Music ~*The Music Thread*`

[GeneticBlueprint]

Edit 15 Feb 2023: Formerly known as the "Rate the Last Album You Listened to Thread"

 

There was a similar thread prior to the board Chernobyl in the music forum; and it was the one thread on that sub-board that was pretty consistently active. But I always loved the rate the last movie you watched thread. This one can be for music! It doesn't necessarily have to be rating an album per se. It can be an artist as a whole or a song individually or anything in between. I just like grouping my music by albums.

 

Cloudkicker - Beacons - 9/10

 

 

One of my very favorite albums and definitely his best work. The song titles on this album are taken from a book called The Black Box; a book of transcriptions of black box recordings from plane crashes. The titles are usually the last words on the tape. "We're going in. We're going down." "It's bad. We're hit, man, we are hit." "We are going to invert..." "I admit it now. I was scared." "We were all scared."

[SimpleG]

Chvrches _ Love Is Dead

 

This style of music is not the norm for me but it just keeps getting played over and over again. I cannot help but sing along 

 

 

[Nokt]

31 minutes ago, SimpleG said:

Chvrches _ Love Is Dead

 

This style of music is not the norm for me but it just keeps getting played over and over again. I cannot help but sing along 

 

 

I like Chvrches quite a bit. Heard Mother we Share on the radio a couple of years ago and was hooked. 

 

However their past two albums feel very similar which is a bit disappointing. Their music can get really annoying on repetiton and without having really different feeling songs I go months without listening to them. Then fall in back into them when I randomly play one of their songs. 

They are coming to Utah pretty soon with Pale Waves, another pop band, I’m looking forward to it.

 

 

[Nokt]

I hate to double post but I thought it would be weird to include this in my response to SimpleG.

 

I bought Mike Shinoda’s new album “Post Traumatic”. I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this album. The first single I hear was “Ghosts” which is very much a Linkin Park song, you could replace the chorus with Chester and it would fit right in with one of their albums. Other songs were more in line of what I thought it would lean towards. “About You” is a much more Fort Minor style song. Hard beats with Mike rapping over them. I like the switch up of songs throughout the album, but I like the softer songs with Mike singing a lot more than the rap songs. 

As you can guess, a lot of the album has to do with Chester’s suicide. 

7/10

 

Favorite Song: 

 

[GeneticBlueprint]

@Nokt Nothing wrong with double posting.

 

Khemmis - Desolation - 8/10

 

 

Khemmis' "doomed heavy metal", a catchy combination of Iron Maiden's melody and Black Sabbath's crawling tempo, continues on their third full length album Desolation. It has all the elements of their freshman and sophomore efforts: soaring vocal melodies and harmonies, a thrasher, a few growls here and there, and a long closing track that brings it all together. And like their previous two albums that last track is my favorite. But, this one is a bit odd for me in that it feels like their songwriting game has stepped up, yet there's something lacking that I can't quite put my finger on. Their previous album (Hunted) did quite a bit more for me than this effort. It took the number 2 spot on my top albums of 2016 while I have a feeling this one will have a rough time cracking the top 10 this year. Don't get me wrong. Desolation is great. But I feel like there aren't any moments on this album that are as epic as the last 3 minutes of "Hunted". I don't feel like any of the melodies take you to that fantastical world of warriors and wizards like "Candlelight". But, there are some absolutely golden moments on Desolation. Take "The Seer", that turns from a relatively haunting and growly dirge into pure melodic bliss that will tug at your heartstrings about halfway through. The lead guitar work is also quite a bit better on this album than any of their other efforts. The guitar solo on "Isolation" fucking rips. And, as previously mentioned, the closer is epic.

 

 

[SuperSpreader]

The Armed - Only Love

 

Amazing. Difficult to listen to - gets more amazing every try. 

[brodhen]

Kadavar - Rough Times (2017) 

 

8/10

 

 

A departure from the much cleaner 70s worship/rock and roll sound on the previous albums, the tone of Rough Times is heavier, fuzzier and they bust out some dirty as fuck riffs and bass for this one and tread deeper into stoner rock territory.

 

 

 

 

They do keep it varied with some tracks with more of a psych rock lean to it like Die Baby Die:

 

 

They keep it varied and interesting throughout, the album never drags and comes in at solid 45 minutes so doesn't overstay it's welcome. I definitely commend them for mixing things up and evolving their style rather than recording the same record again and again.

[Keyser_Soze]

Not that I think this is a bad idea for a thread but I don't recall a thread like this being on the music board.

[GeneticBlueprint]

2 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said:

Not that I think this is a bad idea for a thread but I don't recall a thread like this being on the music board.

The "similar" thread was the "What are you listening to right now?" thread.

[gamer.tv]

I've started to download a new album on Spotify to walk to work.  Toxicity, really didn't care for it outside of the singles.  

[GeneticBlueprint]

5 hours ago, gamer.tv said:

I've started to download a new album on Spotify to walk to work.  Toxicity, really didn't care for it outside of the singles.  

A lot of nu-metal was bad. Really bad. But Toxicity definitely was not.

[Keyser_Soze]

It's 2018 and you've listened to Toxicity for the first time? WTF?

[number305]

On 6/24/2018 at 9:06 AM, GeneticBlueprint said:

@Nokt Nothing wrong with double posting.

 

Khemmis - Desolation - 8/10

 

 

Khemmis' "doomed heavy metal", a catchy combination of Iron Maiden's melody and Black Sabbath's crawling tempo, continues on their third full length album Desolation. It has all the elements of their freshman and sophomore efforts: soaring vocal melodies and harmonies, a thrasher, a few growls here and there, and a long closing track that brings it all together. And like their previous two albums that last track is my favorite. But, this one is a bit odd for me in that it feels like their songwriting game has stepped up, yet there's something lacking that I can't quite put my finger on. Their previous album (Hunted) did quite a bit more for me than this effort. It took the number 2 spot on my top albums of 2016 while I have a feeling this one will have a rough time cracking the top 10 this year. Don't get me wrong. Desolation is great. But I feel like there aren't any moments on this album that are as epic as the last 3 minutes of "Hunted". I don't feel like any of the melodies take you to that fantastical world of warriors and wizards like "Candlelight". But, there are some absolutely golden moments on Desolation. Take "The Seer", that turns from a relatively haunting and growly dirge into pure melodic bliss that will tug at your heartstrings about halfway through. The lead guitar work is also quite a bit better on this album than any of their other efforts. The guitar solo on "Isolation" fucking rips. And, as previously mentioned, the closer is epic.

 

 

The beginning lyrics to that song man... 

 

So here I rest
I've come undone
Somewhere behind these eyes
Rising from the thorns
Beyond the endless nightmares
There's still a soul
I'm reaching out to catch a breath
To brave the storm

 

Sorry but that seems like something a heavy metal lyric generator would spit out.  To compare this in any way to Maiden or Sabbath seems like a reach.

[GeneticBlueprint]

24 minutes ago, number305 said:

The beginning lyrics to that song man... 

 

So here I rest
I've come undone
Somewhere behind these eyes
Rising from the thorns
Beyond the endless nightmares
There's still a soul
I'm reaching out to catch a breath
To brave the storm

 

Sorry but that seems like something a heavy metal lyric generator would spit out.  To compare this in any way to Maiden or Sabbath seems like a reach.

 

Well I specifically mentioned the elements they take from those bands. Neither of which were lyrics. 

[GeneticBlueprint]

On 6/24/2018 at 4:28 PM, brodhen said:

Kadavar - Rough Times (2017) 

 

8/10

 

*snip*

 

A departure from the much cleaner 70s worship/rock and roll sound on the previous albums, the tone of Rough Times is heavier, fuzzier and they bust out some dirty as fuck riffs and bass for this one and tread deeper into stoner rock territory.

*snip*

They do keep it varied with some tracks with more of a psych rock lean to it like Die Baby Die:

*snip*

They keep it varied and interesting throughout, the album never drags and comes in at solid 45 minutes so doesn't overstay it's welcome. I definitely commend them for mixing things up and evolving their style rather than recording the same record again and again.

 

Nice overview. Good stuff!

[number305]

33 minutes ago, GeneticBlueprint said:

 

Well I specifically mentioned the elements they take from those bands. Neither of which were lyrics. 

Sorry if I was too harsh.  I'm an ass with music.  I'm glad people still make metal, but I have a hard time listening to anything newer than about '89.  My bands are all getting too old.

[GeneticBlueprint]

2 minutes ago, number305 said:

Sorry if I was too harsh.  I'm an ass with music.  I'm glad people still make metal, but I have a hard time listening to anything newer than about '89.  My bands are all getting too old.

 

No not too harsh at all. Just pointing out that I didn't talk about the lyrics. And that's because lyrics are like the last thing I care about in any form of music. 

 

And anybody who was ever a metal fan has criticism hardwired to their brain. None of us are immune!

[GeneticBlueprint]

@number305 Also I can understand not liking anything after '89 since the '90s were a dark time for metal. Due in no small part to your avatar! :P It will never again be as big as it was in those days. But it is more diverse than ever and modern metal is the best the genre's ever been IMO. There's something that can scratch every itch.

[number305]

Just now, GeneticBlueprint said:

@number305 Also I can understand not liking anything after '89 since the '90s were a dark time for metal. Due in no small part to your avatar! :P It will never again be as big as it was in those days. But it is more diverse than ever and modern metal is the best the genre's ever been IMO. There's something that can scratch every itch.

Yeah I also like Nirvana and the Foo Fighers.  They took over for me in the 90's.  But 70's and 80's Metal has always been in my heavy rotation.  Going to see Slayer in Denver in August on their farewell tour.  Pretty great lineup for that show so I'm pretty excited.

[GeneticBlueprint]

8 minutes ago, number305 said:

Yeah I also like Nirvana and the Foo Fighers.  They took over for me in the 90's.  But 70's and 80's Metal has always been in my heavy rotation.  Going to see Slayer in Denver in August on their farewell tour.  Pretty great lineup for that show so I'm pretty excited.

 

Right on. I'm going to the same show in SLC.

[Jason]

14 hours ago, GeneticBlueprint said:

A lot of nu-metal was bad. Really bad. But Toxicity definitely was not.

 

S/T >>>>>> Toxicity 

 

S/T is the only SOAD album I'll still occasionally listen to beyond a song or two. 

[GeneticBlueprint]

1 minute ago, Jason said:

 

S/T >>>>>> Toxicity 

 

S/T is the only SOAD album I'll still occasionally listen to beyond a song or two. 

 

I think they're both on the same level. Toxicity is a bit more mature in terms of production and lyrical themes, but S/T has that incredible raw energy that they never matched again.

[Dodger]

I really should have gone to see Slayer when they came to Irvine. When I initially checked ticket prices they were cheap so I decided to wait, and literally within the end of the initial weekend they had gone up like $100+ a ticket and I didn't go. Also want to go see Metallica at T Mobile Arena in November, but those tickets are expensive. I am going to see Ozzy in Vegas in October. Also have tickets to go see Smashing Pumpkins Aug 30th but I suddenly can't go because it's a Thursday night and I'll be moving to Arizona for work next month.

 

Anyway so I never actually listened to the new Metallica album Hard wired to Self Destruct but I got a free digital copy with ticket when I saw them at the Rosebowl. so I finally gave it a listen

 

I give it a solid 7/10. I know it's popular to shit all over anything "new" Metallica (which goes all the way back to AJFA if you are super elitist) but i liked it. Nothing compared to their original stuff, but solid nonetheless. Part of it is just when I listen to it, it makes me sad that you will hear nothing like it from a modern "rock" band. Modern rock has really gone to shit and maybe I give this an extra point due to nostalgia.

