Music ~*The Music Thread*`

[atom631]

My 2018 AOTY. Hasnt left heavy rotation since it was released:

 

1914 - The Blind Leading the Blind. Blackend Death. This album is amazing start to finish

 

My fav track on the album:

 

 

[atom631]

On 9/6/2018 at 10:49 PM, SimpleG said:

 

 

this fucking rocks. never heard these guys before. 

 

Its like a mash up between Hatebreed, Sheer Terror and Crowbar. I love it. 

[Mercury33]

Is there a good place to buy viynal online? Amazon seems pretty meh. Just got a turn table for Christmas but no records lol

[SimpleG]

1 hour ago, Mercury33 said:

Is there a good place to buy viynal online? Amazon seems pretty meh. Just got a turn table for Christmas but no records lol

https://lp.reverb.com/

[Nokt]

Born of Osiris - The Simulation 6.5/10

I was kind of hoping that The Eternal Reign would be a return of form for them and it was in ways, but with this new album I still find remnants of Tomorrow We Die Alive. There isn't anything necessarily bad about the album, but nothing really stood out to me. Lyrics were at an all time meh. 

Notable Song:

 

Logic - YSIV 4/10

I don't know what it is, but I legitimately have not l liked any of the albums Logic has dropped since he got signed. I'm not sure if its just that I'm tired of him as an artist or if he has regressed as an artist. I just don't find myself connecting with his music anymore. When he was up and coming (yep one of those guys Logic complains about in this album) I found that every song felt different lyrically and instrumentally. I feel like I'm just hearing the same thing over and over again now. I was hoping the same thing as Born of Osiris that this would be a return to form and it feels like an attempt, just one that isn't very good. 

Notable Song:

 

[GeneticBlueprint]

I saw Wintersun late last year. They were the main act for the band I actually went to see (Ne Obliviscaris). I had heard a song here and there in the background but nothing really grabbed me. I enjoyed their show and they've been in the back of my mind ever since. I finally went through their discography. I am loving the symphonic blackened powered melodeath these guys have going on. Which I guess we can just call folk metal.

 

Wintersun (2004) - 9/10

A fantastic debut full of catchy guitar riffs and sweet melodies. I particularly enjoy this riff in the track "Sleeping Stars"

 

 

as well as this gorgeous and glorious transition in the track "Death and Healing".

 

 

I think those two tracks are very indicative of what this album does well: capturing haunting moods with volume adjustments and melodious moments to counterbalance the heaviness even though there is a clear black metal vein coursing through the entire album.

 

Time I (2012) - 9/10

8 years to release a followup? I guess these guys think they're Tool or something. I actually read up on the production and writing issues that plagued this album's release--technological and budget limitations, loss of recording files, writer's block, etc. I'm glad they didn't just release something just to push out an album in the midst of all of that. Because the final product is really damn good.

 

The black metal portion that was a huge part of the previous album is all but gone in their sophomore effort--much less extended 16th note picking insanity and more syncopated rhythms, guitars are further downtuned, and a lot more clean singing. There is still that black metal vocal rasp in every piece, but it is combined with loads of melody. Like this portion in the track "Sons of Winter and Stars"

 

 

Continuing on with the theme of the vocal work it is by far the best part of this album. Jari Mäenpää's range and variation on this album are incredible--rasps, growls, high and low clean singing and everything else. And the lyrics he writes make me feel at home in some sort of fantasy novel. Case in point: "The Land of Snow and Sorrow"

 

 

The epic closing tracks are really what cement this album's "greatness" status. Everything comes together flawlessly: the renaissance-ian melodies, guitar melodies and solos and rhythm section syncopation and harmony, awesome vocal work, and evocative lyrics. All 12 minutes are worth a listen.

 

 

The only reason I don't give this album a solid 10 is that at times it feels a tad bit over-produced. I would have loved to see some sort of middle ground between the production of this album and their first album, which I think their next album does flawlessly.

 

The Forest Seasons (2017) - 7/10

All the black metal that was lost on their previous album is back in spades here. And it's awesome. The opening track is just so fucking eerie, creepy, and beautiful all at once. Check out the opening bit of the first track, "Awaken from the Dark Slumber"

 

 

(also 7:34 = fuck yes)

 

The second track "The Forest that Weeps" is my favorite though because it's epic and awesome.

 

 

Like I mentioned previously I think this album's production strikes a perfect balance between the polish of Time I and the raw naturalness of Wintersun and I think that's apparent in the couple tracks I've shown so far.

 

But I took a couple points off my rating because, to be honest, I found the last two tracks--which is half the album--somewhat boring. I'm sure they'll grow on me as I give the album a few more spins but as of right now they're just not doing it for me.

 

Can't wait for Time II. 

[Keyser_Soze]

Your ratings are incorrect as The Forest Seasons is better than Time I 

[GeneticBlueprint]

On 1/30/2019 at 2:11 AM, Keyser_Soze said:

Your ratings are incorrect as The Forest Seasons is better than Time I 

 

I don't think so my friend. Much more thought and manpower went into making Time I and I think it shows in the complexity of the arrangements and unified vision of the album; and even the over-production.

[Keyser_Soze]

8 minutes ago, GeneticBlueprint said:

 

I don't think so my friend. Much more thought and manpower went into making Time I and I think it shows in the complexity of the arrangements and unified vision of the album; and even the over-production.

 

It was a huge disappointment at the time especially since he took so long to make it, kept coming up with excuses and then split it in half. It's basically centered around 2 great songs and one solid song, the rest is nothing. The forest seasons is 3 great songs and greater in length, amazing sonic journey.

But after 5 years why did he bring that out instead of Time 2?

[GeneticBlueprint]

2 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

It was a huge disappointment at the time especially since he took so long to make it, kept coming up with excuses and then split it in half. It's basically centered around 2 great songs and one solid song, the rest is nothing. The forest seasons is 3 great songs and greater in length, amazing sonic journey.

But after 5 years why did he bring that out instead of Time 2?

 

Because they wanted their Gofundme to be successful! Haha.

[GeneticBlueprint]

Astronoid - Astronoid (2019) [haven't decided just how much I like this yet/10]

 

Released today. Their 2016 album Air took my #2 spot in my top albums of that year. It was a healthy mix of shoegaze, metalcore, emo, and black metal. This album dials down the black metal a tinge (fewer high note tremolo picking sequences) and turns up the metalcore (more syncopated and third-harmonic riffs). I think my favorite songs of the album that haven't been released as singles are "Breathe"

 

 

and "I Wish I Was There While the Sun Set"

 

 

If you liked their last album then you'll probably like this one. If not, then you won't.

[Dre801]

Megadeth - Cryptic Writings - 7.5/10

[SimpleG]

Hell and Primitive Man doing a split

 

 

 

[SimpleG]

 

 

 

 

[GeneticBlueprint]

Shylmagoghnar - Transience (2018) - 8/10

 

I hadn't heard these guys before today but a song from this album popped up for me on Spotify. It grabbed me immediately so I checked out the album. They've got thrash, doom, melodeath, and black metal going on at different times and in different combinations. It's great. I think @Keyser_Soze (if you haven't heard them already) will like this song at least since there are some heavy (good era) Dark Tranquillity vibes going on. Especially this part. And how fucking awesome are this riff and this transition? And that's just the opening title track. The whole album is good.

 

I also love this track:

 

 

[Keyser_Soze]

Sounds like a very slow Dark Tranquillity. And it really irritates me when I hear low quality symphonic sounds and this song has them. It's ok but I wouldn't say it's "good era" dark tranquillity.

[GeneticBlueprint]

9 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said:

it really irritates me when I hear low quality symphonic sounds

 

No it doesn't. You like black metal :P

[SimpleG]

[SimpleG]

Black

 

 

 

This has gotten many daily spins from me since release.

[Keyser_Soze]

Been listening to that new soilwork. They've changed their sound a bit for this one. Sounds more rock influenced but still metal, if that makes sense.

 

 

 

 

@GeneticBlueprint

[Keyser_Soze]

Also, not sure how I stumbled upon this band but I randomly started listening to it last week and I think this woman is a very good singer.

 

 

 

@Triage

[Keyser_Soze]

New Dessa song came out @thewhyteboar

 

 

[SimpleG]

 

 

 

[Triage]

On 3/2/2019 at 9:54 AM, Keyser_Soze said:

Also, not sure how I stumbled upon this band but I randomly started listening to it last week and I think this woman is a very good singer.

 

 

 

@Triage

I like it she reminds me of the Nightwish chick (two chicks ago). 

