What Are You Listening To?

[AlSymerz]

Farscape - Purged and Forgotten

[GoatmasterGeneral]

Taubrą - Therizo, Norway/Switzerland

 

Primordial Serpent - Adversary of God, Canadia

 

Dismal Aura - Imperium Mortalia, Canadia

 

[JonoBlade]

On 10/3/2023 at 2:47 AM, JamesT said:

You didn’t misread, my metal brother!  I do like “St. Anger” quite a bit and listen to it regularly.  I found it to be a refreshing response to the Load/Reload material, which wasn’t even really “metal” to be honest, although I do enjoy a few songs from those albums.  The ferocity was back - my only gripe is with the lack of guitar solos, but I think the songs are still really solid.  The drums are actually a part of the sound that I appreciate. 
 

Excellent choice!  I’ve listened through “The Sinner Rides Again” 3 times today, and it has gotten better with each listen!  Well worth the high level of anticipation I had!

I think your neighbour should build a Dyson sphere around your house and harness the high levels of positive energy you emit. It could power a small town on vibes alone.

[JonoBlade]

On 10/2/2023 at 8:39 PM, AlSymerz said:

I'm not a fan of Ripper but for the most part he doesn't sound too bad on the new album. I don't think the album itself is anything ground breaking but it is entirely what I expected from KK. There is some good riffs on it and but like the first album I can't hear anything that propels it to excellent.

When Ripper is "on" he's great. I just feel the delivery is a bit samey. I suspect it is down to him recording vocals alone in the US and sending files for inclusion in the mix. There is not much room for feedback and being "produced" in that kind of dynamic. For a classic metal vocalist there needs to be some external input on the delivery. The producer is important.

If you are a death metal grunter the feedback is less critical, so long as it fits in its box.

I also feel I'd like the KK albums more if they had more retro production in general. As it is, it's all very slick and suffers from the same homogeneity we've covered when discussing Andy Sneap.

What KK's Priest has nailed is an economical album length which he and his Priest colleagues have utterly failed at the last few times out. I am looking at you Nostradamus triple album. I suspect a lot of that was KK's fault.

At 52 minutes even Angel of Retribution was too long. I listened to it the other day for the first time in years (since @GoatmasterGeneral makes the rare concession that "it's not all that shit"). It is quite good and has nice pacing/flow. Some of the worst lyrics in a long career of terrible lyrics though. Loch Ness makes Living After Midnight read like Shakespeare.

[navybsn]

Cirith Ungol - Servants of Chaos

[GoatmasterGeneral]

3 hours ago, JonoBlade said:

When Ripper is "on" he's great. I just feel the delivery is a bit samey. I suspect it is down to him recording vocals alone in the US and sending files for inclusion in the mix. There is not much room for feedback and being "produced" in that kind of dynamic. For a classic metal vocalist there needs to be some external input on the delivery. The producer is important.

If you are a death metal grunter the feedback is less critical, so long as it fits in its box.

I also feel I'd like the KK albums more if they had more retro production in general. As it is, it's all very slick and suffers from the same homogeneity we've covered when discussing Andy Sneap.

What KK's Priest has nailed is an economical album length which he and his Priest colleagues have utterly failed at the last few times out. I am looking at you Nostradamus triple album. I suspect a lot of that was KK's fault.

At 52 minutes even Angel of Retribution was too long. I listened to it the other day for the first time in years (since @GoatmasterGeneral makes the rare concession that "it's not all that shit"). It is quite good and has nice pacing/flow. Some of the worst lyrics in a long career of terrible lyrics though. Loch Ness makes Living After Midnight read like Shakespeare.

I don't pay any attention to the fucking lyrics in heavy metal Johnny Blade. And like all Priest albums Angel has a few skippers on it, so I wouldn't ever have to sit through the whole 52 minutes. When I listen, Demonizer, Hellrider, Eulogy and the 13:30 Lochness all get skipped, so that cuts it in half to just 26 minutes. About as much Judas Priest as any goat could be expected to endure. If they won't edit themselves I will.

So I don't think it's a great album or anything, it's not Hellbent For Leather. But it's really not bad either, deffo some catchy songs on there. I'll go 6.5 - 7/10 at best which is an awful lot for an album that's only half good and half skippable. Just thought the good half was the single best and most listenable thing they ever did post-Defenders. An oasis in the desert, because all the rest was cringe. 40 fucking years of cringe and counting Jon, and people still stampede to hear the new albums when they drop and pay $200 for tix to see the old geezers, it's crazy.

[Nasty_Cabbage]

NP: Hunbatz - Infervm Bellvm Hymnvs

▶︎ Infervm Bellvm Hymnvs | HUNBATZ (bandcamp.com)

Alright guys, we get it: The 'V' can be utilized as a 'U' as well. I can't imagine you're saving that much from not buying one extra letter stamp for your printing presses. Who knew black metal bands were so frugal?

[navybsn]

10 minutes ago, Nasty_Cabbage said:

NP: Hunbatz - Infervm Bellvm Hymnvs

▶︎ Infervm Bellvm Hymnvs | HUNBATZ (bandcamp.com)

Alright guys, we get it: The 'V' can be utilized as a 'U' as well. I can't imagine you're saving that much from not buying one extra letter stamp for your printing presses. Who knew black metal bands were so frugal?

But then it wouldn't let all the CVLT kids know that it's the good shit. It's a filtering tool.

 

Butthole Surfers - Hairway to Steven

[Nasty_Cabbage]

1 hour ago, navybsn said:

But then it wouldn't let all the CVLT kids know that it's the good shit. It's a filtering tool.

 

Butthole Surfers - Hairway to Steven

It's a sad state of affairs when I can almost guarantee some linguistic anthropology student has written a full paper on the revival of the 'V' as a 'U' in black metal. I truly do not envy any teacher their job these days.

Then again, maybe my priorities are misplaced since that's my main concern while, just below, you've caused me to remember a time in which a band calling themselves the Butthole Surfers enjoyed mainstream appeal. I don't know which is more indicative of cultural decay, but either way something's not right. You ever have one of those nightmares where you're not in direct physical danger, but can't shake the foreboding feeling that some fundamental aspect of reality has gone wrong?

NP: Rorcal - Silence

▶︎ Silence | Rorcal | Sludgelord Records (bandcamp.com)

I really want to like this, but the sampling and industrial influence really gets in the way. If they could produce this kind of atmosphere with just their raw instruments so that it could feasibly be played in a live setting, I'd call this excellent. As it is, it's good, but with a huge asterisk.

[navybsn]

18 minutes ago, Nasty_Cabbage said:

It's a sad state of affairs when I can almost guarantee some linguistic anthropology student has written a full paper on the revival of the 'V' as a 'U' in black metal. I truly do not envy any teacher their job these days.

Then again, maybe my priorities are misplaced since that's my main concern while, just below, you've caused me to remember a time in which a band calling themselves the Butthole Surfers enjoyed mainstream appeal. I don't know which is more indicative of cultural decay, but either way something's not right. You ever have one of those nightmares where you're not in direct physical danger, but can't shake the foreboding feeling that some fundamental aspect of reality has gone wrong?

NP: Rorcal - Silence

▶︎ Silence | Rorcal | Sludgelord Records (bandcamp.com)

I really want to like this, but the sampling and industrial influence really gets in the way. If they could produce this kind of atmosphere with just their raw instruments so that it could feasibly be played in a live setting, I'd call this excellent. As it is, it's good, but with a huge asterisk.

I'll put the Butthole Surfers output above any band using said V in their name/album name all day long.

 

Blaspherian - Infernal Warriors of Death

[Nasty_Cabbage]

NP: Trivax - Eloah Burns Out

▶︎ Eloah Burns Out | Trivax (bandcamp.com)

Hmm. I'm tempted to say this is influenced heavily by Melechesh, but that's not exactly right. Phrygian scales have been a staple in extreme metal since it's inception almost so that, by itself, doesn't qualify necessarily as Melechesh influence. The traditional instrumentation is definitely notable, and the songs themselves are okay, and competently executed. I don't know though. I guess I was expecting a little bit more, though I couldn't say what that would be comprised of.

[AlSymerz]

8 hours ago, JonoBlade said:

When Ripper is "on" he's great. I just feel the delivery is a bit samey. I suspect it is down to him recording vocals alone in the US and sending files for inclusion in the mix. There is not much room for feedback and being "produced" in that kind of dynamic. For a classic metal vocalist there needs to be some external input on the delivery. The producer is important.

If you are a death metal grunter the feedback is less critical, so long as it fits in its box.

I also feel I'd like the KK albums more if they had more retro production in general. As it is, it's all very slick and suffers from the same homogeneity we've covered when discussing Andy Sneap.

What KK's Priest has nailed is an economical album length which he and his Priest colleagues have utterly failed at the last few times out. I am looking at you Nostradamus triple album. I suspect a lot of that was KK's fault.

At 52 minutes even Angel of Retribution was too long. I listened to it the other day for the first time in years (since @GoatmasterGeneral makes the rare concession that "it's not all that shit"). It is quite good and has nice pacing/flow. Some of the worst lyrics in a long career of terrible lyrics though. Loch Ness makes Living After Midnight read like Shakespeare.

I didn't realise Ripper was phoning it in on the second album. I remember it being spoken about with the first album. It does make sense that if he's doing it in the US there will be some issues.

As much as the album is 'economical' I still can't figure out why the last three songs just feel like they don't need to be there. Others probably feel different but for me once I get to Keeper Of The Grave I start feeling like the album should be over. Pledge Your Souls and Wash Away Your Sins just aren't memorable to me.

 

[Kristiko]

Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (album)

[Kristiko]

Dream Theater - Awake (album)

[GoatmasterGeneral]

3 hours ago, Nasty_Cabbage said:

Trivax - Eloah Burns Out

Hmm. I'm tempted to say this is influenced heavily by Melechesh, but that's not exactly right. Phrygian scales have been a staple in extreme metal since it's inception almost so that, by itself, doesn't qualify necessarily as Melechesh influence. The traditional instrumentation is definitely notable, and the songs themselves are okay, and competently executed. I don't know though. I guess I was expecting a little bit more, though I couldn't say what that would be comprised of.

Guitar payer (center) is Iranian, and the bassist (right) is Syrian, (drummer on left without the beard is from UK) so it'd make sense there'd be some middle eastern influences at work. Not my typical raw filth obviously, but I've been quite infatuated with this album the last several days, played it 3 or 4 times just last night while I was playing Civ V smashing the arrogant Aztecs then nuking the snooty Catherine the Great.

 

Demonic Being - Invocations From the Ancient Path, Mexico. I can't seem to get out of this album's way either, it still gets at least a spin maybe two each day. I love when bands from south of the border successfully mimic the Swedish melodic black metal sound. With a little pinch of death metal thrown in for good measure.

 

[GoatmasterGeneral]

7 hours ago, Nasty_Cabbage said:

Hunbatz - Infervm Bellvm Hymnvs

Alright guys, we get it: The 'V' can be utilized as a 'U' as well. I can't imagine you're saving that much from not buying one extra letter stamp for your printing presses. Who knew black metal bands were so frugal?

Often when bands use the letter V in place of U it's when they're using Latin titles like this one. And Necros Christos' Trivne Impvrity Rites comes to mind. The Roman alphabet originally did not have separate symbols for 'U' the vowel, and 'V' the consonant. (They also did not have separate symbols for 'I' the vowel and 'J' the consonant). Since they considered 'U' and 'V' the same letter (which they made like a V), and since their alphabet was all capitals, our "Julius Caesar" would be their IVLIVS CAESAR. The name "Venus" would be written in inscriptions as VENVS.

 I should like this album but it's not really doing much for me.

 

NP: Funeralis - Gateways to Esoteric Light, Chile 2020. In keeping with tonight's south of the border theme.

 

[Nasty_Cabbage]

2 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

Guitar payer (center) is Iranian, and the bassist (right) is Syrian, (drummer on left without the beard is from UK) so it'd make sense there'd be some middle eastern influences at work. Not my typical raw filth obviously, but I've been quite infatuated with this album the last several days, played it 3 or 4 times just last night while I was playing Civ V smashing the arrogant Aztecs then nuking the snooty Catherine the Great.

It does surprise me a little bit that you're digging that album, but sometimes a slight change of pace is exactly what I need to get back to my metal diet. That one in particular just sort of failed to leave much of an impression for me.

I've been wanting to get into Civ for a long while now. I just can never seem to find the space for the time investment required to become competent at 'Grand Strategy' games (That's what they're called, right?). Usually a mid level city builder can hold place though.

NP: Heron - Empires of Ash

Empires of Ash | HERON (bandcamp.com)

On first sight I thought this would be stoner-doom maybe in the Reverend Bizarre range of things, but the album's first few tracks lean away from the St. Vitus-isms you often find with the darker takes on the genre, and showed surprisingly little blues influence, then around the third track or so they hit with a major key riff right out of Pelican's playbook. For the record, I love Pelican and consider them the exception to the norm of underwhelming post-whatever floating around out there, but it was pretty interesting hearing it paired with some bread and butter doom. I can't say it's completely successful since the riffs sometimes bounce against each other, but definitely a worthy experiment.

[GoatmasterGeneral]

33 minutes ago, Nasty_Cabbage said:

It does surprise me a little bit that you're digging that album, but sometimes a slight change of pace is exactly what I need to get back to my metal diet. That one in particular just sort of failed to leave much of an impression for me.

I've been wanting to get into Civ for a long while now. I just can never seem to find the space for the time investment required to become competent at 'Grand Strategy' games (That's what they're called, right?). Usually a mid level city builder can hold place though.

A 'Grand Strategy Game' is one which allows players to employ a nation/empires' resources with a 'grand strategy' - a long term strategy or military tactics in mind. On the other hand, 4X Strategy games involve players controlling nations or empires to 'eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate'. So I believe games like Civilization would be considered 4X games. VI is the current state of the art Civ game, but I prefer V.

I like city builders though too. Was playing City Skylines a couple of years ago and I got pretty wrapped up in laying out my enormous city and then putting the camera view behind the wheel of various random vehicles as I drove through the streets checking out my handiwork. Uninstalled it though at some point to save disc space and now I don't have enough free disc space to install it again and play it even if I wanted to. I do still have Banished installed though, that's my go-to when I want a relaxing city builder experience with no wars or diplomacy or combat or anything. The only enemies I face in that one are freezing cold temps and starvation.

 

NP: Gallóglaigh - Realms Unknown, Texas

 

Nöldr - Dynasty ov the Darkened Evocations, Brazil

 

[Dead1]

Atheist - Piece of Time

Pestilence - Testimony of the Ancients

[AlSymerz]

Exmortus - Necrophony

[JonoBlade]

I've had to resort to drastic measures and buy some CDs, because I couldn't find a lossless digital download to buy.

Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

Just so rad.

Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death

Had an urge to hear The Legacy which I remember was a great song, but can't tell you how it goes until I cue it up next.

Still in the mail:

Wedgiedoods - the third one

Goddamn Century Media.

Dark Angel - Time Does Not Heal

After @Arioch posted the other day, I just had to check it out.  

The CDs are next to useless to own now I have them. The lyric text in the Maiden album is so small you need a microscope to see it. My ageing eyes just aren't up to it anymore. Triptykon is not much better. A nice presentation with lots of Giger art, but small gold on black text. Damn my eyes! 

They will just collect dust in the corner.

 

[RelentlessOblivion]

43 minutes ago, JonoBlade said:

I've had to resort to drastic measures and buy some CDs, because I couldn't find a lossless digital download to buy.

Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

Just so rad.

Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death

Had an urge to hear The Legacy which I remember was a great song, but can't tell you how it goes until I cue it up next.

Still in the mail:

Wedgiedoods - the third one

Goddamn Century Media.

Dark Angel - Time Does Not Heal

After @Arioch posted the other day, I just had to check it out.  

The CDs are next to useless to own now I have them. The lyric text in the Maiden album is so small you need a microscope to see it. My ageing eyes just aren't up to it anymore. Triptykon is not much better. A nice presentation with lots of Giger art, but small gold on black text. Damn my eyes! 

They will just collect dust in the corner.

If it’s a contest about who is eyes are the worst I think I win Connor who saw that coming? Jokes aside, I know it is a hot take, but I always thought AMoLaD was pretty good, probably cracks my top five Maiden albums, which isn’t saying much, considering I always thought they were inferior to both angel witch and Saxon 

 

[GoatmasterGeneral]

Darvaza - Ascending Into Perdition, Italy/Norway 2022

 

Darvaza - Darkness in Turmoil , 2018

 

[JonoBlade]

1 hour ago, RelentlessOblivion said:

If it’s a contest about who is eyes are the worst I think I win Connor who saw that coming? Jokes aside, I know it is a hot take, but I always thought AMoLaD was pretty good, probably cracks my top five Maiden albums, which isn’t saying much, considering I always thought they were inferior to both angel witch and Saxon 

After an hour or so I am finally at The Legacy which is the track I was waiting for. It has a nice intro and chorus. My recollection of this album was very positive so I will have to give it more spins. Although I wonder if, as a whole, it's not much more than Maiden flavoured elevator music. Really inoffensive and a perfectly reasonable way to pass the time with old friends. 

Sorry about your eyes. Sight is a useful sense.

[JonoBlade]

14 hours ago, AlSymerz said:

I didn't realise Ripper was phoning it in on the second album. I remember it being spoken about with the first album. It does make sense that if he's doing it in the US there will be some issues.

As much as the album is 'economical' I still can't figure out why the last three songs just feel like they don't need to be there. Others probably feel different but for me once I get to Keeper Of The Grave I start feeling like the album should be over. Pledge Your Souls and Wash Away Your Sins just aren't memorable to me.

To be honest, I can't say for sure that Ripper did do the vocals remotely on the second record. However, my guess is that they are on a tight budget and he has his home studio set up for vocal recording anyway. I recall reading in an interview that he is constantly doing guest spots, and this is how he does it. Send him some money and he will record the vocal parts you want to the lyrics provided and send it back. Done. 

Many guitarists do things this way too. Send some money and say "put a solo between this and this time marker". They record it and send it back. It is a great way for artists to monetise their skills and notoriety in downtime. You've got to make a living somehow when everyone's listening to your music on Spotify and touring costs are through the roof.

Even KK apparently did a solo on Geoff Tate's Queensryche album before the band settled and kept the name. In fact I think that was the sole musical endeavour he did in nearly 10 years before finally deciding, after he passed 70, to form a new band.