The Metal Judgment Two Year Anniversary:





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Metal Judgment.com launched on Halloween 1999. Since that time, the Judgment Committee (Abyss, Death and Hel) has reviewed 175 new release albums and 32 concerts, festivals and tours, most of which feature exclusive photography (mostly from Cyn, selected photos are by others as individually credited). In addition, the Metal Judgment staff (Requiem, Solomon, Unearth, Redwolff, Musashi, Famine and Behemoth) have contributed weekly reviews to our Summary Judgment (210 albums, concerts, videos and films reviewed since '99), Classic Album (five years old or older) (100 classics reviewed since '99) or Demo Review (75 unsigned acts reviewed since '99) sections. All in all, in these last two years, we've covered a lot of metal.
In year two, the Judgment Committee collectively gave perfect scores to 6 of the 79 albums (7.6%) they reviewed in the Album Reviews section. The albums receiving perfect scores were:
Carnal Forge Firedemon
Children of Bodom Follow the Reaper
Opeth Blackwater Park
Iced Earth Horror Show
Emperor Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
Soilent Green A Deleted Symphony for the Beaten Down
[note: albums which were modified as below or as part of the Year One Anniversary do not qualify as having received a perfect score.]
Knowing that hindsight is often 20/20 we have provided each Committee member the opportunity to rethink some of their Year Two scores. Each Committee member has been given the opportunity to amend some of their more egregious errors by giving one extra skull to each of five albums, and removing one skull from five others. The only rules? They must give five skulls. They must take away five skulls. And any one album can only move one skull each.
Abyss:
This time of year is always very hard for me because I always put as much listening time into each CD that I can, and don't submit my review until I think I have a good grasp on the album. But I, like everyone else, am not without reproach. Although I found it hard to change a lot of my scores, there were bands that I may have been a little hard on due to outside factors, like my mood or a temporary distaste for a particular genre at a particular time, and have since returned to and found a new appreciation for. These are the easy ones. With the amount of content that we at Metal Judgment attempt to put out every week, our time to listen to music recreationally is in very short supply. Therefore any band I find myself reverting to proves itself to be pretty substantial. Conversely, I find it much harder to take a skull away from a band because, regardless what some of you think, I try very hard not to give out poor scores, and when I do it is after spending a long time with the album followed by much contemplation. As a result, most of the albums I've decided to take a skull away from are ones that I gave the benefit of the doubt early on, but have been disappointed by in their staying power. I would also like to take this time to thank those of you that disagreed with me and decided I was too hard on one of your favorite bands. Advice such as: "I'm sure if you listen to it again you will see you're mistaken," are so helpful! Listening to the album, what a concept. That's the mistake I've been making all this time! Let's face it, it's much more likely that you have bad taste than that I didn't listen to the album, it's kinda my job. Next you're going to tell me I should wipe my ass after I shit. Anyhoo, without further ado, here are the winners and losers:

Abyss Adds a Skull:

1. Kreator- Violent Revolution
Although it seems strange to be changing my score on an album I reviewed so recently, this one was largely hurt by Destruction's recent release. I think Destruction's last album is a more successful example of this genre, but I must admit, a 1 is probably too low a score. I agree with my review, however, as this album is in many ways quite boring, but at the same time it's not a bad album. Definitely just for fans of the genre though.
New Rating:

2. Soilwork- A Predator's Portrait
Originally I was disappointed by the band's choice of direction for this album, and I still enjoy the Century Media debut more. However, I did find myself returning to this record whenever I got a free chance. The craftsmanship and songwriting are top notch, and my criticisms are largely for personal reasons rather than any fundamental flaw in the record itself.
New Rating:

3. Electric Wizard- Dopethrone
Although I was on board with this album from the beginning, I was listening to this album at a time when I wasn't in much of a doom mood at the time. That all changed a few weeks later with the release of Cathedral's latest masterpiece. My love for that album found me returning to this one over and over, and my initial admiration for this piece of work spiked higher with a newfound appreciation. Along with Warhorse and Cathedral, these guys are one of the top doom bands out there.
New Rating:

4. Susperia- Predominance
I really dug this one from the get go, and denied it a perfect score because I wasn't sure if it was something I was still going to be listening to as time wore on. But here I am, almost a half a year later, and this one's still putting a smile on my face. Beautiful in its composition, it is a pleasure to listen to. Not the most brutal thing out there, but it still makes me want to throw things around. One of the most impressive debuts of the year.
New Rating:

5. Maharahj- Repetition
Another one I liked from the beginning, but decided not to give a perfect score, and here it is still on my mind. Their controlled grind is sonic experience, and probably the best example of controlled chaos that I can think of. Although their approach seems a bit more refined than that of their contemporaries, they remain acidic in their execution and can peel the paint off of the walls. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this whole album is that they sound unique when put next to anyone else in the genre.
New Rating:

Abyss Removes a Skull:

1. Corrosion of Conformity- Home
I know this one is technically over a year old, but it was reviewed too close to last year's Anniversary for me to fully utilize my hindsight. When I first reviewed this album I tried very hard to keep an "open mind" about it, and decided to highlight its good points rather than the bad. A year later I feel a little dirty having my name (okay pseudonym) on a positive review for an album I really don't like. I do have some good points in that review (hell, I usually do) but the sheer reality is that if it weren't for this take a skull away thing, I never would have listened to it again.
New Rating:

2. Fear Factory- Digimortal
As I became more acquainted with this album, it dawned on me that this one isn't just a bland album, but a pretty poor one. The more I think about this band, the worse taste appears in my mouth. My respect from some of their earlier work shielded me to how much they've slipped from their heyday. When an album tries so hard for accessibility and still fails, it's even more tragic. What little good there is on this album was done on Obsolete, and was done better.
New Rating:

3. Deride- Scars of Time
This is one of those albums that is sweet like candy when you first hear it. It's easy to get into, accessible, and catches your attention quickly. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the staying power to keep me coming back. Whenever I'm in the mood for this type of metalcore, I'll without a doubt reach for the last Diecast album before this one. And while this is in no way a bad album, I think I was a little too generous the first go around.
New Rating:

4. Lost Soul- Scream of the Mourning Star
Before reviewing my scores for the last year, if you had asked me if I reviewed this album I probably would've said no. Apparently it left that little of an impression on me. So after I read my initial review and pulled the CD back out I noticed that I originally was on the fence; thinking there was a lot of cool shit on here, but I wasn't sure if I'd feel the same later on. Well, here I am later on, and renewed listens haven't spurred my interests back up. I still think this band has a lot of potential, but this album hasn't realized all of it yet. It basically failed the most important test for me. It didn't make me want to listen to it after I didn't have to anymore.
New Rating:

5. Iommi- Iommi
This one I'm having a little trouble with. I don't really want to take a skull away from this one, but I can find no other that is more deserving. My original score was based on the fact that I really wanted to like this record more than I actually did, and I felt a little generous. I still consider it a good album, but I think I'll be going back to the new Ozzy record much more often. With all of the guest work on this album, I would have hoped the songs would keep drawing me back, but they haven't. But don't despair or get mad, I like pretty much every album I give a 2, I just like a lot of other stuff a hell of a lot more.
New Rating:

Death:
Two years, two albums a week. That's a lot of metal. I like a lot of the stuff I am asked to review for Metal Judgment. As I understand it, the goal is to review almost everything that is sent in, in one form or another. When new albums come in, our editors make an initial determination of whether something is appropriate for (1) Judgment Committee review (meaning it will get reviewed by the entire Judgment Committee and will get posted to the site just before or just after its release date); (2) priority Summary Judgment review (meaning it will get reviewed by one of our Metal Judgment staffers and will get posted to the site just before or just after its release date); (3) regular Summary Judgment review (everything else that is a new release-this means it will be sent to a Metal Judgment staffer for review but may not get posted to the site for several weeks if not months as there are many, many albums in the queue); or (4) Demo review (meaning it will get reviewed whenever Musashi decides to pull that package from the box as the one he chooses to focus on for that week). As I understand it, what separates the Judgment Committee review material from the rest is that the JC stuff is top priority, important or interesting releases worthy of serious analytical attention. Putting it another way, arguably, the best stuff is set aside for the Judgment Committee.
I try to take this into account when scoring my reviews. Often, while I may not love a particular album, I have to realize that this particular release has risen to the forefront of its respective subgenre and may actually be an example of the "best" stoner/black/death/doom/goth etc. out there today. So more often than not, I end up giving out high scores on the higher end of our five skull scale.
Still, our anniversary reflections are my opportunity to set things right, so to speak. To correct any glaring omissions and to back down from any rushed judgments I posted to the world after listening to the record for only a week. So that said, without further ado, here are my edits for Year 2 of the Metal Judgment crusade:

Death Adds a Skull:

1. Machine Head- Supercharger
What the heck, why not be controversial with this right out of the box? After defending The Burning Red to its detractors for a couple of years now, it really was wearing thin. One particular moment at a recent Six Feet Under show with Abyss hammered it home: after enduring a conversation about the upcoming Machine Head release which quickly turned into me getting berated with "you put The Burning Red on your top ten albums of that year - what were you thinking?" for the entire set change, I was sufficiently peer pressured into a full expectation that I would "redeem" myself by blasting the next Machine Head record. Funny thing was, when Supercharger entered my discman, it stayed there. For a while. And I'm still listening to it. I freely confess to my love of the old school Bay Area sound, and while Mr. Flynn and Co. have more than egregiously deviated form their roots and the almighty Burn My Eyes, there is still a seed of Bay Area Thrash in there somewhere, and it is at least clear that this is the final seed that fell from the last withered branch of the evolutionary tree of 1980's Bay Area thrash. And like the Lorax before me and his obsession over the last Truffula seed, I am going to enjoy this one, hopefully guilt-free from here on out. Sure, Flynn sold out big time and is a nu-metaller now, through and through--for this he should be punished. But even if I'm the only one out there still digging this band (old school fans are probably fed up, and the anticipated hordes of nu-metallers seem to have never materialized), I have to admit that I like it. When I'm in the gym, running on the treadmill or lifting weights, I want to hear shit like "Bulldozer," not some arty European goth queen playing the violin. So there, I confess, I like Machine Head's Supercharger. Yes, it is flawed, but 3 skulls is too low for an album getting this much airtime on radio Death.
New Rating:

2. Cathedral- Endtyme
I was too conservative here. But after experiencing the band live at Metal Meltdown 3 and listening to Abyss and Pestilence rave about Cathedral over and over again, I am now sold. I held back a skull and kept this one from getting a perfect Metal Judgment score all around. I now correct my error, and give Cathedral the five skulls they deserve.
New Rating:

3. Megadeth- The World Needs a Hero
Don't get me wrong, this is a flawed release and I was expecting much more than this. But I surely punished Megadeth for not meeting my exceedingly high expectations. Moreover, I really enjoyed the tour, and some of the tracks feel better live. This is as much of a "I really like the band" correction as it is a truly erroneous score, but after hearing other recent new records from classic bands, I have to admit that this album stands tall. Don't get me wrong, Dave: with the next record you need to be more metal, more progressive, less sing-songy, and overall, more intense. But after seeing the live show, I believe you do have it in you. Please don't let me down yet again. Ever hear "Take No Prisoners"? Use that as a model, and go from there.
New Rating:

4. Krisiun- Ageless Venomous
I punished Krisiun for the production, but I've since come to regret it. These guys are intense metal musicians who still fight for metal after more than a decade. They haven't let up one bit, and the drumming always manages to blow me away after every listen. Fuck it, they're getting a five, mostly for being so god damned metal.
New Rating:

5. Cradle of Filth- Bitter Suites to Succubi
Whatever you think of this band, you have to admit they are leading the current commercial charge for extreme metal here in the U.S. 2002 promises to be a big year for Cradle. Only time will tell whether or not they'll be able to appropriately capitalize on the new-found support. Until then, I have to give it up for this record as I've been progressively getting more and more into the newer generation, well-produced, more riff-oriented "black metal" releases like this and the new Emperor. I gave Emperor a five right out of the box, and that is indeed the better release. But I like this latest offering from Cradle a whole lot too, and it has been getting repeated and consistent airplay on the radio station in my headphones. I look forward to the next studio release.
New Rating:

Death Removes a Skull:

1. Converge- Jane Doe
I really don't like this stuff, and I think I was afraid to truly bust out with bad score because I know that the band is quite respected in the hardcore and metalcore communities. You guys deserve better than that from me-you deserve to know how I truly feel (see Machine Head, above). Maybe this is a good album if you like that sort of stuff. I clearly do not.
New Rating:

2. Destruction- The Antichrist
I like Destruction. I root for them heartily. But there is nothing that special about the new Destruction album. It is more of the same, and pretty fun if you are itching for some Destruction style German thrash. But it surely is not an important release, nor is it the band's best work. It is average+, with bonus points because I like the band. 4 skulls is all can give.
New Rating:

3. Slipknot- Iowa
Psych! I'm sticking to my guns on this one. I don't give a fuck how many hate-filled emails I get.
New Rating:

4. Sigh- Imaginary Sonicscape
This record just annoys me. I really do not like it. It is all over the spastic map. It just doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps if I was familiar with their prior releases? Anyway, this is another example of me scoring a record too high because people were raving about it and I was afraid I was missing something. At this point, I don't care if I was-this is not an album I am into.
New Rating:

5. Candiria- 300 Percent Density
I am pretty surprised I gave this a five. Probably it was mostly for the creative way they mixed genres and for clearly superior musicianship employed in doing it. But I am not coming back to this album at all. It certainly no longer can be said to be 5 skull material, at least in Death's book.
New Rating:

Hel:
For many reasons, I find this yearly look back at the Judgment Committee album reviews of the past year is one of the most difficult parts of the job. While it does provide an opportunity to correct any glaring errors in judgment, after correcting any which may leap to mind, I find myself in a quandry. During the first review round, I make an attempt to include a factor of "is it good for what it is?" to my rating formula. Now, when it is time to go back and revise, I find that I tend to look for albums that I enjoyed or disliked on the basis of my personal perference above all else. Is it in the interest of fairness, or is it simply self-serving? Realistically, it's the best way I can think of to do what I've been asked to do, no more, no less. And on that note, here it goes.
Hel's Revisions:

Hel Adds a Skull:

1. Neurosis- A Sun That Never Sets
I liked this album from the start, but I underestimated its ability to seep under your skin and nibble at your innards. This is a truly infectious album - but infectious in a very long term way. This one sits and simmers in your brain, and makes you think about listening to it again and again. Or at least that's how it was for me.
New Rating:

2. Six Feet Under- True Carnage
I think I got too caught up in my own little game of not trying to give out too many good scores in this case. As soon as I had sent this one out, I began to feel I made the wrong decision. Going back to it once more, I realize, it deserved 5 skulls just for "Sick and Twisted" and the rest of the album is damn fine too. Up it goes.
New Rating:

3. Skinless- Foreshadowing Our Demise
This is a band that I have long been fond of, and who has continued to grow on me over time. The same is true for their album. While it lacks the depth of production that these songs truly deserve, the quality of the songs cannot be denied. I've found myself going back for more time and again.
New Rating:

4. Abscess- Tormented
Another death metal mis-step by Hel, how tragic! I recall thinking the production on this was abysmal, and that still holds true, but the core of the issue is that this is a solid release, and I usually rank releases of this ilk higher as a general rule. Hopefully on the next album the production will be evened out so that the music can truly shine.
New Rating:

5. Krisiun- Ageless Venomous
Perhaps you're sensing a trend here? I know I am. I suppose I just can't live with going back and seeing how many bands that I liked a lot less, and gave better scores to. My initial evaluation was in error - this is a much better album than most of the others which received 4 skulls the first time around.
New Rating:

Hel Removes a Skull:

1. ...And Oceans- Allotropic/Metamorpic - Genesis of Dimorphism (A.M.G.O.D.)
Despite their ingenious album title and their use of non-standard keyboard sounds, upon revisiting this record I realized that the production severely distracts from the record. It is thin and tinny, yet manages to be muddy all at the same time. Ultimately this is still a fine record, but stacked against the other excellent releases of a similar ilk this year, it just doesn't reach that 4 skull water-mark anymore.
New Rating:

2. Primal Fear- Nuclear Fire
Following my review of this album, I have had the opportunity to see this band live. The experience re-enforced my initial evaluation that the music is derivative, and then some. In addition, my general tolerance for power metal has declined, and that combination can only bring about one result - take 'em down one!
New Rating:

3. Tad Morose- Undead
Sure, in the grand scheme of metal, this is a truly quality album. In the grand scheme of what I like, well, let's just say I've never pulled this one out again. Going back, this is a fairly average release, and I remember how vaguely irritating I thought it was then. That aspect certainly hasn't improved over time. Clever band name or no, I can't really justify the original score.
New Rating:

4. Iommi- Iommi
I just have to admit reality here. Nostalgia was my primary impetus for giving this one as many skulls as I did initially, and I can no longer live with that reasoning. Unfortunately, this is a bland, nu-metal-tinged disappointment, regardless of its status as the solo album from a legendary artist.
New Rating:

5. Sepultura- Nation
I have to admit, this is another case of a legend securing themselves a higher score through nostalgia. I really wanted to like this record, and in retrospect, I just don't. The score must be adjusted accordingly.
New Rating:

Metal Judgment would be nowhere without its dedicated staff of metalheads. For each, we've chosen to spotlight some of their more notable reviews:
ABYSS
Judgment Committee Member
Location: New York
Dream Theater - Metropolis Part II: Scenes From a Memory (0 Skulls) (11/4/99)
Slipknot - Iowa (3 Skulls) (9/6/01)
Enslaved - Mardraum (5 Skulls) (11/30/00)
DEATH
Judgment Committee Member
Location: New York
Judas Priest - Demolition (1 Skull) (8/15/01)
Metallica - S&M (3 Skulls) (12/2/99)
Life of Agony - Ugly (5 Skulls) (5/4/00)
HEL
Judgment Committee Member
Location: New York
Machine Head - Supercharger (1 Skull) (10/18/01)
Grave Digger - Excalibur (3 Skulls) (4/19/00)
Iced Earth - Horror Show (5 Skulls) (6/13/01)
SOLOMON
Classic Albums
Location: Idaho
Testament - The Legacy (4 Skulls) (8/8/01)
MUSASHI
Demo Reviews
Location: New York
The Dying Light (5 Skulls) (8/22/01)
REQUIEM
Summary Judgment
Location: Massachusetts
Crematory - Believe (5 Skulls) (1/4/01)
REDWOLFF
Summary Judgment
Location: New York
Atomic Bitchwax - II (5 Skulls) (01/31/01)
UNEARTH
Summary Judgment
Location: Massachusetts
Andromeda - Extension of the Wish (5 Skulls) (8/8/01)
BEHEMOTH
Summary Judgment
Location: Delaware
Amon Amarth - The Crusher (4 Skulls) (9/26/01)
CYN
Photography
Location: New York
March Metal Meltdown (3/16/00)
Immolation, Catastrophic, Skinless, Lamb of God (1/18/01)
Cradle of Filth, Vision of Disorder, Nile, God Forbid (7/25/01)

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Abyss Adds a Skull:
	1. Kreator- Violent Revolution Although it seems strange to be changing my score on an album I reviewed so recently, this one was largely hurt by Destruction's recent release. I think Destruction's last album is a more successful example of this genre, but I must admit, a 1 is probably too low a score. I agree with my review, however, as this album is in many ways quite boring, but at the same time it's not a bad album. Definitely just for fans of the genre though. New Rating:

	2. Soilwork- A Predator's Portrait Originally I was disappointed by the band's choice of direction for this album, and I still enjoy the Century Media debut more. However, I did find myself returning to this record whenever I got a free chance. The craftsmanship and songwriting are top notch, and my criticisms are largely for personal reasons rather than any fundamental flaw in the record itself. New Rating:

	3. Electric Wizard- Dopethrone Although I was on board with this album from the beginning, I was listening to this album at a time when I wasn't in much of a doom mood at the time. That all changed a few weeks later with the release of Cathedral's latest masterpiece. My love for that album found me returning to this one over and over, and my initial admiration for this piece of work spiked higher with a newfound appreciation. Along with Warhorse and Cathedral, these guys are one of the top doom bands out there. New Rating:

	4. Susperia- Predominance I really dug this one from the get go, and denied it a perfect score because I wasn't sure if it was something I was still going to be listening to as time wore on. But here I am, almost a half a year later, and this one's still putting a smile on my face. Beautiful in its composition, it is a pleasure to listen to. Not the most brutal thing out there, but it still makes me want to throw things around. One of the most impressive debuts of the year. New Rating:

	5. Maharahj- Repetition Another one I liked from the beginning, but decided not to give a perfect score, and here it is still on my mind. Their controlled grind is sonic experience, and probably the best example of controlled chaos that I can think of. Although their approach seems a bit more refined than that of their contemporaries, they remain acidic in their execution and can peel the paint off of the walls. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this whole album is that they sound unique when put next to anyone else in the genre. New Rating:

Abyss Removes a Skull:
	1. Corrosion of Conformity- Home I know this one is technically over a year old, but it was reviewed too close to last year's Anniversary for me to fully utilize my hindsight. When I first reviewed this album I tried very hard to keep an "open mind" about it, and decided to highlight its good points rather than the bad. A year later I feel a little dirty having my name (okay pseudonym) on a positive review for an album I really don't like. I do have some good points in that review (hell, I usually do) but the sheer reality is that if it weren't for this take a skull away thing, I never would have listened to it again. New Rating:

	2. Fear Factory- Digimortal As I became more acquainted with this album, it dawned on me that this one isn't just a bland album, but a pretty poor one. The more I think about this band, the worse taste appears in my mouth. My respect from some of their earlier work shielded me to how much they've slipped from their heyday. When an album tries so hard for accessibility and still fails, it's even more tragic. What little good there is on this album was done on Obsolete, and was done better. New Rating:

	3. Deride- Scars of Time This is one of those albums that is sweet like candy when you first hear it. It's easy to get into, accessible, and catches your attention quickly. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the staying power to keep me coming back. Whenever I'm in the mood for this type of metalcore, I'll without a doubt reach for the last Diecast album before this one. And while this is in no way a bad album, I think I was a little too generous the first go around. New Rating:

	4. Lost Soul- Scream of the Mourning Star Before reviewing my scores for the last year, if you had asked me if I reviewed this album I probably would've said no. Apparently it left that little of an impression on me. So after I read my initial review and pulled the CD back out I noticed that I originally was on the fence; thinking there was a lot of cool shit on here, but I wasn't sure if I'd feel the same later on. Well, here I am later on, and renewed listens haven't spurred my interests back up. I still think this band has a lot of potential, but this album hasn't realized all of it yet. It basically failed the most important test for me. It didn't make me want to listen to it after I didn't have to anymore. New Rating:

	5. Iommi- Iommi This one I'm having a little trouble with. I don't really want to take a skull away from this one, but I can find no other that is more deserving. My original score was based on the fact that I really wanted to like this record more than I actually did, and I felt a little generous. I still consider it a good album, but I think I'll be going back to the new Ozzy record much more often. With all of the guest work on this album, I would have hoped the songs would keep drawing me back, but they haven't. But don't despair or get mad, I like pretty much every album I give a 2, I just like a lot of other stuff a hell of a lot more. New Rating:

Death Adds a Skull:
	1. Machine Head- Supercharger What the heck, why not be controversial with this right out of the box? After defending The Burning Red to its detractors for a couple of years now, it really was wearing thin. One particular moment at a recent Six Feet Under show with Abyss hammered it home: after enduring a conversation about the upcoming Machine Head release which quickly turned into me getting berated with "you put The Burning Red on your top ten albums of that year - what were you thinking?" for the entire set change, I was sufficiently peer pressured into a full expectation that I would "redeem" myself by blasting the next Machine Head record. Funny thing was, when Supercharger entered my discman, it stayed there. For a while. And I'm still listening to it. I freely confess to my love of the old school Bay Area sound, and while Mr. Flynn and Co. have more than egregiously deviated form their roots and the almighty Burn My Eyes, there is still a seed of Bay Area Thrash in there somewhere, and it is at least clear that this is the final seed that fell from the last withered branch of the evolutionary tree of 1980's Bay Area thrash. And like the Lorax before me and his obsession over the last Truffula seed, I am going to enjoy this one, hopefully guilt-free from here on out. Sure, Flynn sold out big time and is a nu-metaller now, through and through--for this he should be punished. But even if I'm the only one out there still digging this band (old school fans are probably fed up, and the anticipated hordes of nu-metallers seem to have never materialized), I have to admit that I like it. When I'm in the gym, running on the treadmill or lifting weights, I want to hear shit like "Bulldozer," not some arty European goth queen playing the violin. So there, I confess, I like Machine Head's Supercharger. Yes, it is flawed, but 3 skulls is too low for an album getting this much airtime on radio Death. New Rating:

	2. Cathedral- Endtyme I was too conservative here. But after experiencing the band live at Metal Meltdown 3 and listening to Abyss and Pestilence rave about Cathedral over and over again, I am now sold. I held back a skull and kept this one from getting a perfect Metal Judgment score all around. I now correct my error, and give Cathedral the five skulls they deserve. New Rating:

	3. Megadeth- The World Needs a Hero Don't get me wrong, this is a flawed release and I was expecting much more than this. But I surely punished Megadeth for not meeting my exceedingly high expectations. Moreover, I really enjoyed the tour, and some of the tracks feel better live. This is as much of a "I really like the band" correction as it is a truly erroneous score, but after hearing other recent new records from classic bands, I have to admit that this album stands tall. Don't get me wrong, Dave: with the next record you need to be more metal, more progressive, less sing-songy, and overall, more intense. But after seeing the live show, I believe you do have it in you. Please don't let me down yet again. Ever hear "Take No Prisoners"? Use that as a model, and go from there. New Rating:

	4. Krisiun- Ageless Venomous I punished Krisiun for the production, but I've since come to regret it. These guys are intense metal musicians who still fight for metal after more than a decade. They haven't let up one bit, and the drumming always manages to blow me away after every listen. Fuck it, they're getting a five, mostly for being so god damned metal. New Rating:

	5. Cradle of Filth- Bitter Suites to Succubi Whatever you think of this band, you have to admit they are leading the current commercial charge for extreme metal here in the U.S. 2002 promises to be a big year for Cradle. Only time will tell whether or not they'll be able to appropriately capitalize on the new-found support. Until then, I have to give it up for this record as I've been progressively getting more and more into the newer generation, well-produced, more riff-oriented "black metal" releases like this and the new Emperor. I gave Emperor a five right out of the box, and that is indeed the better release. But I like this latest offering from Cradle a whole lot too, and it has been getting repeated and consistent airplay on the radio station in my headphones. I look forward to the next studio release. New Rating:

Death Removes a Skull:
	1. Converge- Jane Doe I really don't like this stuff, and I think I was afraid to truly bust out with bad score because I know that the band is quite respected in the hardcore and metalcore communities. You guys deserve better than that from me-you deserve to know how I truly feel (see Machine Head, above). Maybe this is a good album if you like that sort of stuff. I clearly do not. New Rating:

	2. Destruction- The Antichrist I like Destruction. I root for them heartily. But there is nothing that special about the new Destruction album. It is more of the same, and pretty fun if you are itching for some Destruction style German thrash. But it surely is not an important release, nor is it the band's best work. It is average+, with bonus points because I like the band. 4 skulls is all can give. New Rating:

	3. Slipknot- Iowa Psych! I'm sticking to my guns on this one. I don't give a fuck how many hate-filled emails I get. New Rating:

	4. Sigh- Imaginary Sonicscape This record just annoys me. I really do not like it. It is all over the spastic map. It just doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps if I was familiar with their prior releases? Anyway, this is another example of me scoring a record too high because people were raving about it and I was afraid I was missing something. At this point, I don't care if I was-this is not an album I am into. New Rating:

	5. Candiria- 300 Percent Density I am pretty surprised I gave this a five. Probably it was mostly for the creative way they mixed genres and for clearly superior musicianship employed in doing it. But I am not coming back to this album at all. It certainly no longer can be said to be 5 skull material, at least in Death's book. New Rating:

Hel Adds a Skull:
	1. Neurosis- A Sun That Never Sets I liked this album from the start, but I underestimated its ability to seep under your skin and nibble at your innards. This is a truly infectious album - but infectious in a very long term way. This one sits and simmers in your brain, and makes you think about listening to it again and again. Or at least that's how it was for me. New Rating:

	2. Six Feet Under- True Carnage I think I got too caught up in my own little game of not trying to give out too many good scores in this case. As soon as I had sent this one out, I began to feel I made the wrong decision. Going back to it once more, I realize, it deserved 5 skulls just for "Sick and Twisted" and the rest of the album is damn fine too. Up it goes. New Rating:

	3. Skinless- Foreshadowing Our Demise This is a band that I have long been fond of, and who has continued to grow on me over time. The same is true for their album. While it lacks the depth of production that these songs truly deserve, the quality of the songs cannot be denied. I've found myself going back for more time and again. New Rating:

	4. Abscess- Tormented Another death metal mis-step by Hel, how tragic! I recall thinking the production on this was abysmal, and that still holds true, but the core of the issue is that this is a solid release, and I usually rank releases of this ilk higher as a general rule. Hopefully on the next album the production will be evened out so that the music can truly shine. New Rating:

	5. Krisiun- Ageless Venomous Perhaps you're sensing a trend here? I know I am. I suppose I just can't live with going back and seeing how many bands that I liked a lot less, and gave better scores to. My initial evaluation was in error - this is a much better album than most of the others which received 4 skulls the first time around. New Rating:

Hel Removes a Skull:
	1. ...And Oceans- Allotropic/Metamorpic - Genesis of Dimorphism (A.M.G.O.D.) Despite their ingenious album title and their use of non-standard keyboard sounds, upon revisiting this record I realized that the production severely distracts from the record. It is thin and tinny, yet manages to be muddy all at the same time. Ultimately this is still a fine record, but stacked against the other excellent releases of a similar ilk this year, it just doesn't reach that 4 skull water-mark anymore. New Rating:

	2. Primal Fear- Nuclear Fire Following my review of this album, I have had the opportunity to see this band live. The experience re-enforced my initial evaluation that the music is derivative, and then some. In addition, my general tolerance for power metal has declined, and that combination can only bring about one result - take 'em down one! New Rating:

	3. Tad Morose- Undead Sure, in the grand scheme of metal, this is a truly quality album. In the grand scheme of what I like, well, let's just say I've never pulled this one out again. Going back, this is a fairly average release, and I remember how vaguely irritating I thought it was then. That aspect certainly hasn't improved over time. Clever band name or no, I can't really justify the original score. New Rating:

	4. Iommi- Iommi I just have to admit reality here. Nostalgia was my primary impetus for giving this one as many skulls as I did initially, and I can no longer live with that reasoning. Unfortunately, this is a bland, nu-metal-tinged disappointment, regardless of its status as the solo album from a legendary artist. New Rating:

	5. Sepultura- Nation I have to admit, this is another case of a legend securing themselves a higher score through nostalgia. I really wanted to like this record, and in retrospect, I just don't. The score must be adjusted accordingly. New Rating: