The Metal Scholar's Weekly Listening List (5th November 2019)

Remember Remember The 5th Of November, Gunpowder, Treason & Plot

Goth Christmas (more commonly known as Hallowe'en) is ver for another year, but the eerie spookiness still remains as the darkness encroaches evermore on the hours of the day. However, today, it is that wonderful traditional night in England of bonfire night where we remember the infamous plot of Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators  attempt to assassinate King James VI of Scotland and I of England and the 12 plotters subsequent execution in 1605. I have no idea why we celebrate an act of treason but it's probably the most British way to do it and we have been doing so for the last 414 years. As a fan of the dark political film V For Vendetta today is almost another holiday for me because of the foreboding future depicted in that film seems to be eerily coming true but British politics is not what anyone is here for. This week's edition of The Metal Scholar's Weekly Listening List is very deliberately a day late this week, so I can insert this very poem (or folk verse as there is a distinct rhythm to it) to commemorate the occasion; 

 

    Remember, remember! 

    The fifth of November, 

    The Gunpowder treason and plot; 

    I know of no reason 

    Why the Gunpowder treason 

    Should ever be forgot! 

    Guy Fawkes and his companions 

    Did the scheme contrive, 

    To blow the King and Parliament 

    All up alive. 

    Threescore barrels, laid below, 

    To prove old England's overthrow. 

    But, by God's providence, him they catch, 

    With a dark lantern, lighting a match! 

    A stick and a stake 

    For King James's sake! 

    If you won't give me one, 

    I'll take two, 

    The better for me, 

    And the worse for you. 

    A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope, 

    A penn'orth of cheese to choke him, 

    A pint of beer to wash it down, 

    And a jolly good fire to burn him. 

    Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring! 

    Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King! 

    Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

And with all that over with, time to get on with soundtracking your bonfire night!

Singles Of The Week

I. Schammasch (🇨🇭) - A Paradigm Of Beauty (Prosthetic Records), Avant-garde Black Metal 

II. Krater (🇩🇪) - Zwischen den Worten (Eisenwald), Black Metal

III. Bersærk (🇩🇰) - Balders Bål (Nordenvind Records), Stoner Metal

IV. Black Royal (🇫🇮) - Pagan Saviour (Suicide Records), Death Metal

V. LvxCaelis (🇨🇱) - The Beginning Was The End (Lamech Records), Black Metal

VI. CABAL  (🇩🇰) - Tongues (Long Branch Records), Deathcore

VII. Sentient Horror (🇺🇸) - Cemetery Slaughter (Testimony Records), Death Metal

VIII. Jinjer (🇺🇦) - Pit Of Consciousness (Napalm Records), Metalcore

IX. Born For Burning (🇸🇪) - The King (Critical Mass Recordings), Black Metal

X. Frostmoon Eclipse (🇮🇹) - Sleep (Immortal Frost Productions), Black Metal

Albums Of The Week

I. Sarke (🇳🇴) - Gastwerso (Indie Recordings), Blackened Thrash 

II. Stray From The Path (🇺🇸) - Internal Atomics (UNFD), Metalcore/Hardcore

III. Novembers Doom (🇺🇸) - Nephilim Grove (Prophecy Productions), Death Doom

IV. Noctem (🇪🇸) - The Black Consecration (Art Gates Records), Black Metal

V. Vastum (🇺🇸) - Orificial Purge (20 Buck Spin), Death Metal

Throwback Of The Week

Having seen this band just a few days ago, I think it's right that this week we throwback to the very album that got me into them. Having not listened to them ever before until approximately 2012/2013 I was fairly late to the game with this band, but once I heard this 2008 effort from front to back I was hooked and have seen them three times since! They have been a continual source of inspiration musically and have given me countless hours of listening entertainment. This week's throwback is;

Opeth (🇸🇪) - Watershed (Roadrunner Records), Progressive Death Metal