xkcd

by **Brother Maynard** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:57 pm UTC

So apparently Diablo Swing Orchestra replaced their drummer with Therion's drummer from Gothic Kabbalah.

I am somewhat depressed. GK was the first Therion album I disliked in about a decade and word has it that the guy wrote nearly half the music for that album.

by **hawkmp4** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:52 am UTC

Clumpy wrote:
Now, speaking of Slayer, their new record World Painted Blood is just damn good:

Unit 731
Americon

It does so much very well, has a more punk tinge to it than their most recent records, is just as fast and energetic as their earlier work and in my mind pretty much reaffirms their status as my bread-and-butter thrash band of choice once again.

Eh...I felt like it was a watered down, more accessible, Bob Rock-ified Reign in Blood. World Painted Blood offered nothing to me that Reign in Blood didn't. Granted, that's not even my favorite album of theirs...Show no Mercy and Hell Awaits are. Why do those always get forgotten? (That's not addressed to you, Clumpy, specifically.)

Anyone heard Oblivion - Mastodon? What do you think?

by **novax6** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:25 am UTC

hawkmp4 wrote:
Clumpy wrote:
Now, speaking of Slayer, their new record World Painted Blood is just damn good:

Unit 731
Americon

It does so much very well, has a more punk tinge to it than their most recent records, is just as fast and energetic as their earlier work and in my mind pretty much reaffirms their status as my bread-and-butter thrash band of choice once again.

Eh...I felt like it was a watered down, more accessible, Bob Rock-ified Reign in Blood. World Painted Blood offered nothing to me that Reign in Blood didn't. Granted, that's not even my favorite album of theirs...Show no Mercy and Hell Awaits are. Why do those always get forgotten? (That's not addressed to you, Clumpy, specifically.)

Anyone heard Oblivion - Mastodon? What do you think?

Yeah, Slayer hasn't really done much for me with any of their recent albums. Not terrible, but not exceptional either. My favorite will (undoubtedly) always be South of Heaven.

Are you referring to the song Oblivion? Off of Crack The Skye? Although that's not my favorite song off of there, that album was probably my favorite of 2009, and easily my favorite of Mastodon's ever. Even though people are pissy it's not as hard or as 'metal' as their older ones, it's still amazing IMO. They have an EP out I believe named that too, but it's just that one song and a few live tracks IIRC.

Also, for anyone who is interested, the new High on Fire album is streaming on their myspace. Hell. Yes.

by **Reborn** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:09 pm UTC

Yeah i love Crack the Skye too. Divinations' video is full of awesome. That lightning from the guitar and caveman playing the guitar

by **hawkmp4** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:45 am UTC

Sorry. I meant Crack the Skye- for some reason I keep confusing Oblivion with Crack the Skye. That's twice now...

by **novax6** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:12 pm UTC

If anyone has even a passing interest in avant garde sort of metal, or black metal, I cannot recommend Code's newest album, Resplendent Grotesque highly enough.
I'm not a fan of raw black metal, but I do really like more experimental styles of it, or bands that mix black metal with other styles (Arcturus, Immortal, Cobalt, etc), and this album is another that fits into that mold, and one I can't seem to stop listening to. Check it out if you can.

Spoiler:

Myspace

by **Bisyss** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:19 pm UTC

ZLVT wrote:I mean something that's like Apotheosis, or Rave or Gabber but with metal but not deathmetal

Admittedly some of that crosses over into punk, but shh.

I'll save everyone from another long list of bands I like and just mention that I probably listen to more grind than anything else and that Jon Chang is a fucking genius.

On a completely unrelated note, it's worth reading Invisible Oranges for metal, especially if you know what the name references.

by **Clumpy** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:41 am UTC

Brother Maynard wrote:I feel like I'm committing some sort of sin by liking Dethklok.

Nope - I like the first Dethalbum enough to call it one of my favorite metal albums.

by **hawkmp4** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 7:12 pm UTC

Okay. I'm looking for some recommendations. The genre? Melodic death metal.
What albums do you consider the canon of melodeath? I have The Gallery, The Jester Race, Slaughter of the Soul, and Heartwork.

by **novax6** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 7:41 pm UTC

hawkmp4 wrote:Okay. I'm looking for some recommendations. The genre? Melodic death metal.
What albums do you consider the canon of melodeath? I have The Gallery, The Jester Race, Slaughter of the Soul, and Heartwork.

Although I have to confess I was never a big fan of In Flames, so I might be a little biased as to how my tastes in melodeath run. Also theres a weird distinction between melodic death metal and melodeath, and i don't know where the lines are drawn. But some of the best that come to mind, not including those already mentioned:

-Kalmah - any of their albums, but Swampsong is a safe bet
-Insomnium - Above the Weeping World is a total classic.
-Arsis - more of the death side of melo-death, but A Celebration of Guilt is one of my favorites of all time.
-Arghoslent - heavier then their gothenburg counterparts, but very infectious and awesome.
-The Absence - standard stuff but very solid, check out Riders of the Plague.
-Amon Amarth - not sure if they qualify, but definitely melodic and definitely great. It's all good with them.
-Mors Principium Est - The Unborn is a good album, can't say much about the rest of their stuff though.
-Detonation - also a solid and fun band, if a little generic.
-Hypocrisy - so many albums, so much good stuff.
-Gojira - again not sure if they count, but both From Mars To Sirius and The Way of All Flesh are killer.

I can think of a lot more, but i'm not really sure what sort you're looking for.

by **hawkmp4** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 7:44 pm UTC

I'll take a listen when I get back home from classes. Thanks!
I've always thought melodic death metal = melodeath.

by **Reborn** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 9:33 pm UTC

For Hypocrisy, I'd say start with album Hypocrisy or 10 Years of Chaos and Confusion. Or just listen to Fractured Milennium ^^

by **Cathode Ray Sunshine** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:02 am UTC

hawkmp4 wrote:Okay. I'm looking for some recommendations. The genre? Melodic death metal.
What albums do you consider the canon of melodeath? I have The Gallery, The Jester Race, Slaughter of the Soul, and Heartwork.

Well since you're already familiar with In Flames and Dark Tranquillity, I'll recommend albums by those bands as well.

In Flames : everything up to Colony (I don't think Clayman is bad though). I think you'll especially like Whoracle.

Dark Tranquillity : haven't heard the new one, but they're one of my favorite bands so I don't think you'll go wrong by checking any of their material. A lot of people don't like The Mind's I, but it's pretty good. I'd suggest you start with Damage Done.

At the Gates : I think Slaughter of the Soul is the best they ever did, but Terminal Spirit Disease and With Fear I kiss the Burning Darkness are not bad. I don't have a problem with "raw" metal, but I couldn't get into The Red in the Sky is Ours.

You can check out anything by Amon Amarth and Insomnium and still be amazed, so choose whatever release.

I don't know if Into Eternity would qualify as melodic death metal, but I really enjoyed Buried in Oblivion and The Scattering of Ashes.

I would also check Arch Enemy (pre Gossow era was better in my opinion). Though you may like the albums with her on vocals, they really aren't bad.

Carcass : Tool of the Trades EP, Symphonies of Sickness.

Also check : Intestine Baalism. Those guys are great.

I like metal a lot, but I have to admit I don't know of what distinction novax6 refers to. Every metal forum and fan I've talked to use both terms.

by **Amie** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:19 pm UTC

I just finished reading every single post on this thread and I'm so happy people still listen to Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Megadeath and other such bands. Every time I meet a self proclaimed metalhead, they scowl at those names. "That's soooo yesterday!". Sure, I love all the deadly black metal stuff but my love for some good old thrash and death metal doesn't make me a wuss, you know. Yes, someone actually said all that.

by **Dasboard** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:09 pm UTC

Honestly, I consider the older stuff way better than, well pretty much all of the newer stuff.

by **novax6** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:24 am UTC

Cathode Ray Sunshine wrote:
I like metal a lot, but I have to admit I don't know of what distinction novax6 refers to. Every metal forum and fan I've talked to use both terms.

Well what I mean is there seems to be, on a lot of metal forums anyways, a big difference between say, melodic death metal and melodeath. The former describing bands like Amon Amarth, Arsis, The Chasm, and the latter talking about the more Swedish and gothenburg influenced bands, like Dark Tranquility, Arch Enemy, and In Flames. That's what I've seen anyways. It's not a big deal, most labels are pretty pointless IMO, just useful as a vague guideline for comparing new bands.

by **TheAmazingRando** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:40 am UTC

Even when I was a metal fan and a genre snob I thought the distinction was pointless. There are just as many differences between individual Swedish 90s melodeath bands as there are between them and bands like Arsis, who are probably more like In Flames used to be than In Flames themselves are now. But metal fans love their needless genre distinctions and classifications, and turning just about any adjective that might describe a band into a proper genre.

by **novax6** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:04 am UTC

TheAmazingRando wrote:Even when I was a metal fan and a genre snob I thought the distinction was pointless. There are just as many differences between individual Swedish 90s melodeath bands as there are between them and bands like Arsis, who are probably more like In Flames used to be than In Flames themselves are now. But metal fans love their needless genre distinctions and classifications, and turning just about any adjective that might describe a band into a proper genre.

Exactly. good music is good music.

by **Buddha with a bra on** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:31 am UTC

But then you've got melodic good music, and progressive good music...

by **Cathode Ray Sunshine** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:16 pm UTC

novax6 wrote:
Cathode Ray Sunshine wrote:
I like metal a lot, but I have to admit I don't know of what distinction novax6 refers to. Every metal forum and fan I've talked to use both terms.

Well what I mean is there seems to be, on a lot of metal forums anyways, a big difference between say, melodic death metal and melodeath. The former describing bands like Amon Amarth, Arsis, The Chasm, and the latter talking about the more Swedish and gothenburg influenced bands, like Dark Tranquility, Arch Enemy, and In Flames. That's what I've seen anyways. It's not a big deal, most labels are pretty pointless IMO, just useful as a vague guideline for comparing new bands.

Yeah, after I posted I kinda figured you meant the distinction of the so called Gothenburg sound but I wasn't sure.

by **hawkmp4** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:14 pm UTC

Amie wrote:I just finished reading every single post on this thread and I'm so happy people still listen to Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Megadeath and other such bands. Every time I meet a self proclaimed metalhead, they scowl at those names. "That's soooo yesterday!". Sure, I love all the deadly black metal stuff but my love for some good old thrash and death metal doesn't make me a wuss, you know. Yes, someone actually said all that.

*cries*

On melodeath vs. melodic death metal... as far as I'm concerned, the former is an abbreviation as the latter. If you're assigning some meaning to an abbreviation you need to get treated for your compulsiveness with genres.

On another note, Iron Maiden is coming to Denver! (I'm in Boulder, CO) I'm going to be going!

by **Amie** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 1:55 am UTC

hawkmp4 wrote:
Amie wrote:I just finished reading every single post on this thread and I'm so happy people still listen to Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Megadeath and other such bands. Every time I meet a self proclaimed metalhead, they scowl at those names. "That's soooo yesterday!". Sure, I love all the deadly black metal stuff but my love for some good old thrash and death metal doesn't make me a wuss, you know. Yes, someone actually said all that.

*cries*

On melodeath vs. melodic death metal... as far as I'm concerned, the former is an abbreviation as the latter. If you're assigning some meaning to an abbreviation you need to get treated for your compulsiveness with genres.

On another note, Iron Maiden is coming to Denver! (I'm in Boulder, CO) I'm going to be going!

Butbut... I iz not genre snob

I was talking about others who like labels. Me, I hate them with a fiery passion.

Oh and you're going to see Maiden?! Wow, I'm jealous. I've only seen Iron Maiden and Opeth live and I can't tell you how it is to watch Maiden weave their magic upon you.
/still jealous.

by **Cathode Ray Sunshine** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 2:28 am UTC

He means that it's Megadeth.

by **hawkmp4** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 6:23 am UTC

Cathode Ray Sunshine wrote:He means that it's Megadeth.

This. Sorry for the confusion. I didn't mean that anyone here was a genre-snob. The 'you' would've been better expressed as 'one.'
Yeah, misspelling Megadeth is a pet peeve of mine...almost as bad as misspelling my name as Micheal. It just looks wrong.
I'm weird. Shhhhh.

Maiden is what got me into metal. Steve Harris is what got me into playing metal on bass. I'm so excited! I was really worried that I wasn't going to get a chance to see them before they hung it up.

by **Amie** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 6:56 am UTC

My bad, thanks

I hate it too when someone misspells Dethklok so I totally understand. Yes, I got hooked on to metal because of Maiden and Metallica. The first "metal" song I heard, however, was 'Where dragons rule' by Dragonforce. Sorta embarrassing for me because I do NOT like that band.

by **Reborn** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 8:53 am UTC

I just bought a ticket for Sonisphere Festival in Turkey. Lineup is amazing. It never happened in Turkey before and i doubt it'll ever happen again. 25-27 June:
MASTODON - "Metallica - Megadeth - Slayer - Anthrax" - HEAVEN AND HELL - Rammstein - FUCKING MANOWAR MANOWAR MANOWAR FUCKING MANOWAR - Alice in Chains and others. VALHALLA I'M COMING!

by **Buddha with a bra on** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:23 am UTC

I hate you on virtue of your awesome ticket.

Metallica are still one of my favourite bands ever. Love their stuff and ain't no-one gonna take that from me.

Maiden at Download 2007 - different gravy. Far beyond awesome.

Would like to see Opeth live again. Also love the Opeth.

Would love to see Emperor live, but I don't actually know if they're still reformed or not. I'm guessing not, sadly.

by **Amie** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 12:53 pm UTC

Reborn. Yes. Yes you are.

Those are my favourite bands too. I'd kill to go to a Metallica concert. I have been listening to them for about 14 years now. They still haven't ceased to amaze me.

by **hawkmp4** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 4:19 pm UTC

Metallica made some good music, imho. Before the Black Album. But their wholesale style change after that and their attitude has really turned me off to them recently.
Which is why I'm really excited for my Megadeth-Slayer-Testament concert, hell yeah!

by **Amie** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 5:17 pm UTC

Hawk, Metallica was always about experimenting. I mean have you SEEN these guys? They're flippin' crazy! I admit that I like their older songs way more than the new ones but a few songs from Death Magnetic were really good.

by **hawkmp4** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:59 am UTC

Amie wrote:Hawk, Metallica was always about experimenting. I mean have you SEEN these guys? They're flippin' crazy! I admit that I like their older songs way more than the new ones but a few songs from Death Magnetic were really good.

Bands like Rush and The Police experiment.
Bands like Metallica sell out.

by **Amie** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 2:59 am UTC

As much as I love Rush, I still love Metallica. Sell out? It took these guys the making of 5 (or maybe 6, I forget) albums before they realized that they didn't have a song video!! They're still a bunch of talented musicians who still make good music. I don't think they've sold out. But that's just me.

by **novax6** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:07 am UTC

I don't know if I would exactly call Metallica experimental. Death Magnetic isn't terrible, but it's not that good either I thought it, was entirely forgettable, overshadowed by numerous other albums. At least that's how it felt for me.

oh and as far as them being sellouts, don't forget about them and Napster.

Annnnyways,
anyone listened to the new Orphaned Land album? Really pretty great.
2010 is already kicking ass, plenty of excellent albums so far this year.

by **hawkmp4** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:18 am UTC

Amie wrote:As much as I love Rush, I still love Metallica. Sell out? It took these guys the making of 5 (or maybe 6, I forget) albums before they realized that they didn't have a song video!! They're still a bunch of talented musicians who still make good music. I don't think they've sold out. But that's just me.

It's not about whether you like Rush or Metallica more. Experimental is an objective measurement.
Five? Six?
How about the video for One, off of ...AJFA which was their fourth album. I don't see how that's an argument against the claim that they've sold out. Regardless...how about Load and Reload? A former thrash band playing loud country for the record sales constitutes selling out to me.
EDIT:
Continuing on 2010's albums...anyone heard Ironbound - Overkill? I'm frankly impressed. East coast thrash isn't really my thing usually but I really like the album. My favorite of theirs since Horrorscope.

by **Amie** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 5:13 am UTC

4th album, sorry. Thing is, they've always maintained their principal of performing live. Until they had their 4th studio album they didn't even have a music video. You can't not change after years of making music. They still sell a million copies and that itself is proof of them being awesome.

Novax, they sued napster, yes they did. A lot of artists did. I agree they fucked it up. I just don't like to think they're sellouts.

Maybe I am being extremely biased. In fact, I know I am. I think that's something that happens to you after you grow up listening to one band for years.

2010 - I can't wait to hear Maiden's 'The Final Frontier' and Drowning Pool's self titled album this year.

by **Reborn** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:43 am UTC

I've listened ORWarriOR and Ironbound and love them. In the song Ironbound the "ALL MY FRIENDS ARE..." part is amazing. And I've listened to Dark Tran - We are the Void and Dark Fortress - Ylem. Dark Tran's album is beautiful and if you haven't listened to Dark Fortress now is the time. I think that's my favourite album from them.

by **Buddha with a bra on** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:55 am UTC

Whether Metallica sold out or not, I happen to like Load/Reload, so I'm not about to criticise them for whatever on thst front.

by **novax6** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:30 pm UTC

Reborn wrote:I've listened ORWarriOR and Ironbound and love them. In the song Ironbound the "ALL MY FRIENDS ARE..." part is amazing.

Definitely. That Overkill is very very good. Huge surprise for me.
Also pretty good is the new Kalmah album, better then the last one no doubt.

by **Dream** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:17 am UTC

Young'ins from the UK, pay attention.

by **Clumpy** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:41 am UTC

novax6 wrote:I don't know if I would exactly call Metallica experimental. Death Magnetic isn't terrible, but it's not that good either I thought it, was entirely forgettable, overshadowed by numerous other albums. At least that's how it felt for me.

Honestly Metallica sounds tired and blah, their biggest sin in my mind is what you said - forgettable. I had to force myself to get into Death Magnetic (and we're talking the Guitar Hero mix, not the overmixed album version), before I finally realized that there was nothing behind the curtain. The drummer doesn't play any unique rhythms, the songs don't progress (listen to "For Whom the Bell Tolls" again), it just sounds flat and has no bite or danger to it. But their first five albums (and really their first three in particular) are good enough for them to ride on.

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