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GMC Forum _ CHILL OUT _ What Album Are You Listening To/quick Review
Posted by: VinceG Mar 27 2009, 11:50 PM
So I figure we should a make a thread about what album we are currently listening to and giving it also a quick review so it doesnt just become one huge list thread. This shall give other viewers more input on what we thought about the album, w/o writing 2 pages worth of stuff on the review section. This shall be in all aspect of genre.
As for me, I snatched this up last night going home from school.
Wolves in the Throne Room- Malevolent Grain EP
My first run through the EP, the sound was something a bit unusual. Its definitely weird for something Wolves in the Throne Room would do. Almost like a slight combination of Post-Rock and Ambient Black Metal. I'm not sure yet what to feel about this new sound and release from them, but its definitely something to get use to because I heard Dark Cascade is fairly similar to this. Its not bad by any means, but its just different from other releases. Its definitely not Two Hunters or Diadem of 12 Stars thats for sure.
3.5/5 for right now. I'll spin it again tonight to see if my review will change.
Posted by: Sircraigery Mar 28 2009, 12:04 PM
.....
3.5/5 for right now. I'll spin it again tonight to see if my review will change.
Wow, when you mean album....you mean record album!
I'm listening to the new LOG - Wrath. Which probably isn't surprising to any metal head at GMC.
This album is kick ass, and I"m drunk.
Posted by: Guitarman700 Mar 28 2009, 12:43 PM
In Flames- The Jester Race
Pretty much my favorite album ever. Every single song is a perfect blend of melody and heaviness. Perhaps not as heavy as their debut, but far more impressive, both in its execution, and its scope. Multiple instrumentals serve to spice up the album, and really, this album should be listened to front to back. 5/5
December Flower is the best song ever.
I love this thread.
Posted by: Fsgdjv Mar 28 2009, 01:02 PM
As for me, I snatched this up last night going home from school.
Wolves in the Throne Room- Malevolent Grain EP
My first run through the EP, the sound was something a bit unusual. Its definitely weird for something Wolves in the Throne Room would do. Almost like a slight combination of Post-Rock and Ambient Black Metal. I'm not sure yet what to feel about this new sound and release from them, but its definitely something to get use to because I heard Dark Cascade is fairly similar to this. Its not bad by any means, but its just different from other releases. Its definitely not Two Hunters or Diadem of 12 Stars thats for sure.
3.5/5 for right now. I'll spin it again tonight to see if my review will change.
I just thought I could inform you. Black Cascade is really really really not similar to Malevolent Grain, this feels a lot more post rock-ish than Black Cascade. Allthough Hate Crystal isn't that super post rock'ish imo.
But nice thread, I'll write something when I'm listening to something worth writing about.
Edit: wow that sounded bitchy when I read it, and I reallyreallyreally didn't mean it that way.
Posted by: ZakkWylde Mar 28 2009, 01:20 PM
I am listening to Mastodon - Crack The Skye
It's a trip for your ears, great record with more melody and groove than previous Mastodon albums.
Posted by: Bondy Mar 28 2009, 01:22 PM
Emir Hor; Sevdah Metal
Posted by: berko Mar 28 2009, 01:42 PM
Tool - 10000 Days
The most recent Tool album (from 2006) and definitely my favorite.
It can easily be regarded as a concept album since many tracks relate to each other (Wings for Marie Pt1. and Pt2. or Lost Keys + Roseta Stoned + Intention etc.) This album delivers all typical odd time, dropped D rhythms that are trademarks of Tool and the very cool harmonization of the vocals over the instrumental background.
The 1st track, Vicarious, kicks in with an unmistakable Tool-feeling, and you could imagine yourself to have just started a long and heavy journey. The TalkBox effect over the solo of the second track Jambi is an awesome feature (it's basically the only solo on the album except for repetitive motifs from the lead guitar on later tracks). Sometimes a track consists of one or two motifs, but the tension is professionally built up - these tracks are pure awesomeness. One of my favorite tracks is Roseta Stoned. The rhythm guitar here is awesome and very effective - the saturated timbre of the Dropped D riffings is very cool (Gibson LP Silverburst from the 80s I guess...). In general the sound of the album is really well mixed - the low frequencies don't interfere with each other, the drums are very well tuned. The drums and the bass have a great, juicy voicing and it's physical pleasure to listen to it... you just don't want it to end.
Joe Kataldo has an awesome lesson featuring Tool 10000 Days riffs (the first part of the lesson is based on the riffs of Jambi, the second on the riffs of Roseta Stoned - very cleverly selected material I must say 
) You can find the lesson here: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/rhythm-guitar/tool-style-lesson/
Tool has recently announced the recording of a new album and the kick off of a new tour. Hope the album's gonna be out this year.
Posted by: Guitarman700 Mar 28 2009, 03:21 PM
Suffocation-Effigy Of The Forgotten
Brutal, Brutal, Brutal! This may be my favorite death Metal album ever. The amount of technical musicianship and all out brutality is second to none. Terrence hobbs and Doug Cerrito are Just astounding guitar players, and Frank mullens vocals still blow my mind. just a perfect album. 5/5
Posted by: Marcus Siepen Mar 28 2009, 03:47 PM
Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
Best album ever! (this is a very quick review I guess 
)
Posted by: berko Mar 28 2009, 11:17 PM
Yngwie Malmsteen - Angel Of Love
This album was released on March 10th, just found it yesterday.
It contains new, acoustic-only arrangements of Yngwie's older songs (from the albums Trilogy, Odessy and the other masterpieces), this time without any vocals. The songs are merely enhanced by some additional synthesizers and some choir-effects. There is only 1 new song on the disc called "Ocean Sonata". Other than that, this album is pretty much about Malmsteen ripping his older stuff on steel-string and nylon-string acoustic guitars. There are some pretty good arrangements, but the choir-effect is overused and sometimes the good ol' classics just become dull. This album certainly a nice little collectiion but I guess nobody would ever refer to it as an album among Yngwie's best works. It has a pretty lady on the cover tho.
Posted by: VinceG Mar 29 2009, 10:08 AM
@Collin. Dude, I love that Suffocation record. It shows that Suffocation is one of the few bands that can use a Breakdown in its rightful context. Liege of Invecacity is the best song Suffocation ever written. That second to last riff at the end is just a total mind blown.
@ Fsgdjv. Thanks for the heads up about Black Cascade. I shall give it a listen when Southernlord releases it on record. It sure got my hopes up though that its quite different from Malevolent Creations. Also, you can write bad reviews too if you want. Its totally up to you if you don't like it or something. This doesn't have to be about just good albums.
As for me tonight
Jesu/Battle of Mice split LP
This is probably one of the more recent things that made me sad about music. Jesu becoming toooo soft with music. The songs are a lot more pretentious and boring on this split. Its a lot more calmer like a wave on a lake. They got rid of the dark undertones with this one. Honestly, I'm not into liking this new Jesu sound at all. They need to revert back to what they do best and stick with Industrial Ambient Post-Rock/Metal. Battle of Mice side is pretty rocking though. Its noisy, sludgy and awesome. This is actually the first time I've heard of em, but I am quite impress with there side.
hmm 2/5 for Jesu side while 4/5 for Battle of Mice side. Is it worth a listen? Possible if you've never heard of Jesu, but if you already know em, I think this is the weakest of all there release thus far. Good thing Battle of Mice is good or I will not recommend this split at all.
Also guys, thanks for keeping this thread up. I thought at first that this was a bad thread or something, but since a few people are contributing, then I am happy. Let's keep this thread a live!
Posted by: Mr T Mar 29 2009, 10:53 AM
Right now I'm listening to The Empyrean by John Frusciante.
It doesn't sound like his work with RHCP and personally I like this alot better. This album has alot of cool rock songs on it of which "Central" is my favourite.
The album opens with a long track that seems to be a reference to "Maggot Brain", which in my opinion is one of the greatest songs ever.
Another thing that must be noted is that John can really sing, his voice is perfect for this album. The only track I don't like has vocals from someone else.
This album get's 4.5/5 from me.
Posted by: sted Mar 29 2009, 01:24 PM
Gary Moores newest Album "Bad For You Baby"
I think this is a great album from Gary, perhaps not up there with the epic "Still got the Blues" and his other earlier blues forays, but still a well executed and crafted album. Theres lots of his usual up-tempo playing and signature licks to look out for, my favourite solo has to be the 2nd track "Down the Line" which is pure Gary at his scintillating best, he uses an array of guitars on this album including a 1963 ES-335 on "Holding On" which sounds simply awesome in Garys hands. I would give it a 4/5.
Posted by: Rapitap Mar 29 2009, 01:36 PM
At the moment I'm listening to this compilation by Whitesnake...and trying to jam a long to it.
Just having a play..Not a more profound reason than that.
Rock on!
Posted by: Guitarman700 Mar 29 2009, 02:12 PM
Mastodon-Crack The Skye
Wow. I never expected this. i held off listining to any of their pre release singles, so i was very surprised when i gave this album a spin. it is truly an epic, what a concept album should be. As a whole, it is Very progressive, and i must say, i enjoy it even more than thier last. 5/5
Posted by: Roadside Mar 29 2009, 02:53 PM
Best album ever! (this is a very quick review I guess
)Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
I don´t know that one, I´ll give it a shot
Currently listening to Triviums Shogun. Much better than their older records. Just like it
Posted by: Emir Hot Mar 29 2009, 03:24 PM
Cheers man
You missed a letter in my last name hahah
Posted by: VinceG Mar 30 2009, 05:52 AM
Toxic Holocaust- Evil Never Dies
This album is just maniacal. Total thrash madness w/o the cheesy 86 thrash stuff. A bit inspired by Sodom, but hell of a lot faster than Sodom. Black Thrash w/o the cheesy crap from both sides of the spectrum. Really great album. Can't believe how one guy can create this much madness into a record.
3.9/5
Dissection- Storm Of Light's Bane
Sweden masters of Melodic Death/Black Metal. Honestly, one of the best Metal records to ever be produced. Its melodic w/o sacrificing being monotonous. Its what I think of when Black Metal pops up in my head. The classical acoustic passages are warm, and the riffs are as cold as the Scandinavian mountains. I love this record. I wish Sweden is still producing quality stuff like this.
5/5
Posted by: Marcus Lavendell Mar 30 2009, 09:00 AM
This album was released on March 10th, just found it yesterday.
Awesome! I didn't know about that new album.
Must check in out, thanks
Posted by: VinceG Apr 1 2009, 07:06 AM
Daylight Dies- Dismantling Devotion
Man, I thank Uncreator everyday for exposing me to this band. Its really awesome. Brooding, slow, melancholy, just everything there is to say about a quality Melodic Doom Metal. The guitars just strum a long to the winding endless painful vocals of Nathan. The solo's are masterful. The riffs are original. The drums are like heart beat. Just a perfect album all around.
5/5. You just have to hear this album. Full of emotions. I regret not seeing them in January.
Posted by: Evil_Invader Apr 1 2009, 07:14 AM
Manilla Road - Open the Gates
Simply a masterpeice of early US epic heavy/power metal. A must for any fans of the genre.
HEAVY METAL TO THE WORLD!!!
Posted by: VinceG Apr 1 2009, 07:18 AM
Manilla Road is killer stuff. Those guys are still going strong till now with there epic release of Voyager.
Posted by: Artemus Apr 1 2009, 12:21 PM
Ephel Duath - Painter's Palette
It's hard to review without exclamations such as wow, amazing, superb, refreshingly original, innovative..
This is a unique album from a band that refuse to conform to standards. Even for the avant-garde generation of metal they are a stand-alone band for their expertly woven jazz influence. This isn't jazz metal like you've heard before where it's simply a few standard hooks with jazz instrumentalists noodling some, this is actually metal with a modern jazz perspective on how their music is composed and the genres are taken, nodded to and put into the aural blender. Great vocal range from hardcore to clean, walking bass to funk lines, smooth saxophone blue jazz tones to blistering energy, expressive guitar work, faultless drumming, electronic influence. To top it off the production is top notch. The fact that each track title can also represent a shade of the painter's colour palette, shows a desire use their ingenuity to the full spectrum.
I didn't discover this band on my own, it was a recommendation from a friend, but on my first listen I couldn't believe I hadn't heard of this before and was kicking myself. It's just too good! Albums such as these as such a rarity..
I could go on but I'd rather carry on listening and let myself get sucked into the textures of this masterpiece.
Posted by: steve25 Apr 1 2009, 12:34 PM
Testament - The Formation of Damnation
Posted by: VinceG Apr 4 2009, 09:10 AM
Bob Marley- Legend
Pretty rocking Marley compilation album. This is probably the only comp album I ever liked. I'm usually an album kind of guy, but the songs here are perfectly fit for what Marley have done in his career as a Reggae artist. All the songs are golden. Hits like Three Little Birds, Is This Love, Jamming, Exodus, One Love, just an amazing album for every one to be heard and experience. It has its own peace and love spiritual feeling to it that can never be recreated by any other artist.
5/5. One of the best albums my ears have graced over. If you ever want to start listening to Bob Marley, just listen to this album.
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