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What's on your mind?


Apoc

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Yeah' date=' I like it when people tell it straight. It was funny, the guy basically said the breakdowns are there for the kids... made me laugh. They actually have some cool leads and atmospheric parts going through their breaks most of the time, which makes them more palatable for me. Metalsucks has a good interview up with Ihsahn, too.[/quote'] Haha yeah he was totally candid about the breakdowns, which I respect. I like it when kids go nuts at our shows, and my band has discussed how we tend to write some "cartwheel" parts, but we only do it when the song feels like it needs it. Nothing wrong with writing moshy parts for the potential dance moves in my book, but our reasons for breakdowns are solely song-serving.
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I'm drawn to odd melodies and chord structures, counterpoint, and dynamic shifts. A lot of the bands that I don't care for just seem to tread similar melodic ground over and over - for example (from an earlier life) Naglfar's "Vittra" and Rapture's "Futile", man, they use the SAME fucking chord changes over and over. It makes the albums sound cohesive and gives them initial appeal, but I started learning theory when I was thirteen and root-to-minor-6th changes just feel like a cheap trick to me. So to my ears, they sound predictable and they've worn thin. That's just me. I can't say that they're categorically bad albums, I just know why they don't appeal to me.
When I read this, I was immediately reminded of Testament's "the New Order". I have recently rediscovered my love for that album, although when I listened to it last night I realized something. It totally has a bunch of the same chord changes (not just in the guitar interludes), but somehow I love it through and through. As I was thinking about this, I was also reminded of the aptly-titled Om album "Variations on a Theme". Every song is a variation on the main riff, and it somehow works. I honestly don't understand how!
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When I read this, I was immediately reminded of Testament's "the New Order". I have recently rediscovered my love for that album, although when I listened to it last night I realized something. It totally has a bunch of the same chord changes (not just in the guitar interludes), but somehow I love it through and through. As I was thinking about this, I was also reminded of the aptly-titled Om album "Variations on a Theme". Every song is a variation on the main riff, and it somehow works. I honestly don't understand how!
There are albums that are guilty of the same thing that I like a lot more and still listen to. For that matter I could level the same accusation at myself! If it was an exact science, I guess someone would have already written the perfect music and nobody else would bother...:D There's a time for every chord change, and there are some that I just find a lot more pleasant. I just have pet peeves, like the aforementioned root-to-minor 6th, single-chord chugs, Picardy 3rds, and the fucking harmonic minor scale.
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There are albums that are guilty of the same thing that I like a lot more and still listen to. For that matter I could level the same accusation at myself! If it was an exact science' date=' I guess someone would have already written the perfect music and nobody else would bother...:D There's a time for every chord change, and there are some that I just find a lot more pleasant. I just have pet peeves, like the aforementioned root-to-minor 6th, single-chord chugs, Picardy 3rds, and the fucking harmonic minor scale.[/quote'] Haha I have a hard time with harmonic/melodic minor crutches. Also, the progression from "Holy Diver" has been done to death by so many bands... I have developed a knee-jerk response of hating most bands that consistently fall back on it.
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Yeah, I saw that this morning. Fucking terrible. It happened during the Deicide set. It looks like the victims are expected to recover, and I hope they catch the homicidal piece of shit who brought a fucking knife into the show. And according to this article, Benton kicked Broken Hope off the tour the same night. My good wishes go out to the victims and to Broken Hope.

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I hope they catch the worthless scumbag who attacked those people. I also that person spends the rest of their life in a small, dark, room getting barely enough food to keep him alive. If all prisons were like that perhaps they would be more likely to deter possible criminals.
Maybe a little Oderus Orungus bedtime story will help calm you down?:D
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Re: What's on your mind?

Yeah, I saw that this morning. Fucking terrible. It happened during the Deicide set. It looks like the victims are expected to recover, and I hope they catch the homicidal piece of shit who brought a fucking knife into the show. And according to this article, Benton kicked Broken Hope off the tour the same night. My good wishes go out to the victims and to Broken Hope.
I read that too, fuck Glen Benton, the king of all twats, and fuck that dipshit that was cutting people. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
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Hmm. Well, that sucks. It's actually a lot more difficult to post what with all the shit my browser is giving me at the moment. On my mind: Got to go to another really fun local show last night. Gigan, the headliners, were really cool, and it turns out that I know their vocalist, a super talented guy named Eston who I've played some music with here and there. He always puts a lot of energy in, and this band backs him up really well. Pyrrhon played before them. They've gotten better as a unit since I saw them last, although their new material is atmospheric to the point of being noodly. I prefer the more straightforward, mildly technical death metal they used to write. At least in a live setting, the music didn't create an interesting space so much as just meander. There are some very interesting and well-played guitar parts, the vocalist has a good tone and presence, the drummer kicks ass; they either need to tighten up their death metal or figure out how to noodle around more convincingly. Either way I'm still looking forward to their album. The second openers were a band called Transient, from Portland, OR. In my opinion they stole the show. Really tight, grindy hardcore with no bullshit, excellent sound, a phenomenal drummer, and very well-delivered screaming vocals from a young woman who spoke in an engagingly incongruous, soft, high-pitched voice to thank us in between songs. Their stage presence was unremarkable, but the quality and intensity of their playing more than made up for it. KSMASH, you would dig the shit out of this - it's what Fuck The Facts should have sounded like the other night. I didn't see the first band... Oh well. What really made me feel good was to see so many people there that I knew from a few years ago when I was playing live music. It almost felt like a party. I had a lot of good talks with people I haven't seen in ages. Cheers to the one guy who was willing to slam around with me for Gigan. That's how it's supposed to be, motherfucker with a knife: people go to shows to have a good time with their friends and enjoy awesome music, not to pull weapons and try to kill each other. I hear the guy is getting charged with aggravated assault. I hope they throw the fucking book at him.

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Re: What's on your mind? Sounds like fun. I showed up late when Gigan opened for Immolation and Jungle Rot, so I didn't get to see them last time they were in town. I haven't really heard them, I tend to be really picky about tech-death, so I don't go out of my way to check out bands unless they come highly recommended from trusted sources. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

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I'm going to check out their recordings, since I know the guy. Based on the show alone I probably wouldn't, though. The drummer and the vocals sounded great but everything else was mostly mud. The guitarist was doing some really cool stuff, though, and some of it came across. Once I hear the recording, I'll let you know what I think... not my preferred genre by a mile, but, so what, right?

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Dealing with having a friend whom I have bent over backwards to help, have shown I care for them in so many ways, caring texts, phonecalls, care packages, you name it. Said friend has never once thanked me and rarely ever picks up the phone to call me or shows any concern. Sometimes I just wonder... why the fuck am I bothering? Then I plague my mind with thoughts like... if I truly cared, I would just continue to send my love / acknowledgement / gifts and not expect anything in return. Then the other side of me thinks - friendship is reciprocal, and it should go both ways. So maybe we really aren't friends. But if I do care, I should continue to show it, but change my expectations to not expect a thank you, gratitude, or even reciprocation. It just kinda sours the whole point of caring about someone if they act like they don't give a shit. So then I wonder... is friendship TRULY altruistic?

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