Requiem

Under a funeral moon this evening as I stalked the streets in sorrow and woe. The night air was cold; the wolf within unchained; the nightspirits my only companions.

Paradise Lost - 'The Longest Winter' single So the cover looks like Katatonia's 'Brave Murder Day' and the title sounds like Katatonia's 'The Longest Year'. Am I reading too much into that? As a song, it seems pretty cool on the first few listens, but it's not spectacular. It certainly doesn't remind me of the 'Gothic' and 'Shades of God' albums, which it was apparently supposed to do, but that's fine. The guitar tone here would sound at home in Stockholm in 1991 and I'm not blown away but its use in a doom/gothic track. Gosh it's rough and it sort of hurts to listen to. I have the sound way down and it's hurting my ears. Mastering? Strange old track this one. It'll be interesting to hear it in the context of the rest of the album.

Because I'm such a magnanimous chap, I often make a point of going back over things that bore me to give them a second chance, but I've got a real bee in my bonnet about 'The Barghest o Whitby'. It's a long song (a touch over 27 minutes I think), but it just plods along without anything happening until about 22:40 when that excellent chugging riff starts up. I really wanted to like this because I even have a sentimental attachment to Whitby (from 'Dracula') and Barghests (from '...Baskervilles'). I have the lyrics here but I can't pick up any sense of narrative or even anything to contextualise things. They're just awkward words thrown together. Take the final two stanzas, which in some sort of epic musical journey should end with some resonance I would have thought: "Where you would sit and wait for me (I arrive at Saltwick Bay) And so you shall taste my grief (Drawing the cut, I'm away) My form is bloody and it is true It is the night I wear around me From lies I grew a spit of untruth I help the frail sky to its sleep Nameless, I come and without end Within the moor and without end." Even when I use my wildest imagination I can't figure out what this might mean. There aren't (m)any clues in the earlier parts of the song either. Anyone have a different take on this song? I have 'The Vaulted Shadows', and once the songs from 'The Manuscript' start up it's just a hell of a lot better, which really doesn't do 'Barghest' any favours. The songs from 'The Manuscript' are leftovers from the 'A Map of All Our Failures' sessions, but I definitely prefer these songs to the main album for some reason. Maybe they're more melodious or something, I don't know, but they're great.

My Dying Bride - 'The Barghest o Whitby'

My children are usually pretty good when we eat out at restaurants, but they've ruined more meals at home that I can count due to epic tantrums etc. Thankfully they're getting to that age now (3 and 5) where they are holding it together a lot more and it's actually quite pleasant. My 5 year old, however, put me through 4 years of dinner hell... and not the cool black metal kind of hell, but the dropped plate onto the floor again screaming type of hell...

Requiem's Top 5 Points from FatherAlabaster's Post 5. Anathema comment The threat of direct disparagement is concerning and comes in at last place for me. 'Alternative 4' and 'Eternity' are two or my favourite albums, and words hurt. 4. Silent Enigma comment While I really like the comment being made about the album's quality, the sentiment that it doesn't make the top ten remains one of my least favourite parts of this post. Points for the reference to 'growing up', as I recognise how impacting this is to my own musical tastes. 3. Doing write-ups comment This amused me and I thought it was a cool comment. I pictured the author sitting there, brows furrowed, masticating over vocabulary choices. 2. Difficulty of ranking comment This is a compelling point, and one with which I can empathise. Despite my ubiquitous lists, I do sometimes find the actual ranking a little arbitrary and likely to change without notice. 1. 1995 too good to sell short comment A great comment that I agree with completely. It's well considered, tasteful, and is something I'm likely to come back to in years to come. Comment of the post. Honourable mention: The high standard of grammar and expression in general.

"A coffin would be way too nice/A see-through plastic bag will do just fine" - Sentenced 'The Luxury of a Grave'

Last night I had Indian food: Butter chicken, beef Kashmiri, tandoori sausage, pakora, rice, naan bread with two glasses of Cabernet Merlot followed by cookies and creme cheesecake with mixed fruits of the forest with cream and a cup of coffee and a small piece of chocolate slice. I ate like a young Maharaja. Tonight we're having a roast dinner with all the trimmings so I'll be sure to report it here.

It's no secret that I'm a closet goth, but I draw the line at black lipstick and platform boots (unless you're in KISS). True gothicism lies in the dark beauty in our hearts, not by superficialities. As Hamlet says, "I have that within which passeth show, these but the trappings and suits of woe" or whatever it is...

