Suprême NTM - J'appuie Sur La Gachette [1993]

Well, NTM (Nique Ta Mère - 'fuck your mother') are quite possibly the most famous French rap group, not least for having worked with Matthieu Kassovitz in the production of the film La Haine ('The Hatred'). This, their sophomore album (translating to 'My finger rests on the trigger'), is very entertaining - although one can still from time to time hear the odd modicum of bluesy influence in the background of the album, this is ostensibly a hip-hop album - perhaps the best point of reference would be a slightly less aggressive NWA. Although every track on here is a winner (although the interludes are perhaps a little bit too numerous), there are clearly three which stand out as the ones to recommend - 'Plus Rien Ne Va', 'Sur 24 Pistes', and 'Police'.

~170 kbps VBR

Mediafire
Zippyshare
Depositfiles
iFolder

Money Boss Players - Ghetto Chronicle Daily EP [1994]

Okay, so even more deviation from the CITA norm here. Money Boss Players seem to me to be an early gangsta rap group, and I quite enjoy it. Don't ask be to describe it further because I can't.

Re-upload notes: It's more dissonant than your NWA kinda stuff, and I like that, particularly on the opening track. There are actually a couple more tracks on this than the image suggests.

~195 kbps VBR

Mediafire
Rapidshare
Zippyshare
Depositfiles

Re-upload: Bastard Priest - Under The Hammer Of Destruction [2010]

Bastard Priest are one of the bands spearheading the new wave of old school death metal, and they do it damn well. Coming from Sweden, it's natural to hear a little bit of hardcore/d-beat influence in their music, and so you do. 'Total Mutilation' could be the DM anthem of recent years.

~180 kbps VBR

Mediafire
Rapidshare
iFolder

S.O.D. - Speak English Or Die [1985]

Whilst we're talking about fun music, and also thrash metal, here's the only worthwhile album from the kings of tongue-in-cheek crossover, S.O.D. (or Stormtroopers Of Death). Whilst musically this isn't the most instantly appealing album, the tunes, alarming in their brevity, will become like old friends over time, and one can appreciate the humour at work instantaneously. File next to Lawnmower Deth under 'comedy thrash which actually has a fair amount of musical merit'.

~150 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Devin Townsend - Infinity [1998]

It goes without saying that Devin Townsend is strange. Strange enough that in the same year he released "City" with his band Strapping Young Lad, an extreme, noisy, industrial loud-a-thon, and "Biomech" under the pseudonym Ocean Machine, a calmer, radio-friendly progressive rock album. It was shortly after this he had a nervous breakdown and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Shortly after he'd come to terms with this he put out "Infinity" in 1998, an album which marries the aggression of "City" and the 'happiness' of "Biomech". The first three tracks are a barrage of awesome: the intense instrumental "Truth", the poppy "Christeen" and the insanely catchy "Bad Devil". Even if after that the album meanders a bit (specifically, "War" drags on), it still has a great overall sound and is well worth a listen. This version also comes with three bonus tracks: Live, acoustic versions of two songs from "Biomech" and a 1996 demo, simply called "Man". Good stuff.


13 tracks, 59:11, 63.87 MB
Mediafire (M4a, ~198 kbps VBR)

LIK - Lekamen Illusionen Kallet [2007]

From the artwork, it isn't a great leap of the imagination to suggest that this is a concoction of Scandinavian folk music and black metal - sure, one might also find this for a post-rock album (of which this contains small elements), but it is a typical cover nonetheless. What is not typical is the approach on this - a repetitive riff structure serves as a hypnotic aid, but not in a similar way to Burzum; indeed, this feels all too peaceful to be similar to that. Harsh vocals are made conspicuous by their absence. Altogether, this is an odd album, certainly more unusual than LIK's other material, but one which I find enjoyable (although it's not one to listen to every day).

~190 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Massacre - From Beyond [1991]

Massacre, Massacre, Massacre, Massacre, you should know (Tribe points if you spotted the reference). This is truly a classic of death metal; although their later album fell a little short of the mark, this is simply essential thrashy, primal death metal. Although some find it simply too sloppy, that's most of the appeal for me. The calibre of the lineup - Kam Lee (Mantas, lots of recent DM), Rick Rozz (also Mantas, Death), Terry Butler (Death, Six Feet Under, recently joined Obituary), and Bill Andrews (also Death) - is representative of that of the album. File next to Scream Bloody Gore and Seven Churches under 'awesome' and 'primitive death metal'.

~195 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Sunn O))) & Boris - Altar [2006]

This collaboration album from 2006 is, to my mind, Sunn O)))'s best work, and one could probably say the same for Boris. The album features just over 50 minutes of relaxing, and at times blissful drone.

~185 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Fuck Off And Die! - No Peace. No Love. No Whores. No God. [2005]

I'd say that the presence of a Blasphemy cover on this, the Lithuanian band's debut album, was telling, but it isn't really. Although one can draw parallels between this and the Canadian bestial black metal masters, they don't exist to that great a degree - this is far more influenced by thrash metal, and is altogether more 'fun'. Well, as fun as songs with names like 'I Hate Homosexual Metalheads' can be.

N.B. The final track on this is incorrectly tagged - it should be 'Better Alone Than With You'.

~195 kbps VBR

Megaupload

At The Gates - With Fear I Kiss The Burning Darkness [1993]

Another Swedeath classic from At The Gates - although I'm skipping Terminal Spirit Disease this time around, I do honestly believe that every single one of their releases is brilliant, even though I'm not a huge fan of melodeath.

~185 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Sun Ra And His Arkestra - Jazz In Silhouette [1958]

The reason why this is tagged with 'legal' is that the copyright of a sound recording expires 50 years after initial publication, so the copyright for this expired in 2008.

Sun Ra is one of the most under-appreciated jazz musicians around. Although I'm by no means an expert on his music, this is my favourite of his thus far - it's not particularly experimental, but has an edge on most jazz and blues of its time (except, of course, for Kind Of Blue).

Similar artists: Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane

~160 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Cosmic Atrophy - Codex Incubo [2008]

Like Timeghoul (death metal band who released two demos which are now cult legend)? Then you'll like this. Straight from the same vein, this in modern terms is halfway between Immolation and Portal, but a long stretch from either one of the two. They are said to be releasing a new album this year, but the last few years have proven this album to have the same pattern as the new Wintersun.

~190 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Diamond Head - Lightning To The Nations [1980]

This is a classic of the NWOBHM era - given publicity when Metallica covered 'Am I Evil?'. Despite that, it is an excellent album, and every song on here is fantastic in its own right, from epics like 'Sucking My Love' to the title track.

~155 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Merzbow - Pulse Demon [1995]

Starting at the artwork, and certainly not finishing there, this is a mindfuck of an album. Merzbow, aka Masami Akita, has long been one of the bastions of excellence for the noise scene, and this is widely considered to be his best work.

~196 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Ulver - Nattens Madrigal: Aatte Hymne Til Ulven I Manden [1997]

Although not quite as good as 'Bergtatt', Ulver on this still created a late masterpiece of the second wave of Norwegian black metal. Those of you who know the odd word of Norwegian should notice that this is as close to an eponymous album as Ulver have ever come.

~175 kbps VBR

Megaupload

Autopsy - Mental Funeral [1991]

Autopsy's best album. Whilst many fans started with 'Severed Survival' and moved onwards in the discography, this is their best, full stop, and it shows the start of the filthy, sludgy death metal they would become renowned for. Features their 'anthem', 'In The Grip Of Winter'.

~160 kbps VBR

Megaupload