BlackDragon480Bluster KerfuffleMaster of Windy ImportRegistered Userregular
edited May 2022
First time hearing anything from these guys. Me likey.
Strong and consistent momentum from the bass and drums, couple of nice riffs and runs in the bridge, decent solo, and a somewhat raw/striped down production where you can tell AutoTune and ProTools were not used much/if at all. This especially show on the vocals as the singer goes a little sharp a few times, but it just gives the delivery character and totally fits the feel of the song.
I consider these types of bands to basically be metallic comfort food. While I greatly enjoy haute cuisine and the new hotness of Molecular gastronomy techniques, some times you just want a thick slab of meatloaf with some mashed potatoes and gravy.
BlackDragon480 on
No matter where you go...there you are. ~ Buckaroo Banzai
+2
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SteevLWhat can I do for you?Registered Userregular
I saw these guys live during my last month in L.A. when they opened for Unto Others (back when they were Idle Hands) and Haunt. They put on a pretty good show and I was impressed, but for whatever reason I didn't check out their albums until over a year later when the pandemic hit. I really like their last two albums, as well as the vocalist's collaboration with Haunt's Trevor William Church, Hysteria. Anyway, this song doesn't really push any boundaries. Their previous albums are NWOBHM worship, and it sounds like that's what this one will be too.
I dug that one too, a nice mix of trad and USPM, the vocals have a lot of character to them, like a mix of Russ from Forbidden and the Tyrant from Jag Panzer. The guitar melodies also great and the whole thing sounds mean and powerful.
Meanwhile, my girlfriend's vocal lesson with Einar Solberg of Leprous was today. Einar is one legitimately cool dude.
I was also not at all expecting that the song they'd use to practice with was 'let it go' from Frozen lol
Everything I've read and seen from Einar, he seems to just be an incredibly genuine guy that loves music and wants to share that passion with everyone.
As for the song, I can see it being a decent choice, not just because its culturally ubiquitous at.this point, but, due to doing a dive on it while helping a gal I work with who was learning to sing 5-6 years ago. (Short vocal wank talk):
The primary line covers 2 octaves. Depending on it you do the one from the middle of the movie it's in F Minor or the soundtrack/closing version is G#/Ab Major, both tricky keys to work in and has not just key but modal shifts in it. Plenty of things you can focus on and use to sharpen your overall control of the instrument.
Happy the b-day present was a hit.
And shit, Frozen has been out for nearly a decade, damn I'm old.
Yeah it was really neat hearing some of the things he's struggled with in his career as well. It was very humanizing in a way. For example he apparently got into his own head about the Price a few years back and ended up forgetting the lyrics every time he would play it live. So he was giving not only vocal advice but performance advice: methods on how to stay calm, not get carried away by excitement, etc.
It was also really validating for my girlfriend to hear Einar fucking Solberg tell her she sounded very good. But yeah, huge hit, and cemented him and Leprous in my mind as being one of my favs in the scene.
Interesting new week of stuff, the Black Void CD came out and I'm getting into that, quite a bit better than the initial sample track would have had me believe; also gotta check out Decapitated, Lord Belial, Artificial Brain, Ripspreader and new Baest EP.
UPDATE: And...damnit, this Decapitated album is easily the best thing they've done since 2006. Absolutely freaking furious death/groove metal with little spurts of their trademark technicality from the old days, and even some spaces where they get creative.
This is an excellent piece of journalism on the topic of artists with odious views.
Normally, on metal, it’s fairly simple - a band is blatantly racist/prejudiced or they truck in symbols associated with hate movements and refuse to clarify or renounce their position.
Pike is more complicated - his creative universe is a patchwork of “what-if” mythology. I don’t think he is anti-Semitic based on the interview - it more seems that after years of engaging with fringe ideas he’s internalized some of the hateful language unknowingly.
My hope is that the interview forces him to do some soul searching and find the line between what is creatively useful and what is anti-semitism. It’s always possible he goes the other way and hardens his positions as he’s definitely a contrarian.
+5
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SteevLWhat can I do for you?Registered Userregular
Currently at MDF in Baltimore. Got in what we thought was the wrong line, found the right one, found out that we were originally in the right line because we needed to get wristbands to enter. Now that original line is much longer. Womp Womp.
SteevLWhat can I do for you?Registered Userregular
Back home after day 1 of the Maryland Deathfest for me. I saw part if Atheist's set, all of Monstrosity, part of Suffocation, got some overpriced food, and found out that the last two bands were being moved to the partially indoor venue, Powerplant Live, due to some nasty incoming thunderstorms. We drove there and found the entrances to the venue blocked off, but a friend figured out a way in through some back hallways in a nearby bar. Obituary was playing. By the time they were done, we were all getting pretty tired. Vio-lence was up next, but our friends we met up with decided to call it a night. We stuck around with the hopes of seeing Carcass, but the venue seemed like it was being packed over capacity and a lot of people were smoking, so we made the tough decision to leave.
Apparently an attendee committed suicide by jumping off a parking garage above the Baltimore Soundstage earlier in the day.
SteevLWhat can I do for you?Registered Userregular
Wild twist: one of the friends we met up with yesterday tested positive for covid, so we're not seeing them today. They rode with us in my car for a while and of course none of us were wearing masks.
Anyway, we tested negative, but we'll see what the next week will bring. Headed back to Baltimore, going to see Novembers Doom among other bands.
SteevLWhat can I do for you?Registered Userregular
Saw Novembers Doom, Cancer, and part of Coroner today, but I left in the middle of Coroner's set because my wife and I were once again feeling the effect of second hand smoke inhalation. We also spent some of the time between bands looking through the merch & vendor areas. I bought myself a Novembers Doom MDF t-shirt, as well as a Sacramentum shirt. They had a few vendors selling music CDs as well, so I ended up leaving with these:
Armored Saint - Delirious Nomad Black Sabbath - Born Again Disharmonic Orchestra - Pleasuredome Pantera - Power Metal (heh) Rage - Trapped! (JP version) Voivod - Dimension Hatröss
My wife picked up some stuff too -- I think it was an Archspire CD or two, plus something from Carach Angren?
Anyway, the final day approaches. The must-see band for us is Hypocrisy. We're going to also try and catch Demilich and Immolation before them. There were originally plans to stick around for Deicide, but based on our history at this festival so far, we'll be too exhausted and dying from the smoke to stick around.
BlackDragon480Bluster KerfuffleMaster of Windy ImportRegistered Userregular
Definitely the weakest cut released so far, the choruses sound great, but the band doesn't really seem on the same page. After a couple of listens it almost feels like Hansi sketched out the song as a Demons and Wizards track, before Jon went full Oathkeeper dipshit and he decided to lay it down as a BG track.
No matter where you go...there you are. ~ Buckaroo Banzai
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SteevLWhat can I do for you?Registered Userregular
Just saw Demilich! While I have their album in digital form, I haven't listened to it much, but I really enjoyed watching them today. I'll probably give Nespithe another proper listen soon.
Chris from Autopsy in another band that...sometimes sounds like Autopsy. Pretty good stuff if you want meat & potatoes, grimy death with some punk-ish fervor.
SteevLWhat can I do for you?Registered Userregular
edited May 2022
Speaking of Autopsy, some [NSFW]wild stuff went down in the pit during their set at MDF on Saturday. We were already headed home that night by the time that was happening. Another fun thing that happened was Will Rahmer of Mortician apparently getting kicked out of one of the clubs on Friday due to fighting. No video of that, but there is video of him arguing with the security guard who kicked him out.
Last day of MDF was good, but goddamn it was hot. I don't know how people do 4 days of this -- even without the heat, it's exhausting. The last band we saw was Hypocrisy who were great as always. It was also funny spotting the guitarist and the vocalist for Seven Kingdoms walking around onstage before Hypocrisy's set -- apparently they're managing Hypocrisy's US tour.
Selfie and photohounds were tolerable, the guy that got to gropin should've got his ass kicked.
Oh sheesh, I must have closed the video right before that. What an idiot.
More importantly, I also didn't realize that this was likely the last Maryland Death Fest. Hopefully they'll start it back up in a couple years or something else will take the torch kind of like MDF did from the good old Milwaukee Metalfests and their New Jersey counterparts.
Ya'll have reminded me exactly why my preference for live shows is:
1) Small show
2) Listening to a studio recording at home and pretending it's live
3) Walking past an open air and catching some sounds incidentally
4) Air-guitaring to a live recording at home and pretending it's actually me performing
99) Big shows and festivals
Anyways. New Karl Sanders solo album coming in July. First one since 2009. Looking forward to it.
Honestly that Amon Amarth track isn't too bad, not their catchiest but if I'm in the mood for their style it will suffice.
Other stuff I forgot that's coming out soon...new Astronoid, Sergeant Thunderhoof and Druids.
Man, this band still hits the spot if you just want that warm, fulfilling harmonic blackgaze foundation but with the melodic shoegaze/pop vocals which remind me of Mew.
I have no idea what to make of this. Somewhere between Gojira and The Sword? That's wrong, I already know, but damn! I've got my eyes open on them, though, this was a really refreshing song. Kinda jangly, kinda chimey, kinda droney, kinda chuggy?
Well worth getting the new Temple of Void, I just got the CD for that one.
I'll try and remember to do a few orders on Bandcamp later, including this one. Digging this record a lot, it's very accessible and polished as far as stoner rock/doom, much moreso than their earlier albums, but I've been enjoying it, I think folks into QotSA and Orange Goblin would like.
Speaking of doom, the new Las Cruces is great, just TRAD American doom in that Hellhammer Records, a little Saint Vitus, Solitude Aeternus, etc; really well written, the cover art is straight outta 1998 though, and the music deserves better.
Posts
https://youtu.be/sN3_dRyT5Kw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AUqJnePbiw&ab_channel=DyingVictimsProductions
Strong and consistent momentum from the bass and drums, couple of nice riffs and runs in the bridge, decent solo, and a somewhat raw/striped down production where you can tell AutoTune and ProTools were not used much/if at all. This especially show on the vocals as the singer goes a little sharp a few times, but it just gives the delivery character and totally fits the feel of the song.
I consider these types of bands to basically be metallic comfort food. While I greatly enjoy haute cuisine and the new hotness of Molecular gastronomy techniques, some times you just want a thick slab of meatloaf with some mashed potatoes and gravy.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7vjEdMwbmA
I saw these guys live during my last month in L.A. when they opened for Unto Others (back when they were Idle Hands) and Haunt. They put on a pretty good show and I was impressed, but for whatever reason I didn't check out their albums until over a year later when the pandemic hit. I really like their last two albums, as well as the vocalist's collaboration with Haunt's Trevor William Church, Hysteria. Anyway, this song doesn't really push any boundaries. Their previous albums are NWOBHM worship, and it sounds like that's what this one will be too.
My Backloggery
https://youtu.be/qyE_9hrzS7s
https://youtu.be/Um-XRnoQC-Q
And more metal adjacent, but Master Boot Record's new album is also out.
https://youtu.be/uEFhoFwFQMw
Yeah it was really neat hearing some of the things he's struggled with in his career as well. It was very humanizing in a way. For example he apparently got into his own head about the Price a few years back and ended up forgetting the lyrics every time he would play it live. So he was giving not only vocal advice but performance advice: methods on how to stay calm, not get carried away by excitement, etc.
It was also really validating for my girlfriend to hear Einar fucking Solberg tell her she sounded very good. But yeah, huge hit, and cemented him and Leprous in my mind as being one of my favs in the scene.
UPDATE: And...damnit, this Decapitated album is easily the best thing they've done since 2006. Absolutely freaking furious death/groove metal with little spurts of their trademark technicality from the old days, and even some spaces where they get creative.
Ordered a physical copy from overseas off Bandcamp, not too pricey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIEKd_ynyx8&ab_channel=OdiumNostrum
This is an excellent piece of journalism on the topic of artists with odious views.
Normally, on metal, it’s fairly simple - a band is blatantly racist/prejudiced or they truck in symbols associated with hate movements and refuse to clarify or renounce their position.
Pike is more complicated - his creative universe is a patchwork of “what-if” mythology. I don’t think he is anti-Semitic based on the interview - it more seems that after years of engaging with fringe ideas he’s internalized some of the hateful language unknowingly.
My hope is that the interview forces him to do some soul searching and find the line between what is creatively useful and what is anti-semitism. It’s always possible he goes the other way and hardens his positions as he’s definitely a contrarian.
My Backloggery
Apparently an attendee committed suicide by jumping off a parking garage above the Baltimore Soundstage earlier in the day.
My Backloggery
Anyway, we tested negative, but we'll see what the next week will bring. Headed back to Baltimore, going to see Novembers Doom among other bands.
My Backloggery
The new Olhava might cure that if you enjoy flooding, emotional atmospheric black metal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55eUcHiDSg8&ab_channel=Olhava-Topic
Armored Saint - Delirious Nomad
Black Sabbath - Born Again
Disharmonic Orchestra - Pleasuredome
Pantera - Power Metal (heh)
Rage - Trapped! (JP version)
Voivod - Dimension Hatröss
My wife picked up some stuff too -- I think it was an Archspire CD or two, plus something from Carach Angren?
Anyway, the final day approaches. The must-see band for us is Hypocrisy. We're going to also try and catch Demilich and Immolation before them. There were originally plans to stick around for Deicide, but based on our history at this festival so far, we'll be too exhausted and dying from the smoke to stick around.
My Backloggery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCzE9LX8cgc&ab_channel=NuclearBlastRecords
~ Buckaroo Banzai
My Backloggery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdaHLq3QPGM&ab_channel=dodsmetall
Last day of MDF was good, but goddamn it was hot. I don't know how people do 4 days of this -- even without the heat, it's exhausting. The last band we saw was Hypocrisy who were great as always. It was also funny spotting the guitarist and the vocalist for Seven Kingdoms walking around onstage before Hypocrisy's set -- apparently they're managing Hypocrisy's US tour.
Anyway, hopefully we don't get covid.
My Backloggery
Sorry about that, fixed.
My Backloggery
Selfie and photohounds were tolerable, the guy that got to gropin should've got his ass kicked.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
Oh sheesh, I must have closed the video right before that. What an idiot.
More importantly, I also didn't realize that this was likely the last Maryland Death Fest. Hopefully they'll start it back up in a couple years or something else will take the torch kind of like MDF did from the good old Milwaukee Metalfests and their New Jersey counterparts.
1) Small show
2) Listening to a studio recording at home and pretending it's live
3) Walking past an open air and catching some sounds incidentally
4) Air-guitaring to a live recording at home and pretending it's actually me performing
99) Big shows and festivals
Anyways. New Karl Sanders solo album coming in July. First one since 2009. Looking forward to it.
https://youtu.be/FGcwSXsqgMk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSHJgY1nAdk
https://youtu.be/p2-_PW4kzQo
Other stuff I forgot that's coming out soon...new Astronoid, Sergeant Thunderhoof and Druids.
Man, this band still hits the spot if you just want that warm, fulfilling harmonic blackgaze foundation but with the melodic shoegaze/pop vocals which remind me of Mew.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWYYDZKyafk&ab_channel=3DOTRecordings
https://youtu.be/ZVWuutfWY8M
Municipal Waste
https://youtu.be/UW5tPOBp-ck
Horizon Ignited (Pretty damn solid early oughts melodeath)
https://youtu.be/Ob_URzALjUg
https://youtu.be/sRHGC2jGkkw
I have no idea what to make of this. Somewhere between Gojira and The Sword? That's wrong, I already know, but damn! I've got my eyes open on them, though, this was a really refreshing song. Kinda jangly, kinda chimey, kinda droney, kinda chuggy?
Witchery
https://youtu.be/aGyJbj0IWYo
Absolutely fucking slaps, love this cut
so far looks like I'm getting the new Temple of Void
I'll try and remember to do a few orders on Bandcamp later, including this one. Digging this record a lot, it's very accessible and polished as far as stoner rock/doom, much moreso than their earlier albums, but I've been enjoying it, I think folks into QotSA and Orange Goblin would like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FehwLXppd_w&ab_channel=PaleWizardRecords
Speaking of doom, the new Las Cruces is great, just TRAD American doom in that Hellhammer Records, a little Saint Vitus, Solitude Aeternus, etc; really well written, the cover art is straight outta 1998 though, and the music deserves better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hNlbMVVDlo&ab_channel=RippleMusic