Yearlist 1998:

Eighties //Nineties //9091929394959697[1998]99 //Nihils //00010203040506070809 //TwentyTens //10111213141516171819 //Twenties //2021222324 //All_Time
 
Cradle Of Filth - Cruelty and the Beast
Score: 10/10
Finally the waiting is rewarded: The new Cradle of Filth! It looks great, it sounds great, and there only seems to be one version of it. (Crap! Four different versions already!!!) I don't think it's quite as good as "Dusk...", but actually I didn't expect it could be. The songs on this album have a little less variation, and the production is a bit vaguer (especially the drums), but despite this it's still one hell of an album, and the best I heard so far in this lame 1998! Go get this one!!
 
The Elysian Fields - We... the Enlightened
Score: 10/10
I first heard them on the "Wicked World" sampler with the song "Shall they come forth unto us" where they geniously combined fast black/death and beautiful violin. The rest of the album also has this varied style. Mainly it is fast melodic black/death, but some songs even remind me of Amorphis and Paradise Lost. I don't think the slower songs really suit them, but the fast songs are so fucking brilliant that The Elysian Fields deserve a lot more attention than they get.
 
Sear Bliss - The Haunting
Score: 10/10
After the Phantoms album this is the second real New Sear Bliss album. It still has the typical Sear Bliss sound, black / doom metal with trumpet and keyboard, but also a lot has changed I think. The songs have gotten more complicated, more difficult. This cd really had to grow on me since I kept discovering new things in it. At first I thought "nice, but nowhere near Phantoms" and now I think it's at least as good, maybe better. Sear Bliss developed in a good way, they discovered more of an own sound and it's quickly become one of my all-time favourite bands...
 
...And Oceans - The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts
Score: 10/10
The popularity of Black Metal had caused tons of crappy bands to start releasing crappy BM cds. But every once in a while there's a new band that really has talent. ...And Oceans shows this with this cd. The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts is an original bm album, it has very melodic parts which sometimes remind me a bit of Dimmu Borgir, but luckily it stays interesting with lots of very fast parts. I think it's one of the highlights of 1998...
 
Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse
Score: 10/10
I didn't really expect a lot of this album, to be honest. Morningrise was pretty cool, but not really convenient black metal, and most bands tend to step away even further from the black metal after an album like that. How mistaken I was, because My Arms Your Hearse only is faster and blacker than their previous albums. The songs are now more structured, they don't just go on and on, and personally I think this is the best album Opeth has yet made.
 
My Dying Bride - 34.788.. Complete
Score: 10/10
I wasn't sure if I should buy this new My Dying Bride, because I've never before heard such bad critics of one of their albums. But I got it anyways, and I don't regret it. I also think it's not as good as their others, but it's still a good cd. My Dying Bride changed their sound again a bit, most importantly the songs are their usual long-length again. They're also a bit less melodic and a bit more depressive now, and on the first song the vocals are even a bit grunt-like. So overall I think the first song alone is worth buying the album for, and the rest ain't bad either...
 
Godkiller - The End of the World
Score: 10/10
Every once in a while I get to listen to a cd I never heard of by a band I never heard of, and it turns out to be great. Godkiller definitely is one of those. It's a very unique style of metal, and for the people who heard the Godkiller song on the "In Decay we Trust" collection cd, it's also very different from that. This is a kind of Industrial black death metal, maybe a bit like a mix of Samael and Fear Factory. Very nice to hear something so different from this one-member band.
 
Opera IX - Sacro Culto
Score: 10/10
It's nice to hear that Opera IX has released a new album. I liked the previous one very much, and the music hasn't changed much. It's still the strange black with the female grunt. The only thing that has changed is that the production is much clearer. But I'm not sure this is a good thing. It takes away some of the mysterious touch to the music. Nevertheless, still very cool and very different black.
 
Mactätus - Provenance of Cruelty
Score: 10/10
Since a few years a lot of black metal bands have arisen, some of them plain bad and some quite good. And very few really kick ass. Mactätus is one of those. As far as I know this is a debut cd, but they sound like they've got years of experience. Mactätus play melodic black metal, a bit in the style of early emperor, but with their own sound. Looking at the info I saw three well-known names, Noctuno Culto from Darkthrone has written some lyrics, Samoth from Emperor has co-produced the album, and of course my friend Tom Kvålsvoll from Paradigma has mastered it. So I guess with such help Mactätus are destined to belong to the black metal top.
 
Fear Factory - Obsolete
Score: 10/10
We've had to wait a long time for this. There's three years between this and their previous metal album, Demanufacture. It seems they used most of this time working on the remix album Remanufacture, because the musical style of Obsolete is very similar to that of Demanufacture. Not that I don't like it, it's very good. It just sounds very familiar. On the bright site, the cd looks fantastic. The artwork is great, and the complete storyline in the lyrics is brilliant I think. So Obsolete sounds good and looks great, but I hope their next cd will be more original musically.
 
Ancient Rites
Fatherland
Score: 10/10
 
Limbonic Art - Epitome of Illusions
Score: 10/10
Apparently Limbonic Art already made two cds, and this is a redone version of their demo tapes or something. But I'd never heard them before, I just got to hear this album and I think it's cool. It's fast and melodic black metal, very well played and the production is also very good, so I guess they just rerecorded their demo tracks in a studio or something. Though they sound great, and the start of the first song is fantastic, they just need a little more to distinguish themselves from the rest.
 
Darkwoods My Betrothed
Witch-Hunts
Score: 10/10
 
Agathodaimon
Blacken the Angel
Score: 10/10
 
Hecate Enthroned - Dark Requiems and Unsilent Massacre
Score: 10/10
Hecate Enthroned deliver the same great style melodic black metal as on their previous album The Slaughter of Innocence. There's just one irritating difference, and that's the vocals. Sounds like he pitched them up even higher, so it's now absolute inaudible high squeeking grunts. Luckily agian combined with some low grunts. But once you get used to the new vocals there are some brilliant songs on it...
 
Sad Legend
Sad Legend

Score: 10/10
 
Vordven
Towards the Frozen Stream
Score: 10/10
 
Graveworm
Underneath The Crescent Moon
Score: 10/10
 
...And Oceans / Bloodthorn - War vol. I (vs. Bloodthorn)
Score: 10/10
This is quite an interesting concept I think. The first four songs from '...And Oceans' are about the same style as on 'The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts'. Good melodic black metal, though not as good as on the previous album. Bloodthorn I'd personally never heard of, but they also play very good melodic black metal. Their sound is a little more bassy than And Oceans, and they also have a female singer. I should hear a full album of Bloodthorn before I could say which of the two bands is better, but I guess if this was a war between the two bands, Bloodthorn would have won in my opinion.
 
Necromicon
Sightveiler
Score: 9.5/10
 
21Unholy
Rapture
Score: 9.5/10
 
Oxiplegatz
Sidereal Journey
Score: 9.5/10
22
 
23Eucharist
Mirrorworlds
Score: 9.5/10
 
Vintersorg
Till Fjälls
Score: 9.5/10
24
 
25Diabolical Masquerade - Nightwork
Score: 9.5/10
This latest album by Diabolical Masquerade is a bit better than the previous ones, but other than that quite similar I think. The music isn't very original, but the songs don't bore quickly and the production is great. Especially considering this melodic black metal band is a one-man project by Katatonia's Blackheim. The only thing that irritatez me are all the z's in the zongtitlez...
 
Odium
The Sad Realm of the Stars
Score: 9.5/10
26
 
27Riger
Der Wanderer

Score: 9.5/10
 
Anathema - Alternative 4
Score: 9.5/10
To be honest, after "Eternity" I expected Alternative 4 to be even softer and less interesting, and this was true, so it wasn't such a disappointment to me. But still, after listening to it a few times, it's still an interesting album, it is very soft with only clear vocals and relaxed music, but some songs still remind me of the earlier albums. The artwork is a bit dissapointing too. It's all very simple and black/white. So allthough it's not a bad album, I still think it's the worst they ever made, and I fear from here on it will only get worse... The rerelease contains some Pink Floyd covers, even one that hasn't been on any other cd yet!
28
 
29Amortis
Memories of an Ancient Time... (demo)

Score: 9.5/10
 
Primordial
A Journey's End

Score: 9.5/10
30
 
31Gardens Of Gehenna
Mortem Saluta
Score: 9.5/10
 
The Sins Of Thy Beloved
Lake of Sorrow
Score: 9.5/10
32
 
33Fear Factory
Resurrection

Score: 9.5/10
 
Antestor
The Return Of The Black Death

Score: 9.5/10
34
 
35Desire
Pentacrow... Misanthropic Tragedy
Score: 9.5/10
 
Bolt Thrower
Mercenary
Score: 9.5/10
36
 
37Nazxul
Black Seed

Score: 9.5/10
 
Twin Obscenity
For Blood, Honour and Soil
Score: 9.5/10
38
 
39Perished
Kark
Score: 9/10
 
Vast
Visual Audio Sensory Theater
Score: 9/10
40
 
41Whispering Forest
Of Shadows and Pale Light
Score: 9/10
 
Azmodan
Evil Obscurity
Score: 9/10
42
 
43Embraced
Amorous Anathema
Score: 9/10
 
Nefarius
The deterrence and renounce of faith (demo)
Score: 9/10
44
 
45Christ Agony
Trilogy
Score: 9/10
 
Darklands
Darklands
Score: 9/10
46
 
47Ashes You Leave
The Passage Back to Life
Score: 9/10
 
Amon Amarth
Once Sent from the Golden Hall

Score: 9/10
48
 
49Raventhrone
Malice in Wonderland
Score: 9/10
 
Khazad Dhum
Blackest
Score: 9/10
50
 
51Traumatic Voyage
Cogito Ergo Sum

Score: 9/10
 
Seth
Les Blessures de l'Ame

Score: 9/10
52
 
53Penetralia
Tribute to the Moon (demo)
Score: 9/10
 
Morbid Angel
Formulas Fatal to the Flesh

Score: 9/10
54
 
55Immemorial (POL)
Ius Primae Noctis (demo)
Score: 9/10
 
Crimson Midwinter
Random Chaos
Score: 9/10
56
 
57Erector Spinae
Dopaminium (demo)
Score: 9/10
 
Obituary
Dead
Score: 8.5/10
58
 
59Bal-Sagoth
Battle Magic

Score: 8.5/10
 
Autumn Verses
Tunes Of Disconsolation
Score: 8.5/10
60
 
61Himinbjorg
Where Ravens Fly
Score: 8.5/10
 
Artrosis
W Imię Nocy (In the Name of the Night)
Score: 8.5/10
62
 
63Darkside
Evolution

Score: 8.5/10
 
Forlorn
The Crystal Palace
Score: 8.5/10
64
 
65Dagorlad
Incantations
Score: 8.5/10
 
Obtained Enslavement
Soulblight
Score: 8.5/10
66
 
67Dysanchely
Tears
Score: 8.5/10
 
Lux Occulta
Maior Arcana (The Words that Turns Flesh into Light)
Score: 8.5/10
68
 
69Oathean
The Eyes of Tremendous Sorrow

Score: 8.5/10
 
Various
As We Die For - Tribute to Paradise Lost
Score: 8.5/10
70
 
71Salem
A Moment Of Silence
Score: 8.5/10
 
Mindrot
Soul
Score: 8.5/10
72
 
73Barathrum
Legions of Perkele
Score: 8.5/10
 
Tristania
Widow's Weeds
Score: 8.5/10
74
 
75Alastis
Revenge
Score: 8.5/10
 
Catamenia
Halls of Frozen North
Score: 8/10
76
 
77Placebo
Without You I'm Nothing
Score: 8/10
 
Mithotyn
King of the Distant Forest
Score: 8/10
78
 
79Infernal Beauty
Drakensquar
Score: 8/10
 
Adorned Brood
Wigand
Score: 8/10
80
 
81Evereve
Stormbirds
Score: 8/10
 
Yyrkoon
Oniric Transition
Score: 8/10
82
 
83Cryptic Carnage
Rozelowe
Score: 8/10
 
Fangorn
Non-Rhapsodian
Score: 8/10
84
 
85Morgul
Parody of the Mass
Score: 8/10
 
Daemonarch
Hermeticum
Score: 8/10
86
 
87Dark Fortress
Tales From Eternal Dusk

Score: 8/10
 
Thyrfing
Thyrfing

Score: 8/10
88
 
89Thalarion
Tales of the Woods... Thus was Written
Score: 8/10
 
Arcane Sun
Arcane Sun
Score: 8/10
90
 
91Legenda
Eclipse
Score: 8/10
 
Månegarm
Nordstjårnans Tidsålder
Score: 8/10
92
 
93Love Lies Bleeding
The Lady Who Didn't Want to Be (demo)
Score: 8/10
 
Cemetery Of Scream
Deeppression
Score: 8/10
94
 
95Mortum
The Druid Ceremony
Score: 8/10
 
Syrach
Twilight Enigma (demo)
Score: 8/10
96
 
97Blazing Eternity
Der Hviler En Nat Under Sorte Vinterbøge (demo)
Score: 8/10
 
MacBeth
Romantic Tragedy's Crescendo
Score: 7.5/10
98
 
99Iscariot
Horror Vacui
Score: 7.5/10
 
Therion
Eye of Shiva
Score: 7.5/10
100


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