Jump to content

What Are You Listening To?


khaos

Recommended Posts

2 hours ago, MacabreEternal said:

My Dying Bride - Turn Loose The Swans (1993)

 

Such a killer album!  I have the entire My Dying Bride discography, and there's not a bad one in the bunch.  From the more doom-oriented "Angel and the Dark River" to the heavier death/doom of "The Dreadful Hours", these guys deliver every time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, FatherAlabaster said:

I have actually seen some of it - Youtube clips with my guitar friends. Probably more focused on the impressive playing than the music though. I should just put it on headphones.

 

Looked up the recording lineup for that Miles Davis album... of course the drumming is nasty, it's Billy Cobham. Jeez. That guy is maybe the most propulsive drummer I've ever heard. 

Sonny Sharrock plays on a section of the second tune that was edited in from a different session which also included Chick Corea. And apparently the main recording started as an impromptu in-studio jam. I think I need some air.

Yeah that second track is stitched together. Makes it even more unbelievable. The whole album was just impromptu jams that got recorded. Miles really knew how to put together a lineup.

NP: might as well spin that Miles album. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spider God - Fly In The Trap - nothing overly complex but I thought an enjoyable listen

Orm - Intet • Altet - this I listened few times now and it feels reading one of the thick Stephen King novels of 1000 pages+ - I mentioned before that this kind of music is great to have on at work when some serious numbercrunching is required or to improve focus on other boring parts of the job. When I would have been asked plenty years ago if I would like black metal and then black metal with songs of 24 minutes and more than I would declare them crazy. Well here I am liking the hell out of this album. So it goes.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, markm said:

Speaking of doom how about Pentagram for fucks sake?! Come on lads

Yeah good shit. I think we were debating the merits of the Peaceville 3 (MDB, Paradise Lost, and Anathema). A proper doom discussion would probably get out of control pretty quickly.

NP: Spirit Adrift on shuffle. Going to see them open for COC in a few hours. Sounds like I might just catch the end of their set. Midgrade trad metal. A few decent riffs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, FatherAlabaster said:

Blackbraid - I 

I was really trying to give this a fair shake, but I'm done. Nicest thing I can say is, good sound and solid playing. I guess I would be interested to hear what any of you think is special about this, because I don't get it. 

Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium: Undreamable Abysses

That's pretty much my assessment of it as well. It's a solid album, but I don't get why everyone latched on to it to the degree they did. My cynical mind does wonder though, if the fact that the album is decent, plus Native Americans having a barely existing presence in the black metal scene, may have led to a lot of the initial push behind getting his name out there.

Negative Plane - The Pact

...guess I'm just in the mood for non-legit black metal 😁

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Blackbraid is perfectly fine. It's nothing special, but neither are the never-ending wave of one-man, bedroom, raw black metal projects. And black metal fans seem to have no problem gobbling up that tsunami of mediocrity.

As for it getting a big push because the man behind it is Native American? I dunno, could be. I find it to be a breath of fresh air, personally. Something different from yet another Scandinavian or eastern European larper screaming about "muh pagan/viking heritage". 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, zackflag said:

I think Blackbraid is perfectly fine. It's nothing special, but neither are the never-ending wave of one-man, bedroom, raw black metal projects. And black metal fans seem to have no problem gobbling up that tsunami of mediocrity.

But if it's nothing special, where does the hype come from? How does a "perfectly fine" album get talked about and year-end-listed like it's one of the best things to happen to black metal in lo these many years? The coverage gives me big emperor's new clothes vibes. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People like crunchy-punchy meloblack and melodeth. In fact, I'm feeling a comparison to this overpriced but likeable Old Foster 1897 Bottled in Bond bourbon I'm sipping on right now. The combination of melodocism and a perception of heaviosity without elements of progressiveness or experimentation is attractive to listeners who want a nice, if unremarkable 100 proof bourbon with a sweet finish...enjoyable....has some heat. It doubles down on the regressive, conservatism of metal. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, markm said:

People like crunchy-punchy meloblack and melodeth. In fact, I'm feeling a comparison to this overpriced but likeable Old Foster 1897 Bottled in Bond bourbon I'm sipping on right now. The combination of melodocism and a perception of heaviosity without elements of progressiveness or experimentation is attractive to listeners who want a nice, if unremarkable 100 proof bourbon with a sweet finish...enjoyable....has some heat. It doubles down on the regressive, conservatism of metal. 

The perception of heaviosity is important. I don't personally like to equate melodic death with melodic black because I love the one and can't really tolerate much of the other. But maybe others see more of a connection.  Now that you've mentioned this I guess I'm socially and politically progressive while musically I'm clearly a regressive conservative. I want new stuff that sounds like old stuff. Have very low tolerance for progressiveness and experimentation. I'm not against these things, I understand progressiveness and experimentation is imortant to move the genre forward. I just personally don't want to listen to it. I need psych prof Johan (Sheol) to come tell me how this makes sense.

 

1 hour ago, SurgicalBrute said:

That's pretty much my assessment of it as well. It's a solid album, but I don't get why everyone latched on to it to the degree they did. My cynical mind does wonder though, if the fact that the album is decent, plus Native Americans having a barely existing presence in the black metal scene, may have led to a lot of the initial push behind getting his name out there.

Negative Plane - The Pact

...guess I'm just in the mood for non-legit black metal 😁

 

Blackbraid's a solid enough album, but as someone who listens to many dozens of new black metal albums each year I agree it's nothing truly special. Although to Zack I would say that I think many of us can tend to be more liberal with praise for stuff when it's from certain sub-genres we're quite fond of. For example I might find some one-man lo-fi bedroom black metal a bit more specialer than he would because I happen to be really into that shit.

I'm firmly convinced the Native American "gimmick" is 99% of the reason why the Blackbraid album has garnered so much attention outside of the underground. Just like that Zeal & Ardor nonsense did a few years back. Anything that far outside of the black metal cultural norms like that is bound to attract extra attention.

And Surgey you have every right to listen to your non-legit black metal just as much as you want. I believe Zack had mentioned that he also liked that NP album, and our friend Colin said he liked it, and I'm sure lots of other people really like them too. The band does absolutely nothing for me, sounds like some kind of prog nonsense and we all know how I feel about prog nonsense. But that doesn't mean anything because lots of bands don't do it for me. To each his own. I'll just stick with the hateful, caustic, face-fucking & goat-murdering black metal and leave the prog to the rest of you guys.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, markm said:

People like crunchy-punchy meloblack and melodeth. In fact, I'm feeling a comparison to this overpriced but likeable Old Foster 1897 Bottled in Bond bourbon I'm sipping on right now. The combination of melodocism and a perception of heaviosity without elements of progressiveness or experimentation is attractive to listeners who want a nice, if unremarkable 100 proof bourbon with a sweet finish...enjoyable....has some heat. It doubles down on the regressive, conservatism of metal. 

But then would you go around telling people how it was one of the best bourbons you'd had in a long time and undoubtedly one of the top bourbons of the year? A bourbon they need to try? Or would you just be like, yeah, this was nothing special, but it hit the spot for me? 

Nobody needs to do anything proggy or weird to write a well-paced, kickass album with engaging melodies. Also, separately, nobody needs to listen to only the best and most interesting stuff possible all the time. Just, I don't get the disconnect between that and the hype. It sounds like you and Zack are both saying it's pretty ok and hit the spot for you well enough. 

NP:

Forhist - s/t

Bough Horns - s/t 

Hornwood Fell - Damno Lumina Nocte 

Mitochondrion - Parasignosis

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...