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I really thought Blake Judd would have ceased his Nachmystium act following the scandalous merchandise episode but giving up the passion for music is downright difficult. We accept Mr. Judd for who he is first & foremost; a rather imposing figure in (US) black metal. Blight Privilege contains materials which are rather doom / stoner induced but in a positive take, of course. Mr. Judd also revisited his psychedelic meddling on some instances but not as dedicated as Assassin (Part 1). Mid-tempo adventure for the most part, folks, be informed but a credible return to form.

Depeche Mode - I'm revisiting albums by my favourite bands which are less popular or well received by the laypeople. Delta Machine contains virtually no stalwart hits, I purchased this pre-owned copy just listen to the broader appeal from the trio.

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Today's Music of My Moment episode is a gentle reminder to manage expectations when you listen to the latest Mr. Big album, Ten. We all know the Addicted to that Rush / Green Tinted Sixties Mind / Colorado Bulldog Mr. Big has left us for good. There is absolutely zero shred-tastic moments in Ten. Guitars sound fuzzy for the most part with no attempts to perpetuate the good 'ol intense rock servings we know this band for. It might be a little harsh but the music is as such due to Paul Gilbert shedding skin to become a born-again guitarist free from his shred notoriety. We respect musicians for taking a turn in their career to embrace a fresh lease of life but fans reserve the right to dislike the newer manifestations while still respecting the musicians for who they are. 

Take heed folks, Eric Martin is still that force to be reckoned with when it comes to vocals. This is perhaps the saving grace of this release. Come to think of it, Eric Martin can pull this off without the Mr. Big monicker. I had the intention to purchase this album but something told me to just listen to it for free instead & it's the right thing to do. 

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Throwback music moment. Pure Holocaust is the second full length release by Immortal (1993). The production here still featured a largely treble inclined guitar works with lots of blast beats dictating the pace of things. Had the urge to listen to this one as I believe the current wave of black metal music are lost when it comes to identity & the embrace for resistance. 

FYI, the rightmost guy in this lineup is Grim. He did not play on this album but toured with the band as its drummer. 

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Today's MOMM episode is a throwback edition.

The Human League: Essential

You won't know these people unless you grew up listening to '80s music on the radio. The trio's more well-known tunes back in the day were mainly Don't You Want Me & Human. I only knew Human as this was one of the MTV hits which I really enjoyed back then. Essential is a 3-CD package with strange, B-Sides that didn't quite possess that flair to out-80s Depeche Mode & Erasure, among others. I enjoy re-discovering such lesser known tracks these days as I see it as an effort to re-discover my past & acknowledge the one that got away, outstanding or otherwise. Those Ah Bengs with curtain like bangs that covered half their faces might have gotten inspiration from Philip Oakey; I kid you not.

Rollins Band: The End of Silence

I only looked up to Henry Rollins after he parted ways with Black Flag. His commitments with BF were largely punk-ish which didn't click with me. Rollins has this emphasis on philosophy & self-belief which were manifested post-BF. His brand of music also has lesser emphasis on speed but remain intense & angst-ridden. The End of Silence is my personal favourite as the overall music is less desperate; lyrics avoided that layperson appeal in understanding depression, unhappiness & everything in between. Used to have this on cassette tape & it was virtually played to death; tape got crumpled at the edges along the way & that messed up the sound. I didn't bother replacing till I came across this pre-loved CD recently.

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For many bands who had been in the scene for a while, they tend to ebb into compromise. Not Marduk. This release reiterates the band's sole dedication to destruction. A very furious release & rightfully, the standard to beat this year. I especially like the bass production. On that note, the bassist got fired for displaying an offensive salute during a live show. Filling in for this recording, the awesome Devo Andersson whom you recall bid farewell after Marduk's previous outing, Viktoria.

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Received a couple of new music in the mailbox.

