[Octillus]

I just miss that over-arching concept that their previous albums had. It took quite a while for the fact that there wasn't one to sink in. Hopefully that's what's going on with other people out there, but i doubt it. Metalheads can be real prickish when a band doesn't play what they want them to.

I'm pretty much with you, but it's really like... the only easy to listen to and rock out album release of the year, for me at least. So that kicks it up like 5-10 points.

It's like their British Steel or something, sure some of it's filler, but it's a good time.

Machine Head - Unto the Locust.
First impressions are about on par with The Blackening, though it doesn't feel as overlong as that album did in parts; I Am Hell is one of their best opening tracks, I'd say.

In my opinion it's their best. Completely blew my expectations out of the water. From the single Locust I was expecting it to basically be a Blackening clone, but it's the only song that really sounds like it. in a way that was good, because that meant I never expected the record to be so intense.

It warrants multiple listens, that's for sure.

I can't say this is "pleasuring" my ears right now, but:
[youtube]8LWtb621DRg[/youtube]
If I needed any further evidence that Lou Reed & Metallica's upcoming project was a bad idea, I just got it.

The Haunted - Unseen

am i the only one that loved this album?

I've seen it getting a lot of shit as well. In my opinion it's definitely not their best, but that's not saying much with a band that has a backcatalog as solid as theirs. I'd put it about middle of the pack.

I just miss that over-arching concept that their previous albums had. It took quite a while for the fact that there wasn't one to sink in. Hopefully that's what's going on with other people out there, but i doubt it. Metalheads can be real prickish when a band doesn't play what they want them to.

You know, I thought the same thing when they announced the new album. I loved Crack the Skye so much and the concept was so cool that I thought why are they going the opposite direction? But having heard the album I see just where the guys are coming from. Their past 3 albums have been massively complex concept driven records and for the past two years or so they've played Crack the Skye from start to finish live nearly night. I can imagine with all that it would just be exhausting so I think wanting to make an album of nonconnected songs that stand on their own merits/will be fun to play live seemed like a great idea. And you know, it's really cool to see a band go the opposite way and make a less complex record that still kicks major ass, IMO. I guess it doesn't bother me so much either because I'm sure Mastodon will get back to the concepts-- this just feels like a rocking, one-off, fun record.

To bookwyrm: isn't that song just unbearable? Jee-sus...

Carcass - Carnal Forge

I can't believe this thread has been running for SEVEN YEARS awesome!

Stuff what I have "starred" on me Spotify just lately

MORE Brian Eno
Opeth
Mastodon
Hoopy Frood
The Orb
Unthanks
Tori Amos
The Crystal Method
Meshuggah
AWOLNATION if you've never heard of them, check out SAIL, you WILL like it
Psychostick

Fields Of The Nephilim - Slow Kill

man i love diz shit

[JuZ]

I think that as soon as you bring an agenda to your appreciation of music, you're fucked.

We all have things we might hope to hear from musicians, but as soon as you turn those hopes into expectations or demands you put yourself at risk of going from being an enthusiastic fan to being miserable, humourless music-nazi douche who deserves to be perpetually disappointed. Seriously, these tr00 wankers need to chill out.

Nothing wrong with not liking an album (for example, to my ears that Lou Reed thing sounds like absolute shit, and I found the Morbid Angel album close to unlistenable). But who the fuck do fans think they are in demanding that musicians play a certain type of music forever and a day? Hats off to guys like Mastodon and Dev (and Metallica I guess, despite Lars' propensity for talking bulldust), who have the balls (or the money, ha!) to make the music they feel compelled to make, instead of what they think their fans might want.

/rant

Fields Of The Nephilim - Slow Kill

man i love diz shit

<3

I think that as soon as you bring an agenda to your appreciation of music, you're fucked.

We all have things we might hope to hear from musicians, but as soon as you turn those hopes into expectations or demands you put yourself at risk of going from being an enthusiastic fan to being miserable, humourless music-nazi douche who deserves to be perpetually disappