What are you listening to? (general music thread)

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
You crack me up hahaha!

Oh man, I had fake lyric stanzas and everything about how "it's been too long, since we wrote this song, so what if Beholder had a son?" Silly times.

Love the deep dive for the track, and I had no clue about those lyrics resurfacing in this form.

While we're on the subject, I want to praise the lyrics for somehow making the title less dumb (I was jokingly miscalling it "The Dark Side of the Sun" before =). Also, the "unforgiven" lyric I mentioned above is a lot better than it might seem as a lazy self-reference because Unforgiven is the song most about James, so for him to refer to "the unforgiven misbehaving" is somewhat confessional and both uses that sympathetic designation but turns it around as if to say it's not all one-sided. Like I said, between relapsing, his family falling apart, and the concept they've laid out, the lyrical content of this album hopefully promises to be a lot more meaningful than pastiches about mythological monsters or machine death. I guess I'll go ahead and just post the previous video they released for Screaming Suicide here, which was certainly lyrically inspired by something James said at a show or vice versa:


This one's probably the least reminiscent of a specific previous song, maybe Prince Charming, but it's more like some Reload riffs in a more metal-than-rock presentation, arguably.

I agree on what you said about how this compares to something like a Death Magnetic. This direction is pretty straightforward/ basic and another example is how similar it is structurally with I Disappear (not the riffs but what it's trying to do). Ironically, I prefer this new song 1.25 x times faster and I can't unhear it at that speed.

The reason I'm comparing it to the black album and the Loads is because that's when, especially on the black album, they sort of distilled their songwriting and sound up to that point into what was, certainly a more commercially potent form (still the best selling album of the modern era!), but by that token also genuinely popular and extremely accessible across the board. Anecdotally, Metallica songs being poorly played on instruments throughout music stores was ubiquitous during my adolecence, the contemporary equivalent of, "No Stairway to Heaven, please!" Anyway, while this album won't do anything like that, it might not even be #1 its first week of sales, though I'd be willing to bet it sells the most physical copies of any album this year, it could basically serve the same creative function of taking the evolution of their musical enterprise the last 10-20 years and boiling it down to a more streamlined and essential songwriting and listening experience, and preferably well within their current range and comfort zone. That's my hope anyway.

Tempted to share some music with you to check out (perhaps more downtuned/ a different chug/ etc) ... TEMPTATION! ..... TEMPTATION!!

My favorite interpretation of that lyric: "Temptation to like Megadeth is so strong... don't do it!" :ganishka:


Final Metallica nerd facts: Overanalyzing these singles compared to the rollout of the last album, they've released the 6th, 3rd, and 8th tracks respectively. Traditionally not the strongest or featured tracks "anchoring" your typical Metallica album. Whereas for Hardwired it was the 1st, 4th, and 2nd, which are typically the most important if not best tracks, at least as far as the band presents them. So, there's a possibility they're pulling their punches and we haven't heard the best they have to offer yet. It's also early enough before release, I wasn't expecting this third single until at least mid-march, that it wouldn't surprise me if they put out another, most likely the opening title track, but maybe the aforementioned 2nd or 4th, before the album drops.
 
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Iron Maiden fan here. As usual, I've been marathoning some their greatest songs, a couple which I will post here shortly. I was discussing them with friends recently, and we came to a consensus that, in our humble opinion, they have the best instrumentals out of the old school metal bands. The way they shred those guitars is just fire, and I enjoy it even more than the singing (which is still great; Bruce Dickinson is a beast). Some favorites:

1. The Trooper - A classic, and quite the addictive song


2. Alexander the Great (356 - 323 B.C.) - A history lesson in metal? Wish I had more of that in school!


Speaking of great instrumentals, a more modern band, Crazy Lixx, has been scratching that itch for me the past year. I've already posted some tracks in the previous page, and I will add a couple more here:

1. Girls of the 80's - I'm a 90's kid, so I can't relate to the nostalgia. But the music is amazing nonetheless.


2. Thief in the Night - That guitar solo at the second half of the song made this song an instant favorite when I first heard it.


Oh yeah, I've been exploring more Metallica recently too, and I think this song has officially dethroned Enter Sandman as my favorite:

1. Fade to Black


Also, I rediscovered this song that is a friend's favorite. I hadn't heard it in ages and forgot it existed haha:

2. Memory Remains


Oh boy. I'm hardly a Metallica expert like Griff for example, and more of a casual fan, but it looks like I have some more exploration to do. If you guys have Metallica essentials to recommend (especially in keeping with this post's theme: instrumentals), please shoot them my way!
 
Iron Maiden fan here. As usual, I've been marathoning some their greatest songs, a couple which I will post here shortly. I was discussing them with friends recently, and we came to a consensus that, in our humble opinion, they have the best instrumentals out of the old school metal bands. The way they shred those guitars is just fire, and I enjoy it even more than the singing (which is still great; Bruce Dickinson is a beast). Some favorites:

1. The Trooper - A classic, and quite the addictive song


2. Alexander the Great (356 - 323 B.C.) - A history lesson in metal? Wish I had more of that in school!

Alexander the Great is classic, love that one, its unreal
 
Alexander the Great is classic, love that one, its unreal

Oh yeah. I can't get enough of it. Alexander, Aces High, Trooper, 2 Minutes to Midnight, Writing on the Wall...the list goes on and on. Iron Maiden is criminally underrated (I'm referring specifically to their omission from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...I mean, wtf).

Anyway, I'm quoting my previous posts to append some other favorites (Alexander is listed there too):

Speaking of Iron Maiden, here are some favorite songs:

1. Aces High


2. Alexander the Great (356 - 323 B.C.)


3. The Writing On The Wall


Straight up fire, holy shit!

Crazy Lixx, too:

I've been enjoying this band, Crazy Lixx, a lot recently. Some good songs of theirs:

1. Never Die


2. Riot Avenue


3. Hell Raising Women

 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Oh yeah, I've been exploring more Metallica recently too, and I think this song has officially dethroned Enter Sandman as my favorite:

Ok, so if you haven't heard it all the way through yet, here's the other consensus most iconic, and best, Metallica song/album (great instrumental section in the middle BTW):

Master of Puppets


1. Fade to Black

If you like that one, check out the track before it:

For Whom the Bell Tolls


Also, I rediscovered this song that is a friend's favorite. I hadn't heard it in ages and forgot it existed haha:

2. Memory Remains

If you like that one, check out the one before it:

Fuel


Oh boy. I'm hardly a Metallica expert like Griff for example, and more of a casual fan, but it looks like I have some more exploration to do. If you guys have Metallica essentials to recommend (especially in keeping with this post's theme: instrumentals), please shoot them my way!

Well, you won't have to twist my arm to fulfill the assignment:

The Call of Ktulu


Orion


To Live is to Die


Suicide & Redemption


Bonus: The Call of Ktulu (live with full orchestra)


If you want to explore further, you can't go wrong with any of their albums from the 80s, my recommendations in order:

Master of Puppets: If you like greatest of all time.
Ride The Lighting: If you like fast and heavy.
...And Justice For All: If you like dark and proggy.
Kill Em All: If you like fast and punky.

And if you want something with more 90's polish and accessibility like Enter Sandman:

The Black Album: If you like heavy and groovy.

Still the best-selling modern album and probably still moving 1000+ copies a week somehow.:shrug:
 
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Thanks for taking the time to post these, @Griffith. I've listened to them all. You certainly came through with the instrumentals!

I think I've gained a new level of appreciation for Metallica; they are more versatile than I initially gave them credit for being. Each of these albums does feel like it belongs in its own style (as you've described them above; fast and heavy, etc.)

Already added a bunch of these to my favorites, namely MoP, Fuel, Bells, Suicide and Redemption. Ktulu and Orion were bangers too.

By the way, I blasted For Whom the Bell Tolls while doing the last region of Boletaria Castle in Demon's Souls. That was, well, fucking awesome.

Thanks for the recommendations!
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
MEDIA=youtube]cqqGPEAoFRM[/MEDIA

I'm playing my Cliff Burton simping close to the vest until I get him addicted with the accessible Metallica gateway drugs and then we can move to the pure hardcore shit. Here's a nice hit of weed laced with some heroin:


Oh yeah... And crazy to consider the two best musicians in this band might have been out of it by 1986!
 
can't stop listening to this one, and the live version of it, I never bop my head with anything but I do with this song
 
Exploring more Metallica, which I'll talk about later. For now, I'm gonna leave this here:


I wonder which of these I'll eventually fit into.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I love Ghost! It is one of my favorite bands. Favorite album: Meliora, and yours?

Well, it's the best one. =) I could listen to Spirit alone all day. :SK: That's also the one where my daughter graduated from only being able to listen to their softer covers like If You Have Ghosts to being entranced by Spirit's soaring harmonies, "Daddy, how did they make that song? Is that... how a band sounds together!?" It was awesome hearing her basically try to describe experiencing the raw power of smooth rockin' music. She also likes Jimi Hendrix, so I'm doing something right.

Anyway, after Meliora it depends on my mood, but overall probably Opus obviously, Prequelle, which I didn't like as much at first but thought rocked on subsequent listens, Infestissumam, which has an incredible opening and probably lives the evil Catholic church metal band gimmick best, Seven Inches is somewhere amongst the previous two, and lastly Impera, which I thought was a little too close to its glam rock influences, especially the vocals. The most forgiving way I can look at it is it was going for more Van Halen-style pizzaz with the poppier songwriting, guitar harmonics, etc., but it sounds more like their, in my opinion, lesser impersonators. Like Prequelle though I might listen to it again fresh one day and go, "Oh wait, this is awesome."

Btw, my wife is a hater that passionately complains they're not metal and calls them Coldplay. But she's into Dave Mustaine and would rather go see Megadeth than any other band... Sicko.:shrug:
 
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"Daddy, how did they make that song? Is that... how a band sounds together!?"
Ahhhh, such a great realization. I love it for her.

after Meliora it depends on my mood,
For me also. Right now, I would say Impera, Infestissumam, Opus, and Prequelle. I don't count 7" because it is too short for me to be called an album. About Impera: I hope you can take a liking to it sometime. I agree; it is super poppy... and I like that. :isidro: It is futile to fight with the popper inside of me anymore. I dislike Twenties, though.

She is not.
I wouldn't argue with her or agree fully but, please, continue this disagreement while I eat popcorn. :slan:
 
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Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
She's correct.

:ganishka: I've missed you too!

And she definitely is... about Dave Mustaine. :carcus: I think he's my desert island artist: the best of Metallica plus the entire Megadeth discography, and his last album was still up there after he killed cancer; he's immutable! :stop:

Funny. I was about to bring up Ghost in this thread. My friends introduced me to it a couple of months ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. My introduction consisted of this absolute banger:


Satan knows how to pick'em.

It's not my favorite, but I count it among the Meliora era since that's when it was conceived and I believe it's on the special edition along with Zenith.

Btw, there's a whole other Ghost debate to be had regarding the band from that era, when it was still sort of structured like a traditional band, to afterward. But you really have to spoil the mystique for yourself to have that discussion.

She is not.

My hero.:sweatdrop:

For me also. Right now, I would say Impera, Infestissumam, Opus, and Prequelle. I don't count 7" because it is too short for me to be called an album.

And that's fine, it's probably fair to say my second favorite is whichever one I'm listening to at the moment because I'll be appreciating something I forgot or didn't notice before. Impera has a lot of cool stuff on it, it's just not all necessarily stuff I'd like from them, which is best represented by Meliora (plus it was the peak of the aforementioned previous era). 7" I was just lumping in somewhere since it's too significant to ignore thanks to Mary On A Cross (and Go-Goat is probably my favorite video of theirs after Cirice).

About Impera: I hope you can take a liking to it sometime. I agree; it is super poppy... and I like that. :isidro: It is futile to fight with the popper inside of me anymore.

Me too, like I said, it just didn't match my expectations but maybe I'll be more attuned to it later and appreciate what I wasn't listening for instead of what I wasn't hearing.

I dislike Twenties, though.

I think of that one every time I think negatively of the album, including yesterday. :ganishka: It's like the whole project went conceptually from this dark "Satanic music" that was deceptively smooth to pure pop rock that's only deception now is that it's in any way dark or gothic still (Nighty would contend we've been fooled all along =). Like, Rats, while poppy, is still a galloping rocker with a guy sneeringly yelling RATS to end the chorus, whereas Spillways, while catchy as hell, is sort of horseshit, right?


Speaking of great faux metal pop, rats, and Ghost producers/players, this conversation can't help but remind me of Dave Grohl's Dream Widow album, maybe the closest thing we'll get to a follow up to Probot, which was overshadowed by the dual tragedy of Taylor Hawkin's death and that bad movie they made. But I love this shit when he starts growling, "Feed Me Rats!":


C'mon Dave, quit the Foos and exclusively focus on creating more acceptable 90s hardcore, you know you want to.
 
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7" I was just lumping in somewhere since it's too significant to ignore
I agree. 7" has an identity on their own and both songs are total bangers. It's just I don't get that longer album experience. I think I would rate them right after Meliora, right now.

I think of that one every time I think negatively of the album
For me, it really spoils the album. 80% of the times, I will skip it. The rest of the time, I can tolerante it... and then I will be humming it for the rest of the day because it's stays in my brainnnn. :puck:

It's like the whole project went conceptually from this dark "Satanic music" that was deceptively smooth to pure pop rock that's only deception now is that it's in any way dark or gothic still (Nighty would contend we've been fooled all along =).
I don't know how serious the satanic theme is. I haven't followed Tobias Forge that closely. I have heard him talk about the importance of the metal and pop references to him; which mirrors then on his music. About the satanic theme... well, Sweden is not specially a religious country so this kind of stuff can be viewed as juvenile or silly, still. I would not be surprised if a heavy reason for the satanic theme was branding.

Like, Rats, while poppy, is still a galloping rocker with a guy sneeringly yelling RATS to end the chorus, whereas Spillways, while catchy as hell, is sort of horseshit, right?
I like both of them so I would not call Spillways horseshit. They are different; as you mention, and I cannot compare them in common grounds. I like Impera not specifically because it is pop-rock (I am actually not that into pop-rock) but mostly because it makes a very good pop inside the rock embellishments. It is so measured, designed, formula-like, and perfectionist; that is what draws me to it. I am not used to this kind of treatment for the music I usually listen to (say doom and black metal). About Prequelle... it is easier for me to compare it to Meliora and that's where it falls short.

Thanks for the music; upon first listen, I find it much more enticing than Foo Fighters, indeed.

@Lawliet btw, have you gone through the discography? What's your rate list? :daiba:
 
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Walter

Administrator
Staff member
This is all very educational for me, because I've heard of Ghost but never bothered to dive in. Sounds like I should get started at Twenties! :troll:

Speaking of great faux metal pop, rats, and Ghost producers/players, this conversation can't help but remind me of Dave Grohl's Dream Widow album, maybe the closest thing we'll get to a follow up to Probot, which was overshadowed by the dual tragedy of Taylor Hawkin's death and that bad movie they made. But I love this shit when he starts growling, "Feed Me Rats!":
Aww, Probot was great! You know for some reason, I think of Lemmy more than any other on that album.
 
She said they aren't metal, which is correct. And that they're akin to Coldplay, which is correct as well. All they are is a retro occult rock band with catchy pop choruses.
It's fine that you like them, everyone deserves to have easily digested bad taste here and there.

Bad taste? Coming from you, that's a badge I'd wear proudly :ganishka:

Seriously though, I've yet to hear an explanation for why they aren't "metal", aside from the reductive dismissals above :shrug:

They’re definitely a very pop band, they have ABBA and KISS as a huge influence, but look at their first album - it’s doom metal as fuck. They just have really pretty melodies. They’ve gone further into pop rock and classic rock as they’ve gone along for sure though, but they still fall under heavy metal, albeit loosely.
 
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Walter

Administrator
Staff member
My experience with metal is far from comprehensive. I’m at most an observer. But every decade or so I’ll be floored by something. The last time that happened with metal was Tar Pit, which sounds a bit like modern Black Sabbath, to me.

 

NightCrawler

Aeons gone, vast, mad and deathless
My experience with metal is far from comprehensive. I’m at most an observer. But every decade or so I’ll be floored by something. The last time that happened with metal was Tar Pit, which sounds a bit like modern Black Sabbath, to me.

You should check out Electric Wizard, they're the kings of the Sabbath-worship bands.
 
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