Lacrimosa – Fassade (2001: Hall of Sermon)

Pristinely packaged;

German goths love symph layers,

atmospheric edge.

http://www.lacrimosa.ch/cms/front_content.php?idart=22

De Infernali – Symphonia De Infernali (1997: Nuclear Blast)

Barest of budgets,
ambient techno mishaps
best quiet or off.

http://store.nuclearblastusa.com/Item/De_Infernali_-_Symphonia_De_Infernali/3415

Mortiis – The Smell of Rain (2001: Earache)

Still the troll get-up
but chucked dungeons for dance clubs,

chucked a fan aside.

http://www.mortiis.com/index.php?p=discog

Dixie Witch – Smoke & Mirrors (2006: Small Stone)

Fuzzy n skuzzy
bar bash earns retro Southern

whiskey-soaked praise.

http://www.smallstone.com/albuminfo.php?album=51

Brainstorm – Downburst (2007: Metal Blade)

Anthem choruses,
spirited band, skilled play -

consistently sound.

http://www.brainstorm-web.net/music/music-downburst/

Jerry Cantrell – Degradation Trip (2002: Roadrunner)

Money’s worth or dosed
over set of bleak Chains tracts -

moderation advised.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/newreleases/release.aspx?releaseID=43

Virgin Black – Requiem: Mezzo Forte (2007: The End)

Goth goes opera,
Aussies’ ponderous gloom flirts,

skirts excess fine lines

http://www.massacre-records.com/bands/bands_releases.asp?bands=VIRGIN+BLACK&orderno=200551

http://www.myspace.com/virginblackofficial

Jester’s March – Acts (1992: SPV)

Echo chamber tones
makes off vocals that much worse;

obscurity earned.

http://www.metal-archives.com/release.php?id=4546

Avantasia – The Metal Opera: Part 1 (Century Media: 2001)

Ed-guy gets buds to
prog and pomp up Helloween;

ballads stink, rest rocks.

http://www.tobiassammet.com/eng/music/AvantasiaMetalOpera1.php

Killswitch Engage – As Daylight Dies (2006: Roadrunner)

Scream, screech, croon, scream more,
metalcore’s pattern wearies

though in bits, just fine.

http://www.killswitchengage.com/index.php/kse/releases/category/albums/

Votum – Metafiction (2009: Mystic Production)

Slow prog stakes claim to
destitute man’s Ayreon -

that’s not a good thing.

http://www.votumband.pl/

Aggression – Moshpirit (2009: Xtreem)

Ruthie’s Inn worthy
thrash merits Repka artwork,

sore neck hours later.

http://www.myspace.com/aggressionband

Smashing Pumpkins – Adore (1998: Virgin)

Caged rat rageless as
Corgan wallows in grey shades;

disc for stark fall morns.

http://www.amazon.com/Adore-Smashing-Pumpkins/dp/B000006NPY

http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/

Absolve – Sadistic Crown EP (2010: Panoptic)

Too much metalcore
weights down some decent death bits;

Anselmo-shouts irk.

http://www.myspace.com/absolveband

The Cult – Born Into This (2007: Roadrunner)

Ian’s creaking wail
over stock Stonesish mishmash...

lacks Rubin-days bite.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/newreleases/release.aspx?releaseID=221

Happy Anniversary

Hard to believe it has been a year. While I can't imagine ever coming close to the production of that first month ever again (38!!!), I'm still happy to be listening to music and finding the motivation to churn out syllables accordingly. If you've navigated here somehow, thanks for showing up and giving this little parcel of cyberspace some of your precious time. Cheers!

... now back to the haiku