Deadwood Forest – Mellodramatic. 11=11. Mike Prete’s Gnosis review pegs this one. Really nails the proggy prog aesthetic. Anglagard is an influence, but not overtly so.

Radio Massacre International – Zabriskie Point. 11-10. Not at all representative of RMI’s sound. No sequencers here, pretty much in the ambient space. Not their strong suit, but not a bad album either. But they have so much great recordings worth exploring, I’d recommend this album dead last within their discography.

Anacrusis – Suffering Hour. 8+9. It’s a mess, but incredibly complex thrash metal fest, with plenty of tricky meters. The vocals are all shriek, all the time. Band would grow leaps and bounds from here. Including tightening the arrangements and adding melody to the vocals. Funny enough, hardcore metal heads will state this is real metal and their later stuff is for p*ssys. “Mallcore dude”

The Fourth Way – Werewolf. 10=10. Like above, but in a completely different genre, this is a mess, but pretty freaky fusion, before fusion was even a term. Love Cry Want is the only other album I can think like this, but not near as intense as Larry Young’s moment in the sun.

Gentle Giant – Octopus. 10+11. 20 years and still waiting for me to be blown away by Gentle Giant. Seems each listen I get closer. Not sure where the barriers are.

Los Canarios – Canarios. 11=11. We just published Gunhild’s review of this 4 sided megapiece. I don’t like classical rips, but so much of this is beyond recognizable for the source, it doesn’t matter really. Been an 11 forever.

Various artists – Puissance 13+2. 10-9. Comp albums are always tough to rate, just due to the diversity. Some amazing tracks here (including Magma’s horn rock version of Mekanik), but there are some serious woofers on here too.

Various artists – Fluorescent Tunnelvision. 10-9. As above with the consistency factor. Pseudo Buddha wins the contest while Finland’s Circle clan (under various pseudonyms) are just awful here (repetitive and irritating to me). They’re much better on their proper albums.

Bi Kyo Ran – Fairy Tale. 10-9. An early effort that has BKR in a more symphonic rock mode. Good musically, but sonically needs work. They never did issue this on CD, and I think I agree with that decision.