favourite album openers:</p><p>🐙 War Squids by <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/Slugdge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Slugdge</span></a><br><a href="https://song.link/at/i/1443571364" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">song.link/at/i/1443571364</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>🐘 Tread Lightly by <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/Mastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Mastodon</span></a><br><a href="https://song.link/y/qwOtnTL5Uec" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">song.link/y/qwOtnTL5Uec</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>👑 Kingmaker by <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/Screamer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Screamer</span></a><br><a href="https://song.link/at/i/1636919641" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">song.link/at/i/1636919641</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>🔧 Vicarious by <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/Tool" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Tool</span></a><br><a href="https://song.link/at/i/1474250658" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">song.link/at/i/1474250658</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>🥃 Lie To Me by <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/TomWaits" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TomWaits</span></a><br><a href="https://song.link/at/i/1485076541" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">song.link/at/i/1485076541</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p>
Thomas<p>Moving on to something old.</p><p>This song is among my absolute favourite heavy tunes:</p><p>🎵 <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/NowPlaying" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NowPlaying</span></a> War Squids by Slugdge 🐌 🦑 <br><a href="https://song.link/y/Q9Wi17oWC6M" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">song.link/y/Q9Wi17oWC6M</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>This riff, this mo****f***ing riff. I can't get enough of it...</p><p><a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/TomsMusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TomsMusic</span></a> <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/Slugdge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Slugdge</span></a> <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/EsotericMalacology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EsotericMalacology</span></a></p>