HeavyNBrutalAF

It didn't take long for copyright to cut the stream short 🤷🏻‍♂️

That said, this is almost too immersive for just an album. Like, this is straight-up a rock opera. It needs an accompanying movie.

2 days ago | [YT] | 0

HeavyNBrutalAF

Well. I DID have a reaction to edit for the new Loathe song. Problem is, the audio is completely fucked. Which really sucks, because this song blew my mind, featured my new camera, and starred Spinel sitting on the desk next to me.

This channel is starving for content as it is, and this is just depressing.

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

HeavyNBrutalAF

Listens of the Month - APRIL '26
Lots of death metal this month. Lots of great shows, too.
(by row):
Whitechapel - Whitechapel 8.5/10
Deicide - Serpents of the Light 9/10 (another ass-kicking assembly of blasphemous brutality)
*Interpol - Our Love to Admire 8/10 (a lovely listen, especially the second half)
*Immolation - Unholy Cult 7.5/10 (not too shabby, solid performances and content)
Behemoth - Evangelion 8.5/10 (an eviscerating onslaught of blistering intensity)
*Lantlos - Nothing In Between Forever 7.5/10 (a lot more experimental than I expected... not nearly as earworm-heavy as previous albums, not nearly as intense, but I appreciate what this album was going for.)
Deicide - Insineratehymn 7.5/10 (it's not bad. A little more toned down and one-note compared to previous albums.)
*Interpol - Interpol 5.5/10 (I didn't get much out of this one at all)
*Deicide - In Torment In Hell 7.5/10 (big step up from the last one. Neat riffs and transitions here and there.)


*Interpol - El Pintor 7.5/10 (big step up from the previous one)
*Immolation - Harnessing Ruin 6.5/10 (I found it iffy at first, but dug it more as it went on. Production can be kinda butt at some points, but sometimes the song lengths favor the material that's here, and a fair amount is kick-ass.)
*Immolation - Shadows In the Light 7.5/10 (this one is more riffy and brings a lot more energy. Plenty to headbang to on this one.)
*Interpol - Marauder 6/10 (not exactly boring, but not exactly engaging or memorable either.)
Behemoth - The Satanist 9.5/10 (still very remarkable, and their best overall work)
*Interpol - The Other Side of Make-Believe 6/10 (clunky and underwhelming, decent background music.
*Deicide - Scars of the Crucifix 8/10 (big step up on all fronts, crazy sweeping solos, killer songs)
Conan - Violence Dimension 8/10
*Immolation - Majesty and Decay 8.5/10 (friggin' awesome album. Easily one of their best-sounding and heaviest.)


*Deicide - The Stench of Redemption 9/10 (incredible. Brutal. One of their best albums, easily. Outshines nearly everything they've done up to this point.)
Sevendust - Cold Day Memory 8/10 (definitely one of their better albums, and a significant step up from the previous)
*Deicide - Till Death Do Us Part 8/10 (pretty damn awesome album with a shaky start)
*Immolation - Kingdom of Conspiracy 7.5/10 (brutal and super heavy throughout, although maybe a bit one-dimensional. Stellar performances.)
*Deicide - To Hell With God 7.5/10 (kinda standard record for them)
White Zombie - Astro Creep: 2000 9.5/10
Behemoth - I Loved You At Your Darkest 8.5/10 (their most stripped-backed and melodic record yet, and it works very well)
*Deicide - In the Minds of Evil 7.5/10 (solid, very reminiscent of their 90s style and sound, they do it well. They notably tune up the guitars too.)
*Immolation - Atonement 8.5/10 (absolutely killer album. A great amalgamation of everything they've done up to this point)


Behemoth - Opvs Contra Natvram 8/10 (excellent record, overshadowed by past works, but perfectly serviceable, with fantastic production)
Lamb of God - Into Oblivion 8.5/10 (one of their better albums, for damn sure. They still kill it this deep into their career.)
*Deicide - Overtures of Blasphemy 7/10 (decent outing, great performances, it's like if their 90s material was a bit more melodic. Nothing too remarkable or inspired.)
*Immolation - Acts of God 7/10 (more cinematic than previous works, but less adventurous and not as sticky as I'd prefer. Production is great, but the songs seem phoned in and the album is a bit long.)
Metallica - 72 Seasons 6.5/10 (with any new Metallica, it's inevitable that it'll draw comparisons to the rest of their career. 3 years later, it's still decent. It needed more stylistic variety.)
*Deicide - Banished By Sin 7/10 (doesn't do much new, but the performances and production are great)
*Immolation - Descent 8/10 (excellent new record that blends a lot of what they've done up until this point)
*Rotting Christ - Pro Xristou 8/10 (pretty excellent album, I need to do a deep dive on these guys, especially after putting on several of their top tracks)
*Behemoth - The Shit Ov God 7.5/10 (pretty standard for them. Intense, heavy, good production. Almost ruined by the album title.)


Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire 9.5/10
*Gaerea - Loss 9.5/10 (incredible sounding album. Likely their best one yet. Very captivating evolution of their sound. It's like if Gojira and Invent Animate had a baby and raised it on blackened death metal and Sleep Token.)
Nine Inch Nails - Tron: Ares 7/10 (solid material, great lead single, good instrumentals, neat interpolations of said lead single here and there. Some of it reminds me of the score for Valorant.)
Mudvayne - L.D. 50 9/10
Whitechapel - Our Endless War 8/10 (this album is a lot better than people give it credit for)
Amon Amarth - Versus the World 7.5/10 (consistent and enjoyable)
*And Hell Followed With - Proprioception 6/10 (it's great if you love the style of classic deathcore of the late 2000s, but personally I didn't get much out of it that I haven't gotten already from early Chelsea Grin, Oceano, As Blood Runs Black, or Carnifex. Solid album though.)
*Blessthefall - Witness 9/10 (incredible metalcore album, no bad songs at all, amazing production and performances)
Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth 8.5/10 (still an essential classic)


*Celtic Frost - Vanity/Nemesis 6.5/10 (it's not bad, it just seems disjointed. The varying styles of metal seem to conflict one another rather than compliment.
Incendiary - Cost of Living 8/10
Sleep Token - One 8.5/10
Death - Scream Bloody Gore 7.5/10 (I've never considered this one to be very memorable)
Obituary - Slowly We Rot 9/10 (tasty all throughout)
*Nile - What Should Not Be Unearthed 9/10 (this album absolutely FUCKS. First time listening to it all the way through. Easily among their best, a strong recommend for tech-death and brutal death metal enthusiasts.)
*Primitive Man - Insurmountable 7.5/10 (doom, gloom, and despair. Earth-shaking heaviness.)
Gojira - Fortitude 8/10 (I listened to the Dolby Atmos version that's on Tidal, and it sounded fantastic)
*Sepultura - Quadra 8/10 (kick-ass songs and killer performances. A solid culmination of their career up to this final point.)


*Decapitated - Cancer Culture 7.5/10 (solid, riffy, kick-ass, a great time)
Slayer - South of Heaven 8/10 (a goshdang classic)
*Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain 7/10 (the first 3 tracks are great. The Almighty Dollar is still sadly very relevant today. Everything else is either decent or meh.)
*Lana Del Rey - Honeymoon 7/10 (I think the performances here are a cut above everything she's done up until this point. It's still a little too sleepy for my tastes, but pretty much every track here is solid to some degree, and it flows well enough, despite being a little long and same-y)
Cannibal Corpse - Hammer Smashed Face (single version) 8/10 (Zero the Here is an underrated Black Sabbath cut, not surprised it's here, given what Chris Barnes goes on to do with Six Feet Under....)
Sleep Token - Two 8.5/10
*Black Sabbath - Headless Cross 6.5/10 (It's a far cry from what they once were, but it's perfectly serviceable. Tony Martin sounds like a blend between Sammy Hagar and Dio. I guess this also just celebrated a birthday.)
*Fox Lake - Lady Luck 8.5/10 (short, sweet, pissed-off and hardcore)
*Kreator - Pleasure to Kill 8.5/10 (so fast at some points, it's almost black metal. Few thrash albums sounded like this back at the time of release.)


Soul Blind - Red Sky Mourning 8.5/10 (bringing back grunge in a big way. The production for this style is immaculate.)
Amon Amarth - Fate of Norns 8/10 (solid and consistent)
156/Silence - People Watching 9/10 (it kinda gets better with each revisit)
Gorillaz - Meanwhile EP 8/10 (cute little EP)
Gnarls Barkley - Atlanta 8.5/10 (upset that this has flown completely under the radar of basically everybody)
*Fox Lake - New World Heat 9.5/10 (one of the most bangin' hardcore records I've heard in a while. It's like Joey Valence & Brae meets Thrown. Great for fans of Mugshot, for example.)
The Acacia Strain - You Are Safe From God Here 8/10 (downright nasty heavy)
*Nine Inch Nails & Boys Noize - Nine Inch Noize 9.5/10 (fucking awesome. Pure hype. Likely recorded straight from the recent couple of tours they did together. Would have loved to see the Coachella set.)
*Sevendust - One 8/10 (just reacted to this whole thing on my channel! I basically give all my thoughts and opinions there!)


*first-time listen


Albums/EPs I listened to more than once: Nothing In Between Forever; Into Oblivion; The Shit ov God


Strongly recommend: The Satanist; Astro Creep: 2000; Atonement; Evil Empire; Loss; L.D. 50; Witness; One; People Watching; Atlanta; New World Heat; Nine Inch Noize
Do not recommend: Interpol; Marauder; The Other Side of Make-Believe


Album/EP of the month: Atonement


Song of the month: Rest My Chemistry by Interpol

1 month ago | [YT] | 5

HeavyNBrutalAF

Listens of the Month - MAR '26

I miss Domino's, because I would usually listen to at least 2 albums on average each shift... oh well.



(by row):
Joji - Piss In the Wind 5/10 (i love the vibe of a few tracks here, but damn this is just so lacking and too much here goes nowhere....)
*Nine Inch Nails - Tron: Ares 7/10 (good for what it is, a few standouts for sure)
*The Beatles - With the Beatles 9/10 (many great, timeless songs. Beatlemania continues!)
*The Clash - The Clash 10/10 (damn great punk debut. Essential listen, better than Never Mind the Bullocks, and I'll fight anyone who disagrees. All great songs.)
*Ramones - Ramones 9.5/10 (another essential punk rock album, one of the very first.)
Sevendust - Next 7.5/10 (still a very solid record with some heavy numbers on it)
Machine Head - The Burning Red 8/10 (I threw on the Electric Happy Hour 23rd anniversary play-through of this album)
Black Label Society - Grimmest Hits 7.5/10 (solid and consistent records with some stripped-back tunes and great solos as always. One of his most southern-rock records since his early career.)



Crowbar - Symmetry In Black 8/10 (truly a great, underrated record, chock full of killer riffs, and a noticeably more invigorated approach to songs compared to more drab and dreary records, but still heavier than all hell.)
Sevendust - Alpha 7.5/10 (still solid, probably not better than Next, but the last half of the album is better than the first half, in my opinion)
Slayer - Reign In Blood 10/10 (obviously one of the greatest thrash albums of all time)
Puscifer - Normal Isn't 7.5/10 (Overall, it's solid, even though it's not exactly screaming instant classic status like their previous full-length albums. I like the direction and performances and I look forward to seeing them again live.)
*Gnarls Barkley - Atlanta 9.5/10 (guys WHAT THE FUCK? Absolutely NO ONE is talking about this SURPRISE new album, first in 18 years and it's FANTASTIC! I absolutely loved the first album, the second was decent, but this is non-stop quality and great tunes all the way through! Personal AOTY contender for me, no lie.)
Megadeth - Megadeth 6.5/10
Black Label Society - Doom Crew, Inc. 7/10 (a bit too long, nothing too outstanding here, the lead single is excellent though)
*Dropkick Murphys - Blackout 7.5/10 (a consistent arrangement of solid punk tunes, Kiss Me I'm S#!+faced being my favorite)



*Lamb of God - Into Oblivion 8.5/10 (genuinely an ass-kicking new record. Exceeded my expectations. They truly delivered something spirited, purposeful, and inspired. Nothing too outside the box, but certainly very enjoyable coming from one of my longtime favorite bands.)
The Weeknd - Trilogy 9/10
*Excision - Virus 8/10 (loaded with obscene bangers)
*Public Enemy - Yo! Bum Rush the Show 7/10 (something of a novelty, but certainly ground-breaking for the time. Relentless raps throughout.)
*Immolation - Close to a World Below 9/10 (fucking killer death metal record, no filler, lethal time signatures, deadly riffs, kick-ass songs)
The Devil Wears Prada - Flowers 8/10 (This is still genuinely so great. It's like they took cues from The Plot In You, Bad Omens, and Bring Me The Horizon, and delivered one of their best albums in quite awhile, even though it's kind of a far cry from what they did pre-2016.)
Mastodon - Emperor of Sand 8/10 (I still think this is a damn good album)
Devin Townsend - Tests of Manhood 6/10



Thornhill - BODIES X 8/10
*Exodus - Blood In, Blood Out 8.5/10 (this kicks MAJOR ASS. A little long, but it doesn't let off the gas one bit!)
*Dropkick Murphys - The Warrior's Code 8.5/10 (fantastic album, expanding the sound with bagpipes, accordion, flute, tin whistle, mandarin, and banjo. HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!)
KRS-One - Return of the Boom Bap 8/10 (still a great album with killer beats)
Karnivool - In Verses 9.5/10
Lantlos - Wildhund 9.5/10
Crowbar - The Serpent Only Lies 7/10 (it's not bad at all, just seems like a rehash of a lot of stuff they've already done)
*Rush - Roll the Bones 7/10 (not a bad record, very straightforward and accessible, some jammy and profound rock here and there)



*Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded 9/10 (one of the most influential hip hop albums of all-time, and one of, if not the first, gangsta rap albums)
Deicide - Once Upon the Cross 9/10 (this is such a cut above the first 2 albums in every way, and it doesn't even cross the 29 min mark)
Behemoth - Demigod 9.5/10 (easily their best album up to this point)
Morbid Angel - Covenant 8.5/10 (this sounds like the logical next step for Slayer after Seasons In the Abyss if they decided to triple down on the extreme factor and embraced death metal as a whole. The songs are intense, the riffs are killer, the drumming is lightning fast, and the solos are absolutely wild. With that said, not all of it grips me in comparison to other well-renowned and acclaimed death metal classics)
The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - Danza II: The Electric Boogaloo 8.5/10 (kick-ass and insane mathcore concept album that rivals the wackiness of even The Dillinger Escape Plan)
Sevendust - VII: Hope and Sorrow 7/10 (it's a genuinely solid album with a couple of their best tracks, but overall as a whole package, I don't get AS much from it as others in their catalogue. I absolutely don't mind revisiting it.)
Gorillaz - The Mountain 8/10 (even better upon re-listen)
Nails - Unsilent Death 9.5/10



*Black Label Society - Engines of Demolition 8.5/10 (damn, this is an ass-kicker! Easily their best record since Order of the Black. It's heavy, it's inspired, and every song is solid!)
Deftones - Private Music 9/10
Behemoth - The Apostasy 8.5/10 (intense, blistering, brutal, fast, heavy, and dynamic enough to be an engaging listen through, which makes it one of their better records)
Hatebreed - Satisfaction Is the Death of Desire 8.5/10 (an essential hardcore classic)
Crowbar - Zero and Below 7.5/10 (very solid, has everything you'd expect from a Crowbar album)
Clutch - Blast Tyrant 9/10 (easily one of their best albums)
*NOFX - War on Errorism 8.5/10 (great album, still relevant today, no bad songs, though it probably could have benefited from being a totally semi-concept album)
Kublai Khan TX - Exhibition of Prowess 8.5/10



deadmau5 - Error5 EP 7.5/10
Gojira - Terra Incognita 8/10 (happy 25th birthday to this overlooked debut! I'll never forget hearing it for the first time in high school.)
Grimaze - Planet Grimaze 7/10 (basically if Gojira continued the Terra Incognita sound and made it slightly more progressive and simple. A little one-dimensional, but still solid with cool riffs and good tech-death tracks)
A Perfect Circle - Stone and Echo: Live @ Red Rocks 10/10 (one of the greatest live albums ever made)
*Interpol - Antics 8/10 (easy to get lost in)



*first-time listen



Albums/EPs I listened to more than once: Piss In the Wind; Normal Isn't; Atlanta; Into Oblivion; Flowers



Strongly recommend: Meet the Beatles; The Clash; Ramones; Reign In Blood; Atlanta; Trilogy; Close to a World Below; In Verses; Wildhund; Criminal Minded; Once Upon the Cross; Demigod; Unsilent Death; Private Music; Blast Tyrant; Stone and Echo


Do not recommend: none



Album/EP of the month: Atlanta



Song of the month: Set You Free by Black Label Society

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

HeavyNBrutalAF

GREETINGS! Today I made a NEW CHANNEL and uploaded my first YouTube Poop in 9 YEARS! Go subscribe and check it out, I'm very proud of it and still in pain from laughing.

2 months ago | [YT] | 0

HeavyNBrutalAF

Listens of the Month - FEBRUARY '26


(by row):
*Turnstile - NEVER ENOUGH 7/10 (it's alright. Title track is excellent, I got a lot more out of Glow On, and I don't think this deserved the Grammy.)
*Poppy - Empty Hands 7.5/10 (very solid new record, blends a lot of her crushing melodic metalcore and radio-esque sound together very well)
Pantera - Metal Magic 5.5/10 (these kids loved their Kiss and Judas Priest. Even so young, they were super talented, and while this album actually isn't that bad, Terry kinda sucks. These lyrics are dogbutt and he murmurs a LOT.)
*Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts 8/10 (there's a lot of great material here, but I don't think it's benefited by its runtime. Some of it blends together, but the parts that stand out really shine on this one. A few excellent tracks.)
*Karnivool - In Verses 10/10 (they did it. They nailed it. 13 years in the making and they knocked it out of the park. Not even Tool could do that.)
*Joji - Piss In the Wind 7/10 (on one hand, it's an excellent return to the sound of In Tongues and BALLADS1, on the other hand, a lot of it goes nowhere and sounds unfinished. It's a neat concept for a full-length album, and it's produced in a way that compliments the style very well, but it feels lacking in a way. I need to sit with it more.)
*Puscifer - Normal Isn't 7.5/10 (I need to sit with this one more as well. It's very interesting, but perhaps too minimalist. Some great tracks regardless.)
Whitechapel - This Is Exile 8.5/10 (an essential deathcore classic. While it probably hasn't aged as well as other albums as a whole, a few of their best tracks still hold up here, and this was a fundamental album for me and my introduction to heavier music, and deathcore as a whole.)


Psychostick - The Digital Appetizer 8/10
Machine Head - Unatoned 6/10
Death Grips - Government Plates 7.5/10
*Tyler, the Creator - Bastard 5.5/10 (interesting debut, venomous flows and delivery, but very dated, adolescent, and edgy lyrics on a lot of the tracks here hold it back a bit. Definitely ahead of its time regardless. Impressive for being entirely self-produced. Some really strange and disturbing tracks here and there.)
Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts VI: Locusts 6.5/10 (a mostly unnerving listen)
*Rob Zombie - The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser 7.5/10 (a mostly straightforward hard rocker throughout, not too much flash or edge, not too little either)
*Eyehategod - In the Name of Suffering (remaster) 7.5/10 (early sludge, pretty heavy and uncompromising for a debut. Filthy, harrowing, and slow.)
*Katatonia - City Burials 6.5/10 (it's solid, but I'm not as captivated compared to past releases)


Type O Negative - World Coming Down 9/10
*Black Sabbath - The Eternal Idol 6/10 (genuinely not too bad, solid blend of every style of rock and metal Tony Iommi has put out up to this point)
Sleep Token - Even In Arcadia 9/10
Tesseract - One 9/10
Deftones - Private Music 9/10
Unpassing - Pyrophoria -/-
*Bad Brains - Bad Brains 9.5/10 (for an album that defined hardcore punk early on, it pretty much nails it in every way. Even the reggae songs are super tasteful. Despite the raw and rough mix, which serve the songs very well, I'd argue this is a flawless album. Don't know why it took me so long to listen to it.)
*Black Flag - Damaged 9/10 (excellent hardcore punk debut, full of attitude, easy to see the major influence they had on many bands to come after, including some of my favorites.)


*Minor Threat - First Two Seven Inches 9.5/10 (raging, lightning fast, pissed off, and essential hardcore punk.)
*Dead Kennedys - In God We Trust, Inc. 8.5/10 (killer EP, still topical, still relevant, ground-breaking for a variety of reasons. So much attitude.)
*Misfits - Walk Among Us 7.5/10 (certainly a fun time, upbeat, raucous rockers throughout a short runtime, I've just never been too big of a Misfits guy)
*Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks 8/10 (an unquestionably essential listen, if anything to get a taste of the birth of punk rock and the massive influence this album had, but I think I might side with the snobby retrospects when I say this album may be a little bit overrated. Still, undeniably classic songs on here, full of swanky, snarky sarcasm and writes the book on punk as it came to be known.)
*Napalm Death - Order of the Leech 8.5/10 (relentless and shameless in its brutality)
Slayer - Hell Awaits 8.5/10 (still an evil thrash classic, nothing at the time sounded quite like it)
Pantera - Projects In the Jungle 6.5/10 (expanding their glam sound a bit, I'm hearing a bit more Def Leppard and Alice Cooper... with more focus on production, these songs would have popped a bit more. Some definitely sound better than others. Terry sounds better, but still can't write well here.)
*Anthrax - We've Come For You All 7/10 (a diverse array of groovy, hard-rockin' tracks, largely reflecting some influence of rock and metal contemporaries of the time. Makes me really appreciate the John Bush era. Not much like their 80's run, but enough good riffs and solid tunes here to enjoy.)


*Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars 8.5/10 (I don't think they've sounded this refined in several albums. Loving this one.)
Amon Amarth - The Avenger 7/10 (not as engaging or memorable as I remember. Still really dig The Last With Pagan Blood, though.)
*Katatonia - Nightmares As Extensions of the Waking State 6.5/10 (it's alright. Doesn't do too much for me. First half is far superior.)
Whitechapel - A New Era of Corruption 8.5/10 (one of their most consistent records. Nothing outstanding, but nothing weak.)
Opeth - The Last Will and Testament 8/10
Amon Amarth - The Crusher 8.5/10 (great album. Infectious melodies, soaring performances, epic progressions... mostly same-y, and the high-screamed vocals could be better.)
*Rob Zombie - The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy 7.5/10 (definitely one of his most dynamic albums musically, a lot more Western touches to this one, plenty of hard-rockin' tunes)
*Eyehategod - Take As Needed For Pain 8/10 (nasty, heavy, drenched in moldy, toxic grime. Sludge metal personified.)


Palms - Opening Titles / End Credits 9/10
*Korn - Shoots and Ladders EP 7/10 (neat remixes, dated)
Gorillaz - Cracker Island 5.5/10 (painfully mid with a few bops)
Metallica - Ride the Lightning 9.5/10
Kendrick Lamar - good kid, M.A.A.D city 9.5/10
Black Label Society - Catacombs of the Black Vatican (deluxe) 7.5/10 (it doesn't reinvent the wheel for their discography, but it's chock full of hard rockers, with minor pentatonic riffs out the wazoo, good hooks, and bluesy, southern metal throughout)
*Rob Zombie - The Great Satan 8.5/10 (this is an ass-kicker. Great callbacks to older works of his, and bringing back Riggs and Blasko to write on this was a neat move. More metal than usual, but still dynamic and engaging from front to back, and no bad tracks.)
*Gorillaz - The Mountain 7.5/10 (a very gentle listen from front to back, with absolutely stellar production. It sort of blends together here and there, but there's a lot to enjoy and I anticipate peeling the layers of this one back more and more.)


Eminem - The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) 6/10 (mostly eyeball roll-inducing, but plenty of lines to chuckle at, and it harkens back to the more goofy and edgy material of his early days. Lots of great beats too, just a shame a lot of this album is old-man-yells-at-cloud, although it gets much more tolerable as it goes on.)
Machine Head - Of Kingdom and Crown 9/10
*Black Flag - My War 7/10 (sloppy, sludgy, and slow. Definitely a departure from the hardcore punk of Damaged, but I can see its appeal. Nothing sounded like this at the time of its release.)
Hopsin - Raw 6/10 (I used to listen to a lot of Hopsin in late high school and early adulthood, and revisiting these albums makes me wince. I don't get much out of most of this, but it's certainly better than the debut, and I still kinda dig Nocturnal Rainbows, How You Like Me Now, Kill Her, and I'm Not Crazy)
*Incendiary - Incendiary on Audiotree Tree 8/10 (Audiotree performances usually hit or miss. This mostly hits, hard.)
*Excision - Codename X 8/10 (absolutely kicks ass.)


*first-time listen


Albums/EPs I listened to more than once: In Verses; Piss In the Wind; Normal Isn't


Strongly recommend: In Verses; World Coming Down; Private Music; Bad Brains; Damaged; Minor Threat; Sky Void of Stars; Opening Titles / End Credits; Ride the Lightning; good kid, M.A.A.D. City; Of Kingdom and Crown


Do not recommend: Metal Magic; Unatoned; Cracker Island


Album/EP of the month: In Verses

3 months ago | [YT] | 3

HeavyNBrutalAF

I have been waiting 45 min for my bathroom to be free so I can finally shower.
Otherwise I would be live by now.

3 months ago | [YT] | 0

HeavyNBrutalAF

Listens of the Month - JAN '26

(by row):
*Katatonia - Discouraged Ones (Reissue) 9/10 (first spin of the new year... continuing their catalogue and this one is a distinct departure from the last 2 albums, focusing more on moody gothic styles and vocals rather than death-doom. I love it.)
Unpassing - Pyrophoria -/- (if these guys come through, don't miss them! Blistering, pissed-off thrash, fire come to life.)
Alice In Chains - Rainier Fog 7.5/10 (probably the weakest album overall, but it's still good)
*E-40 - Mr. Flamboyant 5.5/10 (debut EP. Shows off a unique style early on. Decent party songs.)
*Turnstile - Time & Space 8/10 (damn fine album, rocks hella hard)
Thornhill - Butterfly 8.5/10 (still a damn great metalcore EP)
*Katatonia - Tonight's Decision (reissue) 7.5/10 (noticeably softer than previous releases, but still maintains a rocking edge. It's like a gloomier A Perfect Circle.)
Mac Miller - Macadelic 7/10 (i still love the beats all over this)
*Darkthrone - Under a Funeral Moon 8.5/10 (the production sucks, but it fits the songs, which absolutely do not. A black metal essential.)


*2Pac - Me Against the World 9/10 (smooth and tender beats, deep storytelling, pretty flawless rhyme schemes. What's not to like?)
Spiritbox - The Fear of Fear 8.5/10
*Katatonia - Last Fair Deal Gone Down 8/10 (building on the new alt rock direction, with stronger songs.)
Signs of the Swarm - Amongst the Low & Empty 7/10 (a bit ridiculous at a few points, being a product of the Lorna Shore effect, but this is a perfectly serviceable and solid deathcore release)
The Acacia Strain - You Are Safe From God Here 8/10 (THERE IS NO GOD THERE IS NO GOD THERE IS NO GOD THERE IS NO GOD)
*Sandwichsugarbong - Hideous Aftermath 9/10 (damn, this is nastier than hell. Totally blows the first 2 albums out of the water.)
Megadeth - The Sick, The Dying... and the Dead! 7/10 (it's not their worst album. A lot of it kinda still kicks ass. Looking forward to their final album.)
*Revocation - New Gods, New Masters 8/10 (can't believe this one slipped through the cracks, love me some Revocation. This new one kicks a lot of ass.)
Hopsin & SwizZz - Haywire 6/10 (it is truly a shame that we didn't see the career of SwizZz fully blossom given his charisma and massive potential. While he shines throughout this, there is undoubted chemistry between him and Hopsin, but Hopsin is clearly the weakest link on some of these tracks, and it doesn't entirely hold up as a full package. Good beats, good hooks, problematic lyrics. However, it's much better than the previous releases. There's enough here to actually enjoy, and it's not a terrible album, although the first half is better by far. Lucifer Effect is still a killer classic for me.)


Devin Townsend - Tests of Manhood 6/10 (it's not a bad assortment of songs, but I'd rather listen to almost any other Devin release)
*Celtic Frost - Cold Lake 4/10 (For a Celtic Frost album, this is hilariously bad. For a late 80s glam metal album, this is pretty mid. I saw someone call this "blackened glam metal" and thought that was pretty funny. Also, naming your glam metal album "Cold Lake" is such a turn-off.)
*Black Sabbath - Seventh Star 5.5/10 (it just sounds like Tony Iommi trying to fit it was the glam metal-ish styles of the time, but it doesn't deviate too far from their sound up until this point post-Ozzy. Glenn Hughes sounds great.)
*Savage Garden - Savage Garden (Original Version) 8.5/10 (this is the non-US version. It has different songs and a different track order, as well as a different mix of Truly Madly Deeply.
*Katatonia - Viva Emptiness 8/10 (they get a little edgier and a bit proggier on this one)
Blonde Redhead - 23 9/10 (love this one. Perhaps a little top-heavy, front-loaded and samey throughout, but still a favorite)
Turnstile - GLOW ON 9/10 (kick-ass, high energy, tons of fun)
Megadeth - The System Has Failed (2019 Remaster) 8.5/10 (underrated record)
*Machine Girl - ... Because I'm Young Arrogant and Hate Everything You Stand For 8/10 (this must be the techno/electronic version of what is essentially grindcore/hardcore punk. Pissed off and quirky.)


Clutch - Pure Rock Fury 7.5/10 (up until this point it's more of the same. Solid album though.)
Slayer - Haunting the Chapel 8.5/10
*Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance 8.5/10 (great record, one of their best so far, and probably their heaviest)
Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth 8.5/10 (such a huge step up from the debut, I forgot how hard this entire thing goes)
Cryptopsy - None So Vile 10/10 (still one of the nastiest and heaviest death metal albums ever made)
*Ozzy Osbourne - Down to Earth 4/10 (yeah, I didn't get much out of this at all. It's basically Black Label Society leftovers with Ozzy phoning it in over the top of it.)
Tool - Fear Inoculum 9/10 (this album honestly gets better with age)
*Kreator - Endless Pain 8.5/10 (sloppy, wild, pure raging thrash debut)
*Municipal Waste - The Fatal Feast 7/10 (goddamn, I haven't heard the title track in over a decade. One of their best tracks. The album as a whole is consistent and kicks a lot of ass. Can't go wrong with these guys, it seems. A little lengthy for what it's worth, and the songs start to blend together.)


Deicide - Legion 7.5/10 (I don't hate it... a lot of it is actually super tasty, but overall it kinda sounds... off. I think it's mostly Glen's vocals and the mix.)
Suicide Silence - Suicide Silence EP 7/10 (still nasty)
*Viraemia - Viraemia EP 8/10 (blistering, brutal, absurdly complex, lightning-fast and slammy tech death)
Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand 8/10 (solid record, just as good as probably any Crowbar release, maybe a bit beefier and more rejuvenated)
*Movements - Feel Something 9/10 (beautiful record from front to back)
Tool - Psychogenic Amnesia 9/10 (live bootleg) (great live show from 1998, funny banter, killer performances, neat guest spots from Buzz Osbourne of the Melvins)
*Rob Zombie - Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor 9/10 (damn, this rocks SUPER hard, easily better than the last couple albums)
Skrillex - hit me where it hurts x 8/10 (some killer tracks on this EP)
*Fox Lake - Silence & Violence 7/10 (heavy and groovin' nu metalcore, some hip hop here and there. Solid debut.)


Hot Mulligan - Fenton 8/10 (very nice debut EP)
Pink Floyd - Animals 10/10
*King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King 9.5/10 (songcraft, performances, and production that are so ahead of its time. I can't help but admit its excellence.)
*Jethro Tull - Aqualung 9.5/10 (fantastic prog rock classic, enjoyable from front to back)
*The Beatles - Please Please Me 9/10 (IT'S BEATLEMANIA TIME!!!!!!!!)
*Napalm Death - Enemy of the Music Business 7.5/10 (a kick-ass rip-snortin' good time. Production could be better.)
*Megadeth - Megadeth 6.5/10 (wrote a more thorough review in a previous post on my community tab)
Behemoth - Zos Kia Cultus 6.5/10 (it's pretty solid, not very memorable. Crazy good performances)
Skrillex - More Monsters and Sprites 8/10


Whitechapel - Somatic Defilement 7/10 (I still feel like they went on to do much better music)
*Testament - Para Bellum 8.5/10 (truly an ass-kicking experience with genuinely no filler. They still deliver such high-quality thrash and heavy metal)
Incendiary - Change the Way You Think About Pain 8/10 (abolish ICE, fuck MAGA, arm yourself before they take your life too)
Sevendust - Seasons 8/10
*Dropkick Murphys - Sing Loud, Sing Proud 7/10 (solid album, a tad long and forgettable, but enjoyable nonetheless)
*Katatonia - Night Is the New Day 8/10 (yet another enjoyable album from them)
Thornhill - The Dark Pool 9.5/10
Cannibal Corpse - Tomb of the Mutilated 8.5/10 (another killer, essential classic)
Devin Townsend Project - Ghost (Deluxe Edition) 9/10


Lingua Ignota - Caligula 9/10
Type O Negative - Dead Again 8.5/10 (excellent final album, a well-written culmination of everything they've done through their career. Underrated.)
*Katatonia - Dead End Kings 7.5/10 (there are tracks I like and bits and pieces I adore. I just know I'm going to end up loving this band the more I dive in.)
Crossfade - Crossfade 9.5/10 (still a fantastic rock record)
I Declare War - Malevolence 8/10 (super heavy early deathcore record)
Infant Annihilator - The Battle of Yaldabaoth 8.5/10 (a lengthy joyride of tech-death and deathcore exquisitry. On an unrelated note: may all in the files meet a fiery, excruciating end.)
*Melvins - 6 Songs 8/10 (the birth of sludge. I should probably listen to the full version, not just this debut EP)
deadmau5/TESTPILOT - some ep 8/10 (good ep)


*first-time listen


Albums/EPs I listened to more than once: Pyrophoria; Tests of Manhood; Megadeth


Strongly recommend: Discouraged Ones; Pyrophoria; Me Against the World; Hideous Aftermath; 23; GLOW ON; The Great Cold Distance; Butchered at Birth; None So Vile; Fear Inoculum; Feel Something; Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor; Animals; In the Court of the Crimson King; Aqualung; The Dark Pool; Ghost; Caligula; Crossfade


Do not recommend: Cold Lake; Seventh Star; Down to Earth


Album/EP of the Month: Pyrophoria

4 months ago | [YT] | 1

HeavyNBrutalAF

Wow. So that was a waste of time.

This time I spared a lot of the editing, quieting, and shortening of the songs, and kept the music and video mostly intact.

Turns out doing it how I usually do is still the better way.

4 months ago | [YT] | 2

HeavyNBrutalAF

Thanks to everyone for being patient! Aside from my Christmas vacation, I've been busy, plus it takes forever to edit, but I have my full-length, massive Spotify Wrapped 2025 breakdown and top 100 song video in the works, and it SHOULD be out this weekend, followed by my Gamelab update and a few reaction videos. In the meantime, stay tuned for livestreams, and be sure to check out the Wrapped vid when it drops! Also, my listens of the month post for December is up!

4 months ago | [YT] | 1