Immortal: War Against All

Looking forward to this release actually because Abbath's Dread Reaver was a let down & I ended up not buying that release. So WAA is Immortal reduced to a lone member, Demonaz. WAA is also a close reproduction of Northern Chaos Gods. Conceptually, these releases are similar with WAA re-visiting some At the Heart of Winter moments; you know, those icy, down tempo tunes. So things are kind of predictable after the third track. 

Tulus: Fandens Kall

I was also looking forward to this release because I know Tulus gives me what I want to hear - good black metal with no speed obligations & a standout bass production. So nothing really changed in that aspect just another good Tulus serving. The band sort of stabilized in their music making with Olm Og Bitter arguably the only contentious release that threatened to derail a good following but Tulus proved themselves capable of getting back on track. Also, I hear a more distorted tone here, more distortion saturation to be precise, unlike the previous release where the guitars sounded crunchy almost suggesting someone had forgotten to max out the guitar volume while recording.

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Depeche Mode: Memento Mori

I simply like this album. It has that lethal mix of pop & forboding atmosphere that would appeal to cult followers as opposed to casual listeners. There's a very strong Ultra vibe here which is why it clicked well with me. More importantly, the synth element did not experience any reduction since the passing of Andy Fletcher. Good release.

Enslaved: Heimdal

The Enslaved camp continues to defy black metal expectations & forge onwards into the prog realm. OK, it's not an entirely prog release, remnants of their roots could still be heard. There's a more focused composition here compared to the previous outing (utgard), putting it simply, it's not that boring. If you think Enslaved is going to revert to their formative years in terms of music-making, then be informed that this fine bunch have moved well on.

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It's a midweek ear fodder episode...

Memoriam: Rise to Power

I'm not really a fan of 2021's To the End, it sounded reserved. For this kinda music, singing about warfare, death & destruction, you just have to sound dangerous. OK maybe, after a few outing pivoting on the same theme, your band decided on variety; it's all understood. Rise to Power is Memoriam going up the perilous pathway once more. Guitars sound thicker in this release as well.

Rod Stewart: Some Guys Have All the Luck (Best Of)

I bought this double CD release because I wish to hear the older Rod Stewart song which are not played on the radio much. Air time favours his other tracks with a pop-friendly slant; Have I Told You Lately, Downtown Train, Rhythm of My Heart, et al. To me, Maggie May, The First Cut is the Deepest, Young Turks... these are equally important, otherwise it's not a comprehensive take in understanding all things Rod Stewart. Amazon has some discounted listings + free shipping so why not.

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 Back to doom, gloom & destruction.

Leviathan: Howl Mockery at the Cross

I have selective interest in American Black Metal. This one-man band, Leviathan is an interesting act. Most of the time, things are highly unpredictable but the spirit of the genre had always been kept alive. This release is very abrasive & represents the struggles of its protagonist, Wrest. Since the beginning he's always been that depressive character who aptly manifest personal endeavours through his music. I especially enjoy this release, can hear the spirit of early Darkthrone from start to end without the languid tempo. Of course, Norwegian flag (when you see it).

Blasphemy: Fallen Angel of Doom

In true fairness, this is a good one. It's an early, formative release so the production standards are reflective of its time. Some of us find the drum-centered production unacceptable but like said before, it's the genre at its developmental phase. I would easily categorize this together with Morbid Visions (Sepultura), Pleasure to Kill (Kreator), Scum (Napalm Death), Dark Medieval Times (Satyricon), et al. in terms of enthusiasm.

Thank you, Lisa the cat, for the unexpected appearance. 

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There's something about this album that made it unpopular  when it comes to material selection for compilation releases. Level Best, for instance, featured no songs from Guaranteed. If you ever listened to any songs from Guaranteed, we could agree that all of them are well-crafted & perhaps showcasing Mark King & company at their level best (no pun intended). Allan Holdsworth was all over this album & perhaps this is the reason why it's not really pop-oriented; it is guitar inclined, somewhat. 

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This week's ear fodder:

Apsu: Proscriptor McGovern's Apsu

This is the new beginning for Proscriptor; his Absu is now Apsu. The discography was separated from his previous outfit, this being the debut release under the Apsu monicker with two new musicians: Voorskath (keyboard) & Vaggreaz (guitars). The music remains tangential to the previous indulgences but I hear more guitar aggression in this one. The keyboard though, was rather obscure. Also, the folkish elements of the earlier compositions, Barathrum et al, are not in this recording. If you ever took time to figure out the guitars in any of the Absu releases, this one included, they seldom peddle bass notes. It's just not the nature of the composition.

Inxs: The very best

I ignored Inxs when they were active in the late 80s / early 90s; not my type of music. The guitars were sparse in the songs. Back then, my standard for guitar-related music would be a full on assault like what the rock outfits were doing; Motley Crue, Skid Row, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, etc. It's much later, when I'm into songs more than guitars per se, that I began to take note of Need You Tonight, Disappear & the very addictive, New Sensation. For those of us with a singular perspective for guitar dominance, do listen to Inxs & understand how the instrument fits into a song context.

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The new & the retro for 2022:

• Funeral Mist: Deiform. I hesitated to get this one because its predecessor (Hekatomb) was an average outing. This might be due to the fact that Mortuus is now a permanent member of Marduk. But this one just burns you in the face despite the title track being a slow burner. Funeral Mist had been a solo act since 2009's Maranatha. Things took a little down turn since Maranatha itself as the rest of the members departed the band. Hekatomb was a little introverted with soundscapes threatening to take over but this latest album was a re-boot of sort. Ironically, Lars Brodesson, Marduk's ex-drummer, picked things up this time round for some in-your-face black metal drumming, quite absent from his two previous outings with FM. I just feel that the black metal acts of late are trying too hard to carve a niche because once they go a little astray from the genre, they sound pop-ish; an alternative branch of the genre that aims for mass appeal. Listen to Enslaved & you would understand. Deiform gets my vote for 2021's AOTY for keeping things true to form.
• Johnny Hates Jazz - The Best Of. My 80s pop infatuation continues. Simple reason; songs back then had strong, memorable melodies. I Don't Want to be a Hero was my rebel anthem before many other rock songs took over. Shattered Dreams & Turn Back The Clock featured prominently on the radio especially when CLASS 95FM was helmed by DJs Joe & Jessica. I used to skip school & hang out at World Trade Center (now Harbour Front). There was this amphitheater there near the waterfront where bands used to play on weekends. During weekdays, the speaker used to air CLASS 95FM to the public. I used to slurp Slurpee slowly listening to music & looking at the harbour waters. Simple pleasure. 

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My brand of music features aggression in various degrees. I incline towards aggressive music but not exclusively. Latest score:

• SARKE - Allsighr.  Sarke is the drummer of Tulus & Khold. What kind of band would name itself after its own member? Then again there's Bon Jovi. Sarke, in the mean time, is an exciting band to listen to because they have Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone) & Steinar Gundersen (Spiral Architect) adding to the music chemistry. Allsighr is a little tricky to categorize this time round due to its shifting theme as manifested by the later half of the album. Regardless, the black metal roots & its post-manifestations are plain to hear. Gundersen's guitar influences have obvious prog ascendency but it's a leashed affair. Nothing excessively aggressive in this outing but an enjoyable one.
• Scale the Summit - Subjects. This is an interesting take on the band's musical philosophy. The album comes with two discs; one, an instrumental affair, the other, with vocals. I didn't bother with the latter. I always look up to STS for their instrumental adventures. I attracted to their special blend of heaviness in the midst of instrumental technicality. Technicality here is not akin to that  churned out by Animals as Leaders or Polyphia, among others. It's more groove / riff oriented. Despite the revolving line ups along the way, I thought Kilian Duarte's bass works here are some of the finest; very technical without going astray.