Jump to content

What Are You Listening To?


khaos

Recommended Posts

Tigran Hamasyan - Luys I Luso    ...I really love his jazzy/proggy stuff, but I have to say, the more I listen to this, the more I enjoy and am moved by it. Slow, contemplative piano and Armenian choir, doing stuff that (to my ears anyway) runs the gamut from early music to experimental vocals in the vein of Meredith Monk (ish), if not that extreme. Deep and sometimes weird. I wonder what Thatguy and MarkM would think of it.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, FatherAlabaster said:

Tigran Hamasyan - Luys I Luso    ...I really love his jazzy/proggy stuff, but I have to say, the more I listen to this, the more I enjoy and am moved by it. Slow, contemplative piano and Armenian choir, doing stuff that (to my ears anyway) runs the gamut from early music to experimental vocals in the vein of Meredith Monk (ish), if not that extreme. Deep and sometimes weird. I wonder what Thatguy and MarkM would think of it.

 

This is Thatguy approved. Very much the ECM house style - which I like - including the album art. I too hear echoes of Meredith Monk. Atmospheric, lovely. Not scary at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure if these albums have been posted before, but new label Pile of Heads has a deal where you can get all three for $0.50. Also, vinyl for Winterburial are in the pipeline.

https://pileofheads.bandcamp.com/album/white-tomb-pilgrimage-3

Winterburial - White Tomb Pilgrimage

 

Northern Solitude - El meu cos gelat als voltors

 

1789 - 1789

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Voivod - Killing Technology (1987)

Here be punky vibes galore!  I struggle with a lot of Voivod stuff and prefer them at their more raw and energetic level before they went all proggy.  Snake could be on a Discharge record here and yet there's no disconnect with the more thrashy elements of the record.   Granted that the record does have this tendency to jump all over the place but each place it arrives at still feels earthy and accessible even if these changes can be distracting some of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, MacabreEternal said:

Voivod - Killing Technology (1987)

Here be punky vibes galore!  I struggle with a lot of Voivod stuff and prefer them at their more raw and energetic level before they went all proggy.  Snake could be on a Discharge record here and yet there's no disconnect with the more thrashy elements of the record.   Granted that the record does have this tendency to jump all over the place but each place it arrives at still feels earthy and accessible even if these changes can be distracting some of the time.

I too prefer punk-thrash Voivod to prog Voivod which I largely do not like.

 

Bathory - Under The Sign Of The Black Mark

Kreator - Endless Pain

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love all things punky, but I can't decipher any Voivod that came after their first two albums. And even they're not currently in rotation and haven't been for many years now. I know plenty of Voivod fans who talk them up regularly but it just sounds too off-kilter and intentionally non-musical to me. I'd rather bands stay on the kilter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/15/2022 at 2:43 PM, FatherAlabaster said:

Love some LLN. It's not all good, I guess maybe the rawness by itself works for some people but the actual music is hit or miss for me. Favorite one I've heard from that scene is Black Murder's album "Feasts". Kinda disgusting.

Funny you  mention LLNN, assume it's the same band w/ 1 more "N". I think I've copped to being a AOTY list reading whore. LLNN , as anyone with eyes and interest knows, is one of AMG's hyped albums in their lists. Yes, I still look at AMG to check stuff out. Many of their listy albums don't quite stick the landing. I gave this one a cursory listen back some time ago an then again recently and it it stuck. Just ordered a CD and it should grace my own "best in year"-not the top 10 probably but I like it. I'll need to dig in some more but I find it reminiscent if CUL's second breakthrough album The Beyond before they fully developed their prototype post metal sound on Salvation. I always thought atmospheric sludge was a better descriptor for The Beyond-a pretty crushing album by post metal standards and more skewed towards  heft than ethereal beauty. Anyway, unmaker feels more inclined in that direction-heavy, more minimalistic and sludgy with a kind of barbaric epic sound. 

I'm not familiar with Meredith Monk-will have to check his stuff out.

NP Ethereal Shroud/Trisagion 

2 hours ago, Hungarino said:

New Nocturnal Graves kills!

Into the "to listen" Bandcamp list it goes, then if it's Hungarino sanctioned!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, markm said:

Funny you  mention LLNN, assume it's the same band w/ 1 more "N". I think I've copped to being a AOTY list reading whore. LLNN , as anyone with eyes and interest knows, is one of AMG's hyped albums in their lists. Yes, I still look at AMG to check stuff out. Many of their listy albums don't quite stick the landing. I gave this one a cursory listen back some time ago an then again recently and it it stuck. Just ordered a CD and it should grace my own "best in year"-not the top 10 probably but I like it. I'll need to dig in some more but I find it reminiscent if CUL's second breakthrough album The Beyond before they fully developed their prototype post metal sound on Salvation. I always thought atmospheric sludge was a better descriptor for The Beyond-a pretty crushing album by post metal standards and more skewed towards  heft than ethereal beauty. Anyway, unmaker feels more inclined in that direction-heavy, more minimalistic and sludgy with a kind of barbaric epic sound. 

Heh, no, I was being lazy and not typing out "Les Légions Noires". A group of lo-fi French BM projects from the 90s. But your description of LLNN sounds like it might be something I'd enjoy, thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, markm said:

I'm not familiar with Meredith Monk-will have to check his stuff out.

Ah, just saw this... She's a composer and vocalist. I got introduced to her stuff by a classical music friend when we were talking about metal vocals and "extended" vocal techniques. I suppose the stuff I'm familiar with would be called "avant-garde" and "minimalist". Her piece Dolmen Music really blew my mind a few years ago and remains my favorite, but I can't find the studio recording on YouTube and the live clips I'm finding are incomplete and not the greatest quality. I feel like it's much better heard in full, if you're feeling patient and receptive. Fair warning, I've played it for some metal friends and their eyes usually glaze over after four minutes or so.

Edit, I found a Bandcamp stream of the Dolmen Music studio recording:

https://thehousefoundation.bandcamp.com/album/dolmen-music

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Join Metal Forum

    joinus-home.jpg

  • Our picks

    • Whichever tier of thrash metal you consigned Sacred Reich back in the 80's/90's they still had their moments.  "Ignorance" & "Surf Nicaragura" did a great job of establishing the band, whereas "The American Way" just got a little to comfortable and accessible (the title track grates nowadays) for my ears.  A couple more records better left forgotten about and then nothing for twenty three years.  2019 alone has now seen three releases from Phil Rind and co.  A live EP, a split EP with Iron Reagan and now a full length.

      Notable addition to the ranks for the current throng of releases is former Machine Head sticksman, Dave McClean.  Love or hate Machine Head, McClean is a more than capable drummer and his presence here is felt from the off with the opening and title track kicking things off with some real gusto.  'Divide & Conquer' and 'Salvation' muddle along nicely, never quite reaching any quality that would make my balls tingle but comfortable enough.  The looming build to 'Manifest Reality' delivers a real punch when the song starts proper.  Frenzied riffs and drums with shots of lead work to hold the interest.


      There's a problem already though (I know, I am such a fucking mood hoover).  I don't like Phil's vocals.  I never had if I am being honest.  The aggression to them seems a little forced even when they are at their best on tracks like 'Manifest Reality'.  When he tries to sing it just feels weak though ('Salvation') and tracks lose real punch.  Give him a riffy number such as 'Killing Machine' and he is fine with the Reich engine (probably a poor choice of phrase) up in sixth gear.  For every thrashy riff there's a fair share of rock edged, local bar act rhythm aplenty too.

      Let's not poo-poo proceedings though, because overall I actually enjoy "Awakening".  It is stacked full of catchy riffs that are sticky on the old ears.  Whilst not as raw as perhaps the - brilliant - artwork suggests with its black and white, tattoo flash sheet style design it is enjoyable enough.  Yes, 'Death Valley' & 'Something to Believe' have no place here, saved only by Arnett and Radziwill's lead work but 'Revolution' is a fucking 80's thrash heyday throwback to the extent that if you turn the TV on during it you might catch a new episode of Cheers!

      3/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 10 replies
    • I
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/52-vltimas-something-wicked-marches-in/
      • Reputation Points

      • 3 replies

    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/48-candlemass-the-door-to-doom/
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • Full length number 19 from overkill certainly makes a splash in the energy stakes, I mean there's some modern thrash bands that are a good two decades younger than Overkill who can only hope to achieve the levels of spunk that New Jersey's finest produce here.  That in itself is an achievement, for a band of Overkill's stature and reputation to be able to still sound relevant four decades into their career is no mean feat.  Even in the albums weaker moments it never gets redundant and the energy levels remain high.  There's a real sense of a band in a state of some renewed vigour, helped in no small part by the addition of Jason Bittner on drums.  The former Flotsam & Jetsam skinsman is nothing short of superb throughout "The Wings of War" and seems to have squeezed a little extra out of the rest of his peers.

      The album kicks of with a great build to opening track "Last Man Standing" and for the first 4 tracks of the album the Overkill crew stomp, bash and groove their way to a solid level of consistency.  The lead work is of particular note and Blitz sounds as sneery and scathing as ever.  The album is well produced and mixed too with all parts of the thrash machine audible as the five piece hammer away at your skull with the usual blend of chugging riffs and infectious anthems.  


      There are weak moments as mentioned but they are more a victim of how good the strong tracks are.  In it's own right "Distortion" is a solid enough - if not slightly varied a journey from the last offering - but it just doesn't stand up well against a "Bat Shit Crazy" or a "Head of a Pin".  As the album draws to a close you get the increasing impression that the last few tracks are rescued really by some great solos and stomping skin work which is a shame because trimming of a couple of tracks may have made this less obvious. 

      4/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...