Everything Louder Than Everything Else!!!! The Metal Thread

FireGuy · « **Reply #760 on:** 27 Jan 2018, 05:25 pm »

JoshK - could not muster up a few tickets for 70,000 tons for 2018. We were on the bottom of the pecking order and since this mega event is so treasured and in super high demand, we got smoked. I think the web had GP up for any 1/2 hour and that was all she wrote.

However, got booked on Monsters of Rock.

80's 90's vibe and there is some damn good music to be had. Lita Ford, Doro, QUEENSRŸCHE, Telsa and Great White are (IMO) doing the headlining duties.

I think once the event gets in gear we're golden. It's about the music, atmosphere, meet & greets, tattoos and the opportunity to be with metal people... of which will be as happy as hell

Sail date is Feb 11 out of Miami. Pre-party (concert) two nights before the sail ta boot. No charge to booked passengers.

Will do a review post when back in port.

http://monstersofrockcruise.com/the-bands/

JoshK · « **Reply #761 on:** 28 Jan 2018, 12:44 am »

Enjoy the MOR cruise. Not really my cup of tea, but sounds like fun. BTW, my best of 2017 list copy/paste from another forum (metal-fi.com).

Ok, I guess I am going to do this the wrong way, and list my top 8 first. They were the easier picks. The next 8-16 I can't seem to order in any sensible way yet, more listening is in order for me.

My list is non-kvlt. I spent a good portion of the year listening to a lot of old starwalts that I never gave a listen to before (Obituary, Sepultura, Decapitated, Morbid Angel, etc). Maybe if I knew a lot more of the classics I would have a better frame of reference from which to judge, but who gives a fuck really? I like what I like. I like progressiveness if it isn’t wankery. I like melody if it is coupled with some hard hitting elements as well. I like technicality if it isn’t in lieu of good song-writing. I also really like a good riff and a groove that catches you.

I have a hard time ranking in an absolute sense albums, particularly if they are very different styles. My list is a bit more clusters. The top cluster (8 listed here) represents albums that I really loved and played many times and see myself playing them many times again. The next cluster is albums I really liked but maybe haven’t given enough time to in order to have a sense whether they should be higher up or lower down the list. I might have bought them recently or maybe just didn’t get around to listening a lot.

Hegemon :Initium Belli –Credit goes to Hungus for this tasty piece of black metal. It might rank higher if it wasn’t for I’ve only had a few spins of it. I’m in a busy time of the year for work, so haven’t had enough time.

7) Havukruunu :Kelle Surut Soi –Others have mentioned that this album isn’t as good as Havulinnaan, and I might agree, but I still played the absolute shit out of this album. It is the kind of black metal that I like. I am not really into a ton of black metal, but this hits home for me.

6) Venenum :Trance of Death –This album just has me banging my head. It rocks. It has crunch. It keeps my interest. It was the standard death metal album go-to this year for me.

5) Power Trip :Nightmare Logic –This one seems to be a bit contentious, so love it, some don’t get it. I was never much of a thrash fan growing up. I completely missed the crossover thrash era. This album is just fun, like serious crank it and rock the fuck out fun. That works for me.

4) Ordos :House of the Dead –This was from the very beginning of the year, but I listened to it a bunch of times. I don’t normally like doom, but this heavy doom (death doom?) is heavy hitting and doesn’t bore me like most doom. It’s my go-to in this style. I liked Khemmis from last year, and I like this a few times better.

3) Wormwood :Ghostlands –this one is melodic, which I like and has good influx of folk, which makes it more interesting to me than Aosoth’s album, even though I did like that later as well. Guess I am not a goat fucker yet.

2) Archspire : Relentless Mutation –ok, so I very much like the technical side of metal, especially death metal. One of my good friends here, big nerd like myself (him PhD in Engineering, me MSc in Applied Math) is a big fan of tech death. We have seen a few shows together including Beyond Creation. [btw, his tech-death pic is Sutrah – Dunes]. Archspire encompasses what I feel modern tech death should be and still retains an eye on the song as a whole before wanking off with the guitar (ala Origin, imho). Its high ranking reflex my current sensibilities that could change over time, but no apologies.

1) Aeternam :Ruins of Empires –I’m, an unapologetic MDM lover, but I admittedly have grown tired of a lot of the bands in the sub-genre. Too many mediocre bands. Too much blatant copying, often too little ‘death’ remains. Enter Aeternam from Quebec City, Quebec. Fact: the best rock and metal festivals in Canada are definitely in Quebec. Back to the show, these dudes are the embodiment of all the best things of MDM together with some really cool Middle Eastern influences. My girlfriend of 1.5yrs is Persian. She loved this band straight off the bat (she was a fan of Opeth before I met her, she now loves Gojira, Aeternam, Insomnium and a few others too). She pointed out the precise influence to me in a day of dissection of musical influences.

FireGuy · « **Reply #762 on:** 17 Feb 2018, 07:45 pm »

Quote from: FireGuy on 27 Jan 2018, 05:25 pm

JoshK - could not muster up a few tickets for 70,000 tons for 2018. We were on the bottom of the pecking order and since this mega event is so treasured and in super high demand, we got smoked. I think the web had GP up for any 1/2 hour and that was all she wrote.

However, got booked on Monsters of Rock. 80's 90's vibe and there is some damn good music to be had. Lita Ford, Doro, QUEENSRŸCHE, Telsa and Great White are (IMO) doing the headlining duties.

I think once the event gets in gear we're golden. It's about the music, atmosphere, meet & greets, tattoos and the opportunity to be with metal people... of which will be as happy as hell

Sail date is Feb 11 out of Miami. Pre-party (concert) two nights before the sail ta boot. No charge to booked passengers.

Will do a review post when back in port.

http://monstersofrockcruise.com/the-bands/

Well, it's over. Fantastic, once or twice-in-a-life time event. MOR 2018 was my first experience on a quality music cruise. I'll be posting way more info in a bit... need to clear my head, organize my thoughts and articulate the details.

Eddie Trunk (former host of That Metal Show) did a hell of job hosting and broadcasting (daily).

Other than Queensryche, surprise band on the trip was Pink Cream 69. Super engaging metal core group. Blew me away.

http://pinkcream69.de/

milford3 · « **Reply #763 on:** 17 Feb 2018, 08:31 pm »

FireGuy, I was on that cruise. Home now resting up. A once in a live time vacation and my first cruise. So many bands to mention. So many bands were outstanding... But my favorite artist was Lita Ford by far. She looks great and sounds better than ever.

http://www.litafordonline.com/

HAL · « **Reply #764 on:** 9 Mar 2018, 03:16 pm »

Just out today:

Judas Priest : Firepower

JoshK · « **Reply #765 on:** 10 Mar 2018, 03:47 am »

I am planning to cue that one up soon. I have been super connected with all the Judas Priest best to worst threads in the metal media, it has been fun. It's meant to be a ripper.

I am listening to the first ever Black Metal Album where I can say it was recording superbly, it retains the harsh/raw elements of the BM sound while having superb production, it isn't uber crushed in dynamics (the DR score). Major separation happens for me. One of the only times I've heard it like a good recording while I've adventuring into BM. I thought you guys might give it a go, you might actually really like it. It is one of the best SQ albums I found in BM.

https://war-anthem-records.bandcamp.com/album/fall-from-reality

JoshK · « **Reply #766 on:** 10 Mar 2018, 04:03 am »

Here is another great atmospheric blackish metal that is actually recorded well.
https://open.spotify.com/album/5OXrHU8mW9u5ojwDkypLAA?si=SHqYUtqoTgCmNNC8aISFCw

JoshK · « **Reply #767 on:** 10 Mar 2018, 04:45 am »

Quote from: HAL on 9 Mar 2018, 03:16 pm

Just out today:

Judas Priest : Firepower

It is pretty awesome.

HAL · « **Reply #768 on:** 10 Mar 2018, 01:18 pm »

Love it.

Know one of the engineers on the recording, so had been waiting on the release. They all sound great!

FireGuy · « **Reply #769 on:** 20 Mar 2018, 05:29 pm »

Found this today. Very rare indeed on first listen to be in consideration for my album of the year. Love these types of surprises. Excellent Tech Death Metal in all respects.

Rivers of Nihil "Where Owls Know My Name"

FireGuy · « **Reply #770 on:** 21 Aug 2018, 05:42 pm »

Came across this image recently. Rather cool I think.

Mag · « **Reply #771 on:** 27 Aug 2018, 09:59 am »

Listening to Stratovarios, Finnish Power Metal, is this considered Heavy Metal? I like it, hard and fast.

I have to wonder though at an estimated 300 beats per minute, at what point would it be easier to use a drum machine vs a real drummer?

Mag · « **Reply #772 on:** 27 Aug 2018, 10:04 am »

Quote from: JoshK on 10 Mar 2018, 04:45 am

Judas Priest : Firepower

It is pretty awesome.

Listened to it tonight. Better than the last album they released but I'm not excited about it. Can't put my finger on it but to me it has a more commercial than artistic sound to it.

Will be listening to it again perhaps my initial impression will change.

FireGuy · « **Reply #773 on:** 27 Aug 2018, 12:15 pm »

Quote from: Mag on 27 Aug 2018, 09:59 am

Listening to Stratovarios, Finnish Power Metal, is this considered Heavy Metal? I like it, hard and fast.

I have to wonder though at an estimated 300 beats per minute, at what point would it be easier to use a drum machine vs a real drummer?

Similarly, you may also like Hammerfall. Seen these guys in Cleveland along with Delain. Set list was tight and quite impressive. But Charlotte and Delain was even better. Sill buzzing about that concert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkmlujV-TvU

JoshK · « **Reply #774 on:** 11 Oct 2018, 05:11 am »

Ok, drudging up the past...musically I have moved far past the clean vocal proggy metal acts that originally got me hooked on extreme metal. I don't know where the metal thread went, so I'll start thing one again.

Some metal albums that I think anyone with an open mind should explore with maybe some notes:

Death - Sound of Perseverance (the best proggy death metal album of all time, the one that defined it...some might argue Atheist - Piece of Time, also killer, but this one is the essential for me)

Bolt Thrower - IV Crusade (they have multiples, but this is my choice)

Opeth - Blackwater Park

Batushka - Litourgiya (black metal of a different sort)

MGLA - Excercises in Futility

Deathspell Omega - Paracletus (not an easy album, its 'avantgarde' I guess)

Vektor - Terminal Redux

Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath

Necrophagist - Epitaph

Cattle Decapitation - Monolith of Inhumanity

Dissection - A Storm of Light's Bane

Entombed - Left Hand Path

Gojira - The Way of All Flesh

Strapping Young Lad - City

There in lies your listening homework for those that want to take part.

FireGuy · « **Reply #775 on:** 11 Oct 2018, 12:14 pm »

Quote from: JoshK on 11 Oct 2018, 05:11 am

Ok, drudging up the past...musically I have moved far past the clean vocal proggy metal acts that originally got me hooked on extreme metal. I don't know where the metal thread went, so I'll start thing one again.

Some metal albums that I think anyone with an open mind should explore with maybe some notes:

Death - Sound of Perseverance (the best proggy death metal album of all time, the one that defined it...some might argue Atheist - Piece of Time, also killer, but this one is the essential for me)

Bolt Thrower - IV Crusade (they have multiples, but this is my choice)

Opeth - Blackwater Park

Batushka - Litourgiya (black metal of a different sort)

MGLA - Excercises in Futility

Deathspell Omega - Paracletus (not an easy album, its 'avantgarde' I guess)

Vektor - Terminal Redux

Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath

Necrophagist - Epitaph

Cattle Decapitation - Monolith of Inhumanity

Dissection - A Storm of Light's Bane

Entombed - Left Hand Path

Gojira - The Way of All Flesh

Strapping Young Lad - City

There in lies your listening homework for those that want to take part.

Thanks JoshK. Nice list to work on.

I'll add for now Bloodred Hourglass. An excellent choice for MDM. Very impressive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpI3dXOYrww

JoshK · « **Reply #776 on:** 12 Nov 2018, 02:12 am »

ok, so I have another great suggestion for a metal album you might never otherwise come across but definitely worth a listen IMO.

White Ward - The Futility Report

This is what I guess they call post-Black metal. It includes some really cool Jazzy sax in it and comes off marrying the two extremely well. Some might call it metal-core (which I normally abhor) and they might be right, but this is still quite a bit different than most metal core and does borrow plenty from black, even if not outwardly obvious. Call it what you will, I call it addictive. I've been playing this album on high rotation for the past few months and also managed to listen to 100+ new metal releases at the same time, but come back again to this.

youtube link
https://youtu.be/OHH17DFL58I

spotify link
https://open.spotify.com/album/4Elh1BDe2G5VabPDxYhkdZ?si=3SDHXBjcQ7y7n_Zx6-kx_w

HAL · « **Reply #777 on:** 12 Nov 2018, 02:50 am »

Vomit Fist : Forgive But Avenge

https://vomitfist.bandcamp.com/album/forgive-but-avenge

FireGuy · « **Reply #778 on:** 9 Jan 2019, 08:18 pm »

I always look forward to "Metal Album of the Year" submissions by those in this thread.

With that said, what are your one, two or three MAOTY for 2018... best of

Love both of these:

YOB - Our Raw Heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VunIoLslYrE

And...

Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBoseBtsoWA

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #779 on:** 15 Jan 2019, 05:52 pm »

Quote from: JoshK on 28 Jan 2018, 12:44 am

2) Archspire : Relentless Mutation –ok, so I very much like the technical side of metal, especially death metal. One of my good friends here, big nerd like myself (him PhD in Engineering, me MSc in Applied Math) is a big fan of tech death. We have seen a few shows together including Beyond Creation. [btw, his tech-death pic is Sutrah – Dunes]. Archspire encompasses what I feel modern tech death should be and still retains an eye on the song as a whole before wanking off with the guitar (ala Origin, imho). Its high ranking reflex my current sensibilities that could change over time, but no apologies.

Just catching up on this thread and going over some past recs. Was very surprised to hear Mozart (Confutatis) quoted in this! And it actually worked quite well!