Cool list and a nice mix of genres etc. It's very cheeky including so many honourable mentions though - part of the pleasure of these lists is the pain of leaving things out! Also, you dodge ranking them which is again cheeky. You've basically given us a list of 22 albums you like from 1995 - with no rank! I really loved 'Demanufacture' as a 15 year old too. It was so far ahead of its time (at least in my humble corner of the world in 1995). Also the Septic Flesh inclusion in your Honourables is awesome. I shed a tear that you left Anathema out of your main ten (then you kicked me while I was down by indirectly disparaging their next few releases ). Opeth, Ulver, MDB and Dark Tranquillitiy cheered me up again. Good stuff.

This is how keen some people are to put their music out to the public - releasing it before it's even recorded!

I think it would always be a pretty big ask to reproduce that range of vocals live on stage. I still think he does a decent enough job on stage vocals wise. I'm less keen on his leprechaun-like bouncing up and down that he does all the time. Cradle of Filth are one of those bands that I've loved and liked on record, and they remain one of my favourite bands (especially with the excellent 'Hammer of the Witches' being a huge return to form) but I have always struggled with the image. They just take it too far and end up looking like they're at the Chelmsford goth night with two pound shots and a 'best dressed' competition.

There is an idea of a Requiem, but there is no real me... I own Spirit, Gathering and the latest one and they're pretty boring. I love the vocals but find the riffs flat after 15 minutes. It works well live

I'd rather be Michael Jackson. I'd make a point of staying away from kids though... Also I wouldn't have to live in Russia. I'd also like to die of a heroin overdose after making out with a chick at a beach that I drove to in a Porsche - just to cover a few more bases. Would you rather be a sports star or a movie star?

On a bus for the city. Time to cause some carnage! First it's beers with the lads then it's on to Primordial.

The ladies are tipsy, the disco ball is spinning, you've got your best white suit on. Get up and dance boy! (ie. make a list).

This really isn't my sort of thing. Reminds me of old Slayer a bit. I'll go with 3/10, and that includes a bonus mark for making 'Chained in the Attic' sound like "chained in the aaaarrggh". If we ever do hang out I assure you, I'll be subjecting you to a full barrage of the true voice of our generation: David Gold. Gentleman, poet, genius.

My sister lives in San Francisco so be careful what you wish for... I do like to get over the West Coast when I can and I've driven from LA to Vegas before so I know the way

Ozzy Osbourne - 'Bark at the Moon'. Great Daisley lyrics, great Lee riffs, great 80s vibe.

I'd love to see your lists for some of these topics. Do it!

And most bands who make significant changes to their sounds wouldn't be expecting everyone to follow along with their new style - although I'm sure they would appreciate it if they did. Bands love trotting out the 'we make music for ourselves first' line, which is no doubt true is most instances. Another factor is that with album sales at close to zero, it doesn't pay to put an album out every year or second year like it used to. With a good album costing upwards of tens of thousands of dollars, they would simply never make their money back based on sales. Bands tend to swing around to releasing something every three years if we're lucky, then tour the hell out of it. We can only look on the past release schedule of a band like My Dying Bride with nostalgia and whimsy: Release years: 1992, 1993, 1994 (EP), 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999!!! The 90s was the decade for My Dying Bride releases, and you got an entire genre change as a bonus. Now we wait three years and end up with 'Feel the Misery'...

Sounds good. I'll take two with fries on the side.

Next year we're going to choose a different holiday destination. You've done nothing but bitch about Vegas since you got here. If you need me, I'll be in the Bellagio bar having a good time! Back to reality, we are taking the carriage out to a local lake where the children of the night can roam its shores, feasting upon the lake peasantry. Then in the evening I'm meeting some chaps in the city for pre-gig beers, then when the time is right (ie we've dodged the local support acts) we hit the venue for some good old fashioned Irish nationalism courtesy of Primordial. I like the songs they sing about how Ireland has had a hard time historically. I hope they do some of those ones....

Yeah maybe. It's good, but I don't know if I'd put it in my personal top 10. I'd include it if I was trying to look cool in front of online metalheads, but that ain't on my dance ticket.

I need to give them some more listens because all the ingredients appeal to me but so far I haven't enjoyed the dish. I'll check out those albums you recommended. Thanks.