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[Flynn]

Pretty most of the music threads on GAF blow, especially ones about mainstream music. They invariably end up being mudslinging threads about which shitty, trite, watered-down mainstream act is slightly less shitty than the other. Indie GAF's usually worse.

I don't know. The What Are You Listening Too? threads used to be pretty great. People would just post album covers without dissing to many others' choices.

Hip-hop gaf on the other hand is full of meanies.

 

[Esch]

Pretty most of the music threads on GAF blow, especially ones about mainstream music. They invariably end up being mudslinging threads about which shitty, trite, watered-down mainstream act is slightly less shitty than the other. Indie GAF's usually worse.

I have to agree, it's pretty bad. But then again, I find it equally embarassing when people in this thread are reccing me....Opeth.

:lol

EDIT: The pitchfork/hipster crowd here is pretty fucking annoying, definitely worse than any perceived hip-hop elitism. At least the hip-hop "elitists" are pretty reasonable, and have respectable opinions by and large.

 

[Phobophile]

I don't know. The What Are You Listening Too? threads used to be pretty great. People would just post album covers without dissing to many others' choices.

Hip-hop gaf on the other hand is full of meanies.

Yeah those aren't bad since everyone's just putting down pictures and not really discussing anything at all.

 

[Flynn]

I guess with the hip-hop heads I get kind of tired of hating on backpackers, backpackers hating on mainstream stuff, people hating the next big thing, people saying the new mixtape was shit compared to that old mixtape, etc.

Same thing everywhere.

 

[Esch]

I guess with the hip-hop heads I get kind of tired of hating on backpackers, backpackers hating on mainstream stuff, people hating the next big thing, people saying the new mixtape was shit compared to that old mixtape, etc.

Same thing everywhere.

I've never quite understood this whole "backpacker" notion. What does this entail? What kind of artists are "backpacker rap"? Are you a "backpacker" if you dislike most mainstream hip-hop(which I do)?

 

[Flynn]

I've never quite understood this whole "backpacker" notion. What does this entail? What kind of artists are "backpacker rap"? Are you a "backpacker" if you dislike most mainstream hip-hop(which I do)?

That's the long and short of it. Backpackers are the white college students who only like conscious, underground hip hop like the stuff on Rhymesayers, Anticon, etc.

 

[Esch]

That's the long and short of it. Backpackers are the white college students who only like conscious, underground hip hop like the stuff on Rhymesayers, Anticon, etc.

I mean, I can see how this is counter to the spirit of hip hop in a lot of ways, but Rhymesayers has some pretty good stuff.

 

[Phobophile]

That's the long and short of it. Backpackers are the white college students who only like conscious, underground hip hop like the stuff on Rhymesayers, Anticon, etc.

See, that's fucking bullshit. I hate when people bring ideologies into music. This is no better than grim, kvlt black metal fans bitching on anything that's not orthodox/Satanic/raw.

 

[DieNgamers]

Elitists are a pain in the ass on every site but on GAF they at least try to be polite. ;D That said, there are always elitists that are more elitist than other elitists, if that makes sense. :lol Once in a (now closed) forum I saw a thread with people who only listened to some selected death or black metal bands from a very small and unknown label. I don't know if he was serious but one of them actually only listenend to one single band and wrote huge paragraphs on why they are musically better than everything else, more trve than all the others, etc. Funny stuff.

 

[Esch]

See, that's fucking bullshit. I hate when people bring ideologies into music. This is no better than grim, kvlt black metal fans bitching on anything that's not orthodox/Satanic/raw.

But ideology is fundamentally intertwined with music.

 

[Flynn]

But ideology is fundamentally intertwined with music.

You raise a good point. And I found, when I was younger, that I felt more need to find some kind of ideology attached to the music. I think there's value there. It helps us feel part of a tribe or group, when that kind of stuff has been lost in culture -- especially if you're not religious or don't feel an close connection with your heritage.

As I've gotten older though I've found myself more interested in being a musical omnivore -- sampling as broadly as possible from music, and doing my best not to write off whole genres or movements without at least trying to see where the appeal is.

Metal is benefactor of this new approach. I was really into metal when I was a teenager, then sort of burnt out of it for a time. I feel like I missed out on the late '90s and early '00s of metal because I decided (stupidly) that the entire genre was beneath my notice.

 

[Esch]

You raise a good point. And I found, when I was younger, that I felt more need to find some kind of ideology attached to the music. I think there's value there. It helps us feel part of a tribe or group, when that kind of stuff has been lost in culture -- especially if you're not religious or don't feel an close connection with your heritage.

As I've gotten older though I've found myself more interested in being a musical omnivore -- sampling as broadly as possible from music, and doing my best not to write off whole genres or movements without at least trying to see where the appeal is.

Metal is benefactor of this new approach. I was really into metal when I was a teenager, then sort of burnt out of it for a time. I feel like I missed out on the late '90s and early '00s of metal because I decided (stupidly) that the entire genre was beneath my notice.

I don't think that ideology is important in music for the sake of establishing culture or whatever- I think it's important for simply making a statement. I think it's what separates art from entertainment. Metal is overtly ideological(say what you want about the varying ideologies), so much of the aesthetic and composition of the music is derived from that background philosophy and ideology.

You and I are the opposite in some regards I think. I started out trying to listen to everything, to enjoy all music and by doing so, reaching understanding of everyone. But nowadays, I'm more critical. I'm not saying that I'm not openminded, but I've become a lot more picky about what I want to listen to.

 

[Flynn]

I don't think that ideology is important in music for the sake of establishing culture or whatever- I think it's important for simply making a statement. I think it's what separates art from entertainment. Metal is overtly ideological(say what you want about the varying ideologies), so much of the aesthetic and composition of the music is derived from that background philosophy and ideology.

You and I are the opposite in some regards I think. I started out trying to listen to everything, to enjoy all music and by doing so, reaching understanding of everyone. But nowadays, I'm more critical. I'm not saying that I'm not openminded, but I've become a lot more picky about what I want to listen to.

Oh, believe me. I'm still crazy picky. I'm just broadening my search for great music rather than saying, if its not on WARP I'm not interested. I feel like I spent too much of my 20s poking my nose into the crevices of music and ignoring great stuff that was right in my face -- like, say, Jay-Z.

On the ideology tip, I think statements are fine, but I don't think they're the sole reason people find really idealogical music so appealing. People like saying things, sure, but I think they also like belonging.

EDIT: Also, I'd argue that ideology isn't truly "fundamentally" tied to music. The only thing you can really argue that is fundamentally (meaning inextricalbly connected at the roots) tied to music is dance.

 

[DieNgamers]

I don't think that ideology is important in music for the sake of establishing culture or whatever- I think it's important for simply making a statement. I think it's what separates art from entertainment. Metal is overtly ideological(say what you want about the varying ideologies), so much of the aesthetic and composition of the music is derived from that background philosophy and ideology.

Regarding making a statement: how do you see that ideology? I'm just interested, because imo there is no real uniform metal ideology. I know people who take it really seriously and have a totally different view than me and my friends...which more or less is having fun, listening loud, playing loud and letting everything out. Overall a very positive attitude, not about being true or serious or anything.

 

[Phobophile]

But ideology is fundamentally intertwined with music.

I can agree with that in saying that the music is the means of statement. But saying a genre or style of music is defined by an ideology--I don't think that's been true since music has gone to the populace and is no longer ecclesiastical or religious.

 

[Esch]

Oh, believe me. I'm still crazy picky. I'm just broadening my search for great music rather than saying, if its not on WARP I'm not interested. I feel like I spent too much of my 20s poking my nose into the crevices of music and ignoring great stuff that was right in my face -- like, say, Jay-Z.

On the ideology tip, I think statements are fine, but I don't think they're the sole reason people find really idealogical music so appealing. People like saying things, sure, but I think they also like belonging.

I think it depends on the person. As a listener, you're the sole digester of what's being said. Part of being a "poser" and "hipster" in metal is making or supporting music that for all intents and purposes is metal in imagery(dimmu, CoF, etc), but with none of the "true" ideological and compositional quality of the music. I think there's some merit to making a distinction between metal that is compositionally and ideologically aware and the rest of the crap out there. It's just that people take it way too far, and worst of all they do it without realizing why they're making said distinctions. The hivemind mentality certainly exists among some of the "true", and I think it leads to a lot of error in judgement of some bands and albums.

 

[Esch]

I can agree with that in saying that the music is the means of statement. But saying a genre or style of music is defined by an ideology--I don't think that's been true since music has gone to the populace and is no longer ecclesiastical or religious.

Maybe it isn't as defined in most modern music, but the Metal community certainly has exhibited a unified set of beliefs and ideologies. At the very least you can identify underlying common ideas between key artists in the genre.

 

[Phobophile]

Maybe it isn't as defined in most modern music, but the Metal community certainly has exhibited a unified set of beliefs and ideologies. At the very least you can identify underlying common ideas between key artists in the genre.

It hasn't been as prominent since second-wave black metal. Thrash metal was often heavily political, a throwback to its hardcore punk roots, but plenty of bands were able to thrash their asses off without going FUCK CAPITALISM. It's really not until 2nd wave BM that this modern kvlt bullshit comes up and it's seriously only been prevalent on the Internet. It's such a self-satire of a farce that no one really knows how seriously it took itself; I'm wagering that at least half of Les Legions Noires were in on the joke, leaving dudes like Vlad Tepes out of it.

I haven't discussed much metal outside of the Internet since it's the easiest means of communication for the underground. It must have been hell swapping tapes in the 80s and 90s and frankly I'm glad for mp3s for introducing me to this music. But of the dudes I've talked to about metal, they've been in their mid-30s and older (including dudes from DM band Cardiac Arrest); dudes who've grown up with this and they really just don't care about this kvlt shit and just want to play some fucking metal.

Sure there's a connecting theme of imagery within genres, such as gore/horror lyrics in death metal and fantasy in power metal, but it's not an ideology; they're not advocating these, if anything it's just a cliché they've latched onto.

 

[Flynn]

I think iconography, something that metal deals heavily in, can easily get confused with ideology. Isn't that problem with punk. Early on the uniform of the punk was a sure sign you'd met someone with shared beliefs. Now a leather jacket and funny hair color means only that they have access to Hot Topic.

 

[Ceres]

I think iconography, something that metal deals heavily in, can easily get confused with ideology. Isn't that problem with punk. Early on the uniform of the punk was a sure sign you'd met someone with shared beliefs. Now a leather jacket and funny hair color means only that they have access to Hot Topic.

That reminded me of this song.

 

[Phobophile]

That reminded me of this song.

Confusing Glen Danzig with Trent Reznor? That's absurd. I'm sure there's about two feet of difference in height between them.

 

[Flynn]

I hadn't realized it was already time for Queensryche fans to say, "get off my lawn."

It's later than I thought.

 

[Phobophile]

Apparently just leaked.

 

[NameGenerated]

I got it in the mail 3 days ago. I've only listened to it once though. It's good, but not Hazardous Mutation good. If you like MW you'll probably like it.

Video for "Wrong Answer"

 

[funkmastergeneral]

I like metal but have no idea what you guys are blathering about in this thread

 

[Phobophile]

I got it in the mail 3 days ago. I've only listened to it once though. It's good, but not Hazardous Mutation good. If you like MW you'll probably like it.

Video for "Wrong Answer"

Is it as watered-down and "accessible" as that teaser track that was released a while back?

 

[NameGenerated]

Wrong Answer was the teaser track they posted. They put up another track, Divine Blasphemer, on myspace here.

What exactly do you mean by "watered down" and "accessible"?

 

[Manus]

God, I wanna see Dethklok with Mastodon so bad.

 

[Phobophile]

Wrong Answer was the teaser track they posted. They put up another track, Divine Blasphemer, on myspace here.

What exactly do you mean by "watered down" and "accessible"?

It was just so completely bland. Their least punky/thrashy song I've heard yet.

 

[Esch]

It hasn't been as prominent since second-wave black metal. Thrash metal was often heavily political, a throwback to its hardcore punk roots, but plenty of bands were able to thrash their asses off without going FUCK CAPITALISM. It's really not until 2nd wave BM that this modern kvlt bullshit comes up and it's seriously only been prevalent on the Internet. It's such a self-satire of a farce that no one really knows how seriously it took itself; I'm wagering that at least half of Les Legions Noires were in on the joke, leaving dudes like Vlad Tepes out of it.

I haven't discussed much metal outside of the Internet since it's the easiest means of communication for the underground. It must have been hell swapping tapes in the 80s and 90s and frankly I'm glad for mp3s for introducing me to this music. But of the dudes I've talked to about metal, they've been in their mid-30s and older (including dudes from DM band Cardiac Arrest); dudes who've grown up with this and they really just don't care about this kvlt shit and just want to play some fucking metal.

Sure there's a connecting theme of imagery within genres, such as gore/horror lyrics in death metal and fantasy in power metal, but it's not an ideology; they're not
advocating these, if anything it's just a cliché they've latched onto.

I'll certainly agree that some metal is more idea-centric than others, but I think you're selling death metal short from an ideological standpoint. It's not just about gore and zombies and CRUSH THE HOLY PRIEST.

I think that metal nowadays isn't nearly as philosophically and politically motivated as well, but to me that seems to be a symptom of metal being directionless from a musical perspective as of late.

 

[evilpigking]

So having just nabbed my $5 amazon mp3 credit from that other thread, I noticed one of the albums in the 50 for $5 was the latest from Wolves in the Throne Room (thanks wiki) any opinions on the cd or band in general? I guess I can youtube em.

 

[Phobophile]

Candlemass - "Bewitched"

Fucking amazing song. Fucking LOL music video.

 

[PrinceAdam]

Hell Yeah Candlemass!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnFJ...86FA9636&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=64
At the gallows end

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWNS_cBNpeY&feature=related
Samaritan

 

[Giant Robot]

Apparently just leaked.

heard it last night on the radio. Garbage. I'm sick of this 2nd wave of RETRO thrash and the revival of Ed Repka album art. Municipal Waste went downhill fast after Hazardous Mutation. I admire their spirit though.

 

[Phobophile]

Pretty most of the music threads on GAF blow, especially ones about mainstream music. They invariably end up being mudslinging threads about which shitty, trite, watered-down mainstream act is slightly less shitty than the other. Indie GAF's usually worse.

BAM.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=372610

 

[El_Victor]

Candlemass - "Bewitched"

Fucking amazing song. Fucking LOL music video.

I'm going to see Candlemass (with Angelwitch and Trouble) next month, the fat monk will be missed but Rob Lowe is doing a great job too.

Love this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6WmOKw8iO4

 

[Korranator]

Haven't seen these two posted thought I'd share:

Obscura - Cosmogenesis

I generally don't go for the tech metal stuff but this one is catchy and I love the fretless bass. Unlike other tech metal bands that bore the listener with the same complex riffs, they change things up and actually slow things down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mesr2siegRg

Ted Maul - White Label

I love the industrial/Metal mix. I gives them a very unique sound that's refreshing to hear.

http://www.myspace.com/tedmaul666

 

[sazabirules]

If anyone wants to hear or likes Meshuggah, their Obzen album is $1.99 on Amazon mp3 for today. I like the album but its their only release I know. Check it out.

Here

 

[Parallax Scroll]

Man, I just heard E.P.M, one of the bonus tracks from Dragonforce's Ultra Beatdown. The intro is pretty awesome, it has this video game kind of sound to it. Then after about 30 seconds the song just abandons that intro and is pretty disappointing for the remaining 6 or so minutes. They don't even sound like Dragonforce for most of the song. They sound more like, say, Symphony X.

 

[Esch]

Anyone here into maudlin of the Well?

 

[fistfulofmetal]

They don't even sound like Dragonforce for most of the song. They sound more like, say, Symphony X.

uh... how is that a complaint.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

uh... how is that a complaint.

lol, cause if you listen to a lot of dragonforce you get really used to them sounding a certain way. Maybe it'll grow on me.

 

[vatstep]

Anyone here into maudlin of the Well?

Probably my all-time favorite band. Been listening to them lots again since Part the Second came out... I've actually come to appreciate My Fruit Psychobells a lot more than I used to. "The Ocean, the Kingdom, and the Temptation" is probably my favorite motW song after "Birth Pains of Astral Projection" — it's one of a few songs that really captures all aspects of their sound.

 

[Alivor]

Winds of Plague recently released a new album (The Great Stone War). It's pretty awesome, they're definitely one of my favorite bands.

 

[Pyke Presco]

Looking through most of the posts over the last couple of pages, I realize that I am not nearly as informed when it comes to modern day metal bands as the rest of you so I'm turning to you guys for advice.

I know their sound is slightly softer than alot of the names kicking around here, but I absolutely love Dreamtheater's last 4 albums or so, when they shifted away from prog-rock and became more of a prog-metal outfit. I was recommended Opeth as a similar style group and while I can hear exactly what was meant by this recommendation, I really don't enjoy the harsh guttural vocals that come up from time to time. When it's just the instrumentals or if the vocalist is using his clean voice, I thoroughly enjoy the album I picked up(Ghost Reveries). I read that one of their albums completely foregoes any use of the harsh vocals and only focuses on the clean sound, so I'll probably grab that fairly soon, but I need other recommendations.

So what say you Metal-GAF? What would be a good band for me to try out, a prog-metal style with cleaner vocals like Dreamtheater or (soft)Opeth? I asked for recommendations in the "What are you listening to August 09" but that thread doesnt really involve discussion and I think my question was overlooked.

 

[Sandman42]

Looking through most of the posts over the last couple of pages, I realize that I am not nearly as informed when it comes to modern day metal bands as the rest of you so I'm turning to you guys for advice.

I know their sound is slightly softer than alot of the names kicking around here, but I absolutely love Dreamtheater's last 4 albums or so, when they shifted away from prog-rock and became more of a prog-metal outfit. I was recommended Opeth as a similar style group and while I can hear exactly what was meant by this recommendation, I really don't enjoy the harsh guttural vocals that come up from time to time. When it's just the instrumentals or if the vocalist is using his clean voice, I thoroughly enjoy the album I picked up(Ghost Reveries). I read that one of their albums completely foregoes any use of the harsh vocals and only focuses on the clean sound, so I'll probably grab that fairly soon, but I need other recommendations.

So what say you Metal-GAF? What would be a good band for me to try out, a prog-metal style with cleaner vocals like Dreamtheater or (soft)Opeth? I asked for recommendations in the "What are you listening to August 09" but that thread doesnt really involve discussion and I think my question was overlooked.

check your PM's.

 

[sazabirules]

Looking through most of the posts over the last couple of pages, I realize that I am not nearly as informed when it comes to modern day metal bands as the rest of you so I'm turning to you guys for advice.

I know their sound is slightly softer than alot of the names kicking around here, but I absolutely love Dreamtheater's last 4 albums or so, when they shifted away from prog-rock and became more of a prog-metal outfit. I was recommended Opeth as a similar style group and while I can hear exactly what was meant by this recommendation, I really don't enjoy the harsh guttural vocals that come up from time to time. When it's just the instrumentals or if the vocalist is using his clean voice, I thoroughly enjoy the album I picked up(Ghost Reveries). I read that one of their albums completely foregoes any use of the harsh vocals and only focuses on the clean sound, so I'll probably grab that fairly soon, but I need other recommendations.

So what say you Metal-GAF? What would be a good band for me to try out, a prog-metal style with cleaner vocals like Dreamtheater or (soft)Opeth? I asked for recommendations in the "What are you listening to August 09" but that thread doesnt really involve discussion and I think my question was overlooked.

Check out Seventh Wonder. They're amazing progressive stuff. Waiting In The Wings or Mercy Falls are the best albums.

 

[Esch]

Probably my all-time favorite band. Been listening to them lots again since Part the Second came out... I've actually come to appreciate My Fruit Psychobells a lot more than I used to. "The Ocean, the Kingdom, and the Temptation" is probably my favorite motW song after "Birth Pains of Astral Projection" — it's one of a few songs that really captures all aspects of their sound.

Totally agree, stuff like Blight of River-Systems, Ferocious Weights, Sea Sleep and Dreaming Shrines make it a stellar album now. I'm not quite sure what album I like best now. Admittedly if i had to i'd say that i like LYBM a little less. Part the Second was great as well.

 

[Rektash]

Looking through most of the posts over the last couple of pages, I realize that I am not nearly as informed when it comes to modern day metal bands as the rest of you so I'm turning to you guys for advice.

I know their sound is slightly softer than alot of the names kicking around here, but I absolutely love Dreamtheater's last 4 albums or so, when they shifted away from prog-rock and became more of a prog-metal outfit. I was recommended Opeth as a similar style group and while I can hear exactly what was meant by this recommendation, I really don't enjoy the harsh guttural vocals that come up from time to time. When it's just the instrumentals or if the vocalist is using his clean voice, I thoroughly enjoy the album I picked up(Ghost Reveries). I read that one of their albums completely foregoes any use of the harsh vocals and only focuses on the clean sound, so I'll probably grab that fairly soon, but I need other recommendations.

So what say you Metal-GAF? What would be a good band for me to try out, a prog-metal style with cleaner vocals like Dreamtheater or (soft)Opeth? I asked for recommendations in the "What are you listening to August 09" but that thread doesnt really involve discussion and I think my question was overlooked.

Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight #1

Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight #2

Buy it NAO!

Best Songwriting progmetal has seen to date. No annoying solo escapades, just great songs.

 

[Pyke Presco]

Rektash, opening minute of that song was enough to convince me to grab some Vanden Plas. The vocalist doesnt seem all that great to me, but I disliked Dreamtheater's vocalist at the start as well, so I'm sure it'll grow on me. Will grab "Beyond Daylight" on your recommendation, and if I like what I hear I'll go deeper into their catalogue.

Sazabirules, much the same. Seventh wonder seems to be right up my alley, great suggestion as well. "Welcome to Mercy Falls" was the first track I checked out and it is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for, will check out both of your recommendations, "Waiting in the Wings" and "Mercy Falls".

Sandman42, definitely liking Symphony X, Pain of Salvation and Ayreon's "The Human Equation". Unsure if I will like the constantly changing guest vocalists (that's one thing I don't like about the group Apocalyptica, some of their guest vocalists are excellent but others just ruin it), but I'll scope a couple albums out on youtube and see if any of his other stuff will work for me. Porcupine Tree I haven't yet found anything that jumps out at me, but they're ok I guess. If you could recommend an album or two that you prefer, Ill look at them more thoroughly, but my blind search hasnt led me to anything that makes me want to look into this group. Ill pick up all of your other recommendations though, Symphony X's "Odyssey" and "Paradise Lost", Ayreon's "The Human Equation" and Pain Of Salvation's "Remedy Lane" and "The Perfect Element Part 1".

Thanks to all three of you guys for your input and recommendations, but damn you for throwing so much good stuff out at once. It'll hurt the wallet, but at least I'll have some great new stuff to listen to. Any other suggestions would be great, you guys are certainly delivering so far.