[Keyser_Soze]

So there is a new Swallow the Sun album, it came out and no one said anything.

 

Cover art is a bit on the not good side:

 

 

As for the rest of the album, it's certainly an interesting direction. They rarely make the same album twice. I would say this is kind of a mix of their triple album they released in 2015. Leaning a bit more on a somewhat airy side, vocals aren't super harsh (but there are moments!), so kinda like a lighter Swallow the Sun album yet still kinda sounds like them. In any case I'm still enjoying it more than The Emerald Forest and the Blackbird.

 

 

EDIT: so I guess the new elements are the all the violins and such.

In any case, I'm upgrading this from "better than their worst" to "pretty damn good!"

 

@GeneticBlueprint / @Bloodporne

[Dre801]

Superunknown - 9.5/10.   25th Anniversary year for the album, btw 

[Nokt]

Bring me the Horizon - Amo

 

I've really been going back and forth on this album for awhile now. Sempiternal was one of my favorite albums for a looong time and the change to That's the Spirit was met with a pretty big meh from me. I really dug a few songs off of the album, but overall I just wasn't feeling it at all. Seeing that Amo was going to more along the lines of TTS I wasn't sure if I was even going to give it a chance.

 

Mantra was a pretty decent single to start with, but it was exemplifying why I wasn't a fan of TTS. Its like on the brink of being a song that would have been a B-side to Sempiternal, but just doesn't quite cross that border. Wonderful Life was just... horrible. I didn't even want to listen to the album after that, BMTH was just going down a road that I probably wasn't going to be a fan of anymore. Then I heard Medicine, man that song is just so catchy. I had it on repeat everyday on my commute to work. I couldn't get it out of my head, so of course I bought the album when it came out.

 

My initial listens of the album I wasn't a fan, outside of Medicine I didn't even want to listen to the album. A couple songs stuck out though and I'd find myself wandering back to them from time to time. It slowly grew into me listening to majority of the album on my commute to work and enjoying it. Nihilist Blues, In the Dark, Why You Gotta Kick Me When I'm Down, even Mantra and Wonderful Life I'd stop and listen to. I really started appreciating the album a lot more. It doesn't really feel like a cheap transition to another genre or "selling out". It's not quite genre breaking either, but it definitely feels like there is effort in the music to be something different if that makes sense. 

 

I still have my days though where I just can't stand Mantra or Sugar, Honey, Ice & Tea. Mother Tongue is okay on a good day, but for the most part I'm not a fan. Ouch is just this weird like interlude in the album so I don't really count it against the album, but I don't know why its there. Heavy Metal and I Don't Know What To Say just aren't my thing. I don't really know what to rate the album, it changes daily depending on my mood. Some days a 5.5/10 others an 8/10.

 

Nihilist Blues is my go to song and it took awhile for me to get into it, but it's easily one of my favorite songs in the past year or so.

 

[Keyser_Soze]

@GeneticBlueprint

 

I know I already posted this album but I've pretty been listening to it non stop since last Friday. So good.

 

This song in particular

 

 

[Bloodporne]

Steve Hauschildt - Where All Is Fled

 

This is one of my favorite albums I've discovered in the last year or so. I'm a huge fan of Ambient in general and this hits all the right notes, no pun intended, for me.

 

 

[GeneticBlueprint]

Ultar - Pantheon MMXIX (2019) - 9/10

 

I'm still digesting this one. But I'm loving it. I thought their last album (Kadath) was pretty good but I'm thinking this one is better. A lot more variation in style and melody going on.

 

 

[SimpleG]

[SimpleG]

 

@2user1cup

 

[GeneticBlueprint]

Allegaeon - Apoptosis (2019) - 9/10

 

These guys haven't released anything subpart yet. Their latest album is no exception.

 

 

And there's a beautiful interlude on this album as well.

 

 

[Keyser_Soze]

So I was tempted to make a topic about this last week but ended up not because I had to digest the album first.

Sadistik is back and he seems to be more depressed than ever. But his loss is your benefit. Dig in before he kills himself because these songs are dark. Also, seems he raps over an Ulver song on "burning lakes" which I'm always for.

In the end I probably should have made the topic because I'm pretty impressed, was just baffled at what I heard the first time I listened to the album.

 

 

@thewhyteboar

[SimpleG]

Post Metal