 

[GeneticBlueprint]

6 hours ago, Dodger said:

I really should have gone to see Slayer when they came to Irvine. When I initially checked ticket prices they were cheap so I decided to wait, and literally within the end of the initial weekend they had gone up like $100+ a ticket and I didn't go. Also want to go see Metallica at T Mobile Arena in November, but those tickets are expensive. I am going to see Ozzy in Vegas in October. Also have tickets to go see Smashing Pumpkins Aug 30th but I suddenly can't go because it's a Thursday night and I'll be moving to Arizona for work next month.

 

Anyway so I never actually listened to the new Metallica album Hard wired to Self Destruct but I got a free digital copy with ticket when I saw them at the Rosebowl. so I finally gave it a listen

 

I give it a solid 7/10. I know it's popular to shit all over anything "new" Metallica (which goes all the way back to AJFA if you are super elitist) but i liked it. Nothing compared to their original stuff, but solid nonetheless. Part of it is just when I listen to it, it makes me sad that you will hear nothing like it from a modern "rock" band. Modern rock has really gone to shit and maybe I give this an extra point due to nostalgia.

 

 

And if you are a super duper hyper elitist it goes all the way back to Ride the Lightning. There are people on this Earth that think that was them selling out or something. I think I agree with your rating for Hardwired. There are some killer riffs on that album and I feel like each song is as good as the other which is an impressive feat on a double album. But Kirk's guitar solos are still as bland as they've been since he perma-wah'd his guitar in the 90s and some of the songs go on a bit too long for how comparatively simple they are. Still solid though.

[johnny]

Freddie Gibbs - Freddie 7/10 

[Keyser_Soze]

On 6/26/2018 at 8:55 PM, GeneticBlueprint said:

 

And if you are a super duper hyper elitist it goes all the way back to Ride the Lightning. There are people on this Earth that think that was them selling out or something. I think I agree with your rating for Hardwired. There are some killer riffs on that album and I feel like each song is as good as the other which is an impressive feat on a double album. But Kirk's guitar solos are still as bland as they've been since he perma-wah'd his guitar in the 90s and some of the songs go on a bit too long for how comparatively simple they are. Still solid though.

 

Their new albums are better, faster and heavier. Their old albums are slow and boring. Take that elitists!

[Emblazon]

Came in expecting to ONLY see metal listed. Pleasantly surprised.

 

Don't know if it's because I'm getting old, but I find myself really liking DMB's new album:

 

Maybe it's just me, but if feels like there's a LOT of Peter Gabriel influence in the album.

 

 

 

Also been listing to Welshly Arms most recent album, which sounds nothing like their first album (which I didn't care for):

 

The entire album is great from start to finish.

 

 

 

Finally, while I don't really listen to rap much any more, NF's new album, Perception is stellar:

 

[Nokt]

1 hour ago, Emblazon said:

Finally, while I don't really listen to rap much any more, NF's new album, Perception is stellar:

 

I’ll probably have to give the rest of the album, but I’ve really liked some of his singles in the past. I’m kind of afraid that he doesn’t really have to much variety or range in his music. Most of the singles I like sound pretty similar. 

[gamer.tv]

Prequelle - Ghost

American Dream - LCD Soundsystem

 

I really want to like Ghost and the actual composition of the songs is very good.  The mixing however, just comes out as incredibly flat to me.  LCD Soundsystem were decent, when it was good it was a pleasure, but it strayed into 'boring' territory a few times also. 

 

Just for some nostalgia, going to listen to The Black Parade when I walk to work today. 

[GeneticBlueprint]

Chaos Chaos - Committed to the Crime (2014) - 7/10

 

 

Yeah I discovered this group via Rick and Morty like everybody else. Before now, I really only listened to the song "Do You Feel It?" from the "Auto Erotic Assimilation" episode. I decided to give the whole album a go. I appreciate underground and self-produced pop music, but most of it suffers from the same thing mainstream pop does: one or two songs on an album that had some thought put into them to try and be catchy and get some radio play while the rest seem like they were written all in one day for the sake of saying you made an album.

 

I'm happy to say that such definitely does not seem to be the case with these ladies. Even though this is just an EP I was anticipating a slog. But before I knew it I had looped back to the first track. I genuinely enjoyed every song except for one ("Monsters", which isn't bad, just seems generic compared to the rest of the album). I think my favorite track on the album turned out to be "Breaker", a sunny synth heavy L.A. pop 'love you but we're through' break-up tune. Another track I love is the closing track "Better", but the thing I love about it makes me slightly disappointed in the other songs on the album. Turns out one of the sisters in this group is actually the drummer and she's phenomenal on this track. Why was she hiding behind generic electronic drums on the rest of the album? The album is still great though.

 

 

[Emblazon]

@GeneticBlueprint Sounds like a cross between Chvrches and Nina. 

[Dre801]

Ice Cube  - Death Certificate  9/10.  Cube peaked here.

[GeneticBlueprint]

Uada - Cult of a Dying Sun - 7/10 (2018)

 

Uada's previous effort, Devoid of Light, was a surprisingly excellent freshman effort from a black metal band. My favorite part about this group is the readily evident melodic swedish black metal influences from groups such as Dissection, which are just as present on this album as they were on their last. There are some awesome riffs, melodies, and moments. Particularly in the opening track "The Purging Fire". It's full of haunting guitar overtones and harmonies, pummeling drums, and raw vocals. The album does go a bit too far into the tweedly black metal too much though. It might be due to having more songs on this album, but I feel like Devoid of Light had a perfect length and variety (within the black/death spectrum) while this album seems a tiny bit repetitive and too long for the material present.

 

 

[Nokt]

Born of Osiris - The Eternal Reign

 

I started listening to BoS when they dropped the Discovery. It was a pleasant find, fast technical sections, some hard chugg sections, some light synths added in, nothing ever felt repetitious on the album. Always something new and fresh in every song. Then Tomorrow We Die Alive dropped and I completely lost whatever faith I had after listening to the album. The album had one song that I found tolerable. I disliked it so much I completely avoided Soul Sphere and tER.

 

Well I got bored on Saturday and hit up the old record shop and saw that they had this album on sale. It reminds me of the reason I started listening to BoS in the first place. Less synths throughout the album overall, which isn't a bad thing, but those were some of my favorite parts from Discovery. They keep up with no chorus, each song is a new take, and back to the BoS that I enjoyed. If I have to fault anything its that they switch it up a little too much. Just when I'd start digging a part in a song the song would switch into something else.

 

I just wikipedia'd the album, had no idea the whole thing was a retake of the original (never listened to it outside of Bow Down). Its an extremely solid album (especially for their first album).

 

Overall 7.5/10

Favorite Song:

 

[GeneticBlueprint]

14 hours ago, Nokt said:

Born of Osiris - The Eternal Reign

 

I started listening to BoS when they dropped the Discovery. It was a pleasant find, fast technical sections, some hard chugg sections, some light synths added in, nothing ever felt repetitious on the album. Always something new and fresh in every song. Then Tomorrow We Die Alive dropped and I completely lost whatever faith I had after listening to the album. The album had one song that I found tolerable. I disliked it so much I completely avoided Soul Sphere and tER.

 

Well I got bored on Saturday and hit up the old record shop and saw that they had this album on sale. It reminds me of the reason I started listening to BoS in the first place. Less synths throughout the album overall, which isn't a bad thing, but those were some of my favorite parts from Discovery. They keep up with no chorus, each song is a new take, and back to the BoS that I enjoyed. If I have to fault anything its that they switch it up a little too much. Just when I'd start digging a part in a song the song would switch into something else.

 

I just wikipedia'd the album, had no idea the whole thing was a retake of the original (never listened to it outside of Bow Down). Its an extremely solid album (especially for their first album).

 

 

They were all 15, 16, or 17 when they signed with Sumerian Records. Crazy.