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What Are You Listening To Now? 5.0

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The Eagles: 'Seven bridges road'

Later:-

The O'Jays - Give the People What They Want
[as is the sound track for a new TV advert for a 'phone]
 
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Judas Priest - British Steel

Sanctuary - The Year The Sun Died

Manowar - Kings of Metal

Musical comfort food x3. :)
 
Spocks Beard - The Oblivion Particle – Very good, but not as good as the previous album, IMO.

Riverside - Love, Fear, and the Time Machine – Very, very good – these guys improve with every album. They were hard-edged, bordering on metal. No longer.

Epica - The Holographic Principle – Just – epic! Best I’ve ever heard from them. This will get many spins. Operatic, female-fronted metal

Big Big Train – Folklore – Same as usual – a definite progression away from neo-prog into a more mature sub-genre. These guys have a very dedicated fan base … to me they’re very good, but I don’t see the brilliance.
 
I'm not so keen on the recent female-fronted offerings (the latest Sirenia excluded, which is superb). The last two Nightwish records were Holopainen orchestra wankfests, Within Temptation oscillate aimlessly through pop spheres and Delain don't know if they want to be all symphonic or ohh-aaah pop. In Epica's case, I think less is more. Two or three albums back was the sweet spot between orchestral bombast, heaviness and technicality. The new one feels way too forced in every respect and I don't like how far back in the mix they placed their main asset, Simone.

So, my main hopes for good female fronted metal ride on Oceans of Slumber and maybe new music from System Divide, how unlikely that may be.

Also, there's a new Ayreon album incoming. I'm intrigued. Topping "The Theory of Everything" will be tough.
 
Blind_Justice said:
I'm not so keen on the recent female-fronted offerings (the latest Sirenia excluded, which is superb). The last two Nightwish records were Holopainen orchestra wankfests, Within Temptation oscillate aimlessly through pop spheres and Delain don't know if they want to be all symphonic or ohh-aaah pop. In Epica's case, I think less is more. Two or three albums back was the sweet spot between orchestral bombast, heaviness and technicality. The new one feels way too forced in every respect and I don't like how far back in the mix they placed their main asset, Simone.

So, my main hopes for good female fronted metal ride on Oceans of Slumber and maybe new music from System Divide, how unlikely that may be.

Also, there's a new Ayreon album incoming. I'm intrigued. Topping "The Theory of Everything" will be tough.
Click to expand...

I'll have to try the latest Sirenia - thanks for the recommendation. I only have 2 by them: Sirenian Shores, and The 13th Floor.

I agree that Nightwish is history.

I do like the new Epica, though I agree that their biggest asset is hard to hear. It's hardly groundbreaking, but I like the fact that it's different from their earlier releases even if it's a bit "bombastic", as you put it :) Their very early releases were too simplistic, and it's been interesting to follow their progression.

My favorite in the genre remains Therion. Pretty cliched by now, I know, but still a good listen.

I'm not familiar with the others you mentioned, and will look them up. I.e. Oceans of Slumber and System Divide. I guess I need to fix that. (I've heard of them - but not heard them. Gotta fix that!)

And a new Ayreon is always a treat. He's been "pot boiling" a bit, and a few of his albums have been less impressive than his early releases (01011001, Human Equation...). My favorite remains the Universal Migrator 2-CD set.
 
One of my favorite songs (favorite love song for sure).

Glory of Love by Peter Cetera. OMG this song makes me go gaga. If I ever find someone and get married, this will be the first dance song lol.
 
Haulover said:
I'll have to try the latest Sirenia - thanks for the recommendation. I only have 2 by them: Sirenian Shores, and The 13th Floor.

I agree that Nightwish is history.

I do like the new Epica, though I agree that their biggest asset is hard to hear. It's hardly groundbreaking, but I like the fact that it's different from their earlier releases even if it's a bit "bombastic", as you put it :) Their very early releases were too simplistic, and it's been interesting to follow their progression.

My favorite in the genre remains Therion. Pretty cliched by now, I know, but still a good listen.

I'm not familiar with the others you mentioned, and will look them up. I.e. Oceans of Slumber and System Divide. I guess I need to fix that. (I've heard of them - but not heard them. Gotta fix that!)

And a new Ayreon is always a treat. He's been "pot boiling" a bit, and a few of his albums have been less impressive than his early releases (01011001, Human Equation...). My favorite remains the Universal Migrator 2-CD set.
Click to expand...

It's not like the new Epica is a bad album, it's just not my cup of tea any more. If you like it, very well. I can objectively acknowledge their artistry, but I derive less enjoyment from it than from their earlier works. Happens to me a lot actually. There are enough bands I used to like who've changed aspects of their music and went from highly enjoyable to "meh".

Two examples: Take Blind Guardian for example. I love their first five or so albums to death. Technical speed metal with fantastic hooklines. Then, around "Nightfall in Middle Earth", they went into a more prog-oriented direction, with more uneven time signatures and that "singing" lead guitar sound which drives me nuts, especially on "A Night At The Opera" and onwards where the guitarist won't just shut up. They still have fantastic choir passages, but I'm sick of wading through the instrument wanking in between :)

In Flames are another example. "The Jester Race" is one of the best melodic death metal albums in existence, with delicate acoustic passages laced into their kick-ass sound. Fast forward four albums and they tried desperately to "modernize" their sound. I don't mind the electronic elements or the more modern guitar tone, but I detest the squeaking "vocals" they have from that point onwards.

Guess I'll have to add Epica to that list now too :) And I do love technical stuff. Like Nile, for example. It doesn't get more much more hardcore than what they do. But the genius thing are the Middle Eastern bits in between the inferno which keeps me coming back.

I wonder why Nightwish even bother with a guitarist at this point. His riffs are beyond boring, and when was the last time he was allowed to play a decent solo? :)

Therion are fantastic. Sure, their last few records were a mixed bag, but "Gothic Kabbalah" was a very good record and I don't mind them experimenting. For every chanson record, there's a "Secret Of The Runes". And Christoffer Johanson is one of the nicest guiys you could ever meet. My lady love and I had the chance to chat with him in '97 after they played in Offenbach. Visionary.
 
whatever the radio is playing, which currently is Bohemian Rhapsody -- Queen, to try to drown out the sounds of hammering, sawing, and Hubby swearing to himself from the attic. I figure that as long as he's still making noise, then he's fine.
 
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