What are you listening to? (general music thread)

NightCrawler said:
Needing a fix of oldschool thrash. What best than the Unholy Trinity of 1986:

Slayer - Reign in Blood
Kreator - Pleasure to Kill
Dark Angel - Darkness Descends

Yes, no Master of Puppets.

I don't think it belongs there either honestly. My favorite from the classic 1980s scene is the overlooked Spectrum of Death by Morbid Saint. I listen to it all the time.

Spectrum_Of_Death.jpg
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Is Master of Puppets exclusion because it's not purely thrash enough, or has MoP become so overrated (BEST ALBUM EVAR!!!) it's now underrated (not even among the best metal albums of 1986, harrumph)? If we're being contrarians I say we dump the big four altogether and throw Reign in Blood out as well, but if not I want to give honorable mention to 1986's obviously well-known, though less heralded, Peace Sells, which is being remastered (again) for it's 25th anniversary.

BTW, in "albums to look forward to/dread" news, Metallica has apparently made a record with Lou freakin' Reed of The Velvet Underground! Of course, it's already being compared to the best works of both artists, which only guarantees it will be catastrophically disappointing to both fans bases and otherwise completely inaccessible to a general audience. I'm looking forward to it. =)
 

NightCrawler

Aeons gone, vast, mad and deathless
Griffith said:
Is Master of Puppets exclusion because it's not purely thrash enough, or has MoP become so overrated (BEST ALBUM EVAR!!!) it's now underrated (not even among the best metal albums of 1986, harrumph)? If we're being contrarians I say we dump the big four altogether and throw Reign in Blood out as well, but if not I want to give honorable mention to 1986's obviously well-known, though less heralded, Peace Sells, which is being remastered (again) for it's 25th anniversary.

It's because it's not thrash, it doesn't have that feel or attitude. Sure there's 3 thrashy songs in the album (probably the last great Hetfield moments), but historically it was such a huge deal on the metal movement, that we can extrapolate the impact of that album as the death of thrash. From then on, bands tried to mimic the same songwriting approach of that album, the slower tempo (which was a nod to Black Sabbath, but done wrong - and eventually spawned the dreaded groove thrash movement), the mellow songs and the long acoustic sections. Also i think musically the album is very uneven. You can tell they were out of Mustaine riffs :troll: (it's impossible not to notice the best part of Lepper Messiah - starting at 3:15 - is so blatantly Mustaine), so what we have left is half-assed ideas, some good ripped off riffs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffghdsbr6jU) and the need to resort to Burton's creativity (which was great, specially on Orion, but not metal at all). My view on that album has not changed since the first time i listened to it when i was young. I can remember half the songs, the rest are remarkably uninteresting.
I agree with you on Peace Sells, even though i dislike Megadeth in general.
As for Metallica nowadays, i loved seeing them live in 99 and 04. Saw them a couple more times later but was absolutely sick of the clean non-drunk "yeho" Hetfield voice. I'm done with them. I think i saw them more times then they deserved. I didn't make the same mistake with other old bands though.

D-Scape said:
I don't think it belongs there either honestly. My favorite from the classic 1980s scene is the overlooked Spectrum of Death by Morbid Saint. I listen to it all the time.

Spectrum_Of_Death.jpg

I really like that album as well, but it's too much of a Kreator clone.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
NightCrawler said:
It's because it's not thrash, it doesn't have that feel or attitude. Sure there's 3 thrashy songs in the album (probably the last great Hetfield moments), but historically it was such a huge deal on the metal movement, that we can extrapolate the impact of that album as the death of thrash. From then on, bands tried to mimic the same songwriting approach of that album, the slower tempo (which was a nod to Black Sabbath, but done wrong - and eventually spawned the dreaded groove thrash movement), the mellow songs and the long acoustic sections. Also i think musically the album is very uneven. You can tell they were out of Mustaine riffs :troll: (it's impossible not to notice the best part of Lepper Messiah - starting at 3:15 - is so blatantly Mustaine), so what we have left is half-assed ideas, some good ripped off riffs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffghdsbr6jU) and the need to resort to Burton's creativity (which was great, specially on Orion, but not metal at all). My view on that album has not changed since the first time i listened to it when i was young. I can remember half the songs, the rest are remarkably uninteresting.

I get what you mean, but I wouldn't say it was "done wrong," and if it was the end of thrash and beginning of some bad influences that's everyone's fault. Musically we agree on the facts but disagree with our conclusions. Compared to say Ride The Lightning for example, I would agree that song for song Ride has the better individual or standout tracks, but I think Master is a better album precisely because the music, themes, and production are so unified and consistent throughout, while individually the songs are more intricate though less memorable, which can be a hurdle. It's a true album end to end though, and so to me it's musically very even in serving that master (see what I did there). Also, to your point about Mustaine and Burton, it's interesting to note that Burton only had three writing credits on Master (MoP, Orion, Damage Inc.), while he had six on the aforementioned Ride (only the best ones too: Fire, Ride, Bells, Fade, Creep, and Ktulu). And yes, I knew all that off the top of my head. :farnese:

NightCrawler said:
I agree with you on Peace Sells, even though i dislike Megadeth in general.

Dave's voice, lyrics, or his eventually recycled riffs? I mean, if it's Megadeth it has to be about Dave somehow.

NightCrawler said:
As for Metallica nowadays, i loved seeing them live in 99 and 04. Saw them a couple more times later but was absolutely sick of the clean non-drunk "yeho" Hetfield voice. I'm done with them. I think i saw them more times then they deserved. I didn't make the same mistake with other old bands though.

Yeah, I almost caught the Big Four show in Indio, but by the time I heard about it there was only the shit seats left and I figured it probably wasn't worth it anyway (sad). I've also seen them pre and post Hetfield rehab, but I was so drunk the last time that I made up for him. It was definitely more... authentic previously, and more professional the last time for better or worse.
 

NightCrawler

Aeons gone, vast, mad and deathless
Griffith said:
Also, to your point about Mustaine and Burton, it's interesting to note that Burton only had three writing credits on Master (MoP, Orion, Damage Inc.), while he had six on the aforementioned Ride (only the best ones too: Fire, Ride, Bells, Fade, Creep, and Ktulu). And yes, I knew all that off the top of my head. :farnese:

I don't really take those credits seriously. Do you really believe Lars wrote songs? I mean, sure he had input (and the biggest ego in the band), but i think he just pulled the strings like "play that in this way" sort of thing. He's more of a show-off marketing kind of guy first and foremost. In the end MoP is a symbolically concept album about Lars and his influence on heavy music from then on:D
As time passes i tend to regard their first two albums as their best. I just love the overall feeling and mood of those productions.
Also, the fact that Dave's riffs are so distinguishable makes it easy to spot the ripped off parts. But i was never bothered by that, look at Led Zeppelin, they ripped off tons and tons of riffs. Usually the pioneers are forgotten for the ones that left the biggest impression/had luck/best management.

Griffith said:
Dave's voice, lyrics, or his eventually recycled riffs? I mean, if it's Megadeth it has to be about Dave somehow.

His voice, definitely.
 
Interesting Metallica talk, didn't know Griffith was a fan ^_^. I personally rank Ride The Lightning higher than any record they put out. The production on Master is phenomenal in terms of chuggy heaviness, then there's also the very heavy sounding Justice album too. Those first 4 album off em are pretty different from each other.

EDIT: BTW, I recorded slower versions of Master and Ride using my vinyl player and well, it sounds HEAVIER hahaha! Muchos. Got me thinking what Bolt Thrower would sound like with James on vocals.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
NightCrawler said:
I don't really take those credits seriously. Do you really believe Lars wrote songs? I mean, sure he had input (and the biggest ego in the band), but i think he just pulled the strings like "play that in this way" sort of thing. He's more of a show-off marketing kind of guy first and foremost. In the end MoP is a symbolically concept album about Lars and his influence on heavy music from then on:D

Haha, I've always suspected the ever-present Hetfield/Ulrich was something of an arrangement, but I give him the benefit of the doubt. Probably not the musical mover he'd like you to believe, but also not as inconsequential as some like to think. As for the other credits, while the fix was in for those two, they obviously cared whose name got put down otherwise, so I don't think those credits are arbitrary where Burton and Hammet are concerned, but I'd agree their influence was probably understated considering how bands really work despite the draconian way Metallica operated (especially Cliff since I'm a total Burton fanboy! :iva:).

NightCrawler said:
As time passes i tend to regard their first two albums as their best. I just love the overall feeling and mood of those productions.

Well, full disclosure, MoP was what got me into the band and is one of my favorite albums, though I've had my fill of it at times where your critiques ring truer, but after some time away I'll go back for a listen and remember what all the fuss was about in the first place.

NightCrawler said:
Also, the fact that Dave's riffs are so distinguishable makes it easy to spot the ripped off parts. But i was never bothered by that, look at Led Zeppelin, they ripped off tons and tons of riffs. Usually the pioneers are forgotten for the ones that left the biggest impression/had luck/best management.

Yeah, doesn't bother me either, and by the same token there's a tendency to try and take credit away from those that achieve with something and give it to those that didn't, which isn't fair either. Dave obviously proved himself anyway (one of the craziest stories in music history when you think about it).

NightCrawler said:
His voice, definitely.

The irony of that is while almost every other metal singer from his era is a shell of themselves, he sounds as good as ever! :carcus:

IncantatioN said:
Interesting Metallica talk, didn't know Griffith was a fan ^_^. I personally rank Ride The Lightning higher than any record they put out. The production on Master is phenomenal in terms of chuggy heaviness, then there's also the very heavy sounding Justice album too. Those first 4 album off em are pretty different from each other.

EDIT: BTW, I recorded slower versions of Master and Ride using my vinyl player and well, it sounds HEAVIER hahaha! Muchos. Got me thinking what Bolt Thrower would sound like with James on vocals.

Welcome to the What Metallica analysis are you listening to? thread!
 

Viral Harvest

Every Knee Bent Too Shall Break
Can we all agree that St. Anger was probably the worst record of all time, not just by Metallica? Please tell me you guys have seen the documentary leading up to that album in all of its pathetically hysterical glory. My favorite parts are the random clips of Kirk Hammett surfing and Hetfield going on a 2 week hunting trip to find himself.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
I'm listening to Marc Maron interviewing Larry Miller. One of the better WTF podcasts in recent months. :serpico:
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Viral Harvest said:
Can we all agree that St. Anger was probably the worst record of all time, not just by Metallica?

I wish that were true, and bringing this back around, have you ever listened to Metal Machine Music by Lou Reed? Maybe those two are the great works that Metallica's collaboration with him will combine.

Viral Harvest said:
Please tell me you guys have seen the documentary leading up to that album in all of its pathetically hysterical glory. My favorite parts are the random clips of Kirk Hammett surfing and Hetfield going on a 2 week hunting trip to find himself.

Can we all agree that Some Kind of Monster was probably the most embarrassingly revealing rock documentary of all time, not just by Metallica? Either way, it's a fantastic companion to A Year and a Half in the Life; two movies about the same band that couldn't be more different, literally coinciding with their career apex and nadir respectively.

Rhombaad said:
I'm listening to Marc Maron interviewing Larry Miller. One of the better WTF podcasts in recent months. :serpico:

Gotta love Larry Miller, though strangely I've yet to listen to his own This Week podcast.
 
NightCrawler said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJdPENA0kw4
Machetazo are good fun. I was off metal for a bit and got back with a slew of new albums. Decapitated's new one is just ... it's like they caught the djen flu from Meshuggah but couldn't do it right. The album sounds like a watered down Chaosphere with no dynamic song-writing. Tried listening to the new Origin and I can't get into it. There's something about the album that isn't quite there (musically). It's not the album I thought that'd blow my mind, like the Wormed EP last year (stellar).

Spun my Depravity vinyl this morning ... *sigh*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgdfPnIdST8
 

NightCrawler

Aeons gone, vast, mad and deathless
tumblr_ln5rfjwQQE1qzuosqo1_1308689870_cover.png


4 tracks of the upcoming Ghost 2 were released with the Deconstruction + Ghost bundle (and 2 more bonus tracks for each).
This is amazing. The same vibe of Ghost but way way darker. Also, tons of fretless bass action.
 
IncantatioN said:
Decapitated's new one is just ... it's like they caught the djen flu from Meshuggah but couldn't do it right. The album sounds like a watered down Chaosphere with no dynamic song-writing.
Have to disagree here. I thought they used those "Meshuggaisms" quite well, and so far this is actually my favorite metal album of 2011.

One of my summer favorites:
Underworld.beaucoupfish.jpg


Played it to death during military service ages ago. They haven't been up to this level ever since unfortunately, but this one will live forever.
I'm waiting for the day someone reinvents the mid-nineties electro scene.
 
Second that Nightcrawler, was listening to it all night yesterday along with Jesu's Conqueror.

D-Scape, I dunno man. The song-writing seemed too bland, there was a lot of waiting before they changed a riff and it's not exceptionally good either. Finishing the album just makes me want to listen to something better.

disma-300x265.jpg


61K5XnKDFOL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 

turkitage

ターク
Delta Phi Zeta said:
This is probably a fairly nontraditional (in terms of the thread) genre...Shostakovich's string quartets.

The most famous of which I'll share with anyone that hasn't heard it. Movement two of the 8th quartet. It's fairly mind bending, imo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjvTTfbpWjY
Yay! I really enjoyed that. Never heard of him or his music before. I listened to a few more of his works and I really liked this compilation (which includes your 2nd movement).

Finding random music on youtube has been so for a great experience for me. I'm really enjoying Nujabes and really like this song in particular:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgXxDFvfdhM&feature=BFa&list=PL5C12940C6FCC2F59&index=16

It's just nice peaceful music.
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
defeater.jpg


fairtomidlandarrowandan.jpg


Really enjoying both of these. Can't believe I missed them went they came out earlier this year. Also the new Taking Back Sunday ain't too shabby either.
 

NightCrawler

Aeons gone, vast, mad and deathless
Everything Ratos de Porão. Best punk/crossover band ever. It's as metal as punk can get. They were a big influence on me moving on to thrash when i was 12/13.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDZss0sD-1k
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
augustburnsredlevelerde.jpg


These guys know how to put out a deluxe edition. The bonus tracks are excellent, as is the rest of the album.
 
Viral Harvest said:
Can we all agree that St. Anger was probably the worst record of all time, not just by Metallica? Please tell me you guys have seen the documentary leading up to that album in all of its pathetically hysterical glory. My favorite parts are the random clips of Kirk Hammett surfing and Hetfield going on a 2 week hunting trip to find himself.

St. Anger was probably one of the albums that most Metallica fans were really waiting for but when it came out they were left with the "WTF?!" expression because it was honestly horrible compared to their past records, my favorite is Ride the Lightening. But I think the critics said it best when they said "the guitars stumble in a monotone of mid-level, processed rattle; the drums don't propel as much as struggle to disguise an all-too-turgid pace; and the rage is both unfocused and leavened with too much narcissistic navel-gazing". But as much as we all think the album sucked and it did, really bad, the title track won a damn grammy! Tell me how that happens!?

Anyway, albums I'm listening to now (mostly thanks to Oburi) is Eyes Set to Kill (Reach and Broken Frames), D.R.U.G.S., any August Burns Red album (because they are all amazing), Adele (that whole CD is amazing), Happy Brain Slow Body (stupid name but it's the guitarist and the singer from the first TBS CD and it's amazing), Hopes Fall (Magnetic North is an awesome album from what I've heard), Moving Mountains is an awesome band if you don't mind a lot of instruments, Periphery is also amazing, I love Papa Roach but their last album blew the big one. I'm starting to get more and more into A Skylit Drive and Of Mice and Men but we'll see if that actually happens.
 
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