Tool - Fear Inoculum (2019)

[Alternative Rock]

Tool's 'Aenima' is still one of my favourite rock albums of all time, and each subsequent album released since has had moments that I have enjoyed, but ultimately I have been disappointed overall. They lacked the fire the first couple of albums did, instead replacing it with mood. 'Fear Inoculum' was the album that finally broke through for me. 13 years in the coming, this album is everything a grown up version of Tool is known for, but the moodiness and soundscapes are far beyond anything the band has done before. It is a slow burner, with all but one track between 10 and 15 minutes long, but every song slowly unfurls like the petals of a new flower, and the band finally does what it says on the packaging - it transcends and eclipses all previous albums with very little effort. It twists and turns, and you are brought along for the journey more as a witness than a listener. Will it ever be my favourite of theirs? Probably not. Do I think it is their best album? Possibly so.

Kreator - Terrible Certainty (1987)

[Thrash Metal]

Let's provide some perspective here. At the time of releasing this record, band lead and vocalist Millie was 19. Ventor, long stay in the band as drummer was 20. Up to this point they had already released 2 albums! So excuse me if I spend a moment to say I am blown away with how influential this band already was in the Thrash Metal mid 80's movement, importantly a German influence on the genre, at such a young age. I absolutely love Millie's rough German tinged English vocals. His singing is captivating which contributes heavily to the sound of the record. Apart from Ventor lending vocals to Riot of Violence which is equally amusing with the German accent. There isn't much more to say apart from again re-iterating their age in producing such a mature album. The stage is set for fans at his point to indulge in their releases to come over the next 5 or so years, which are equally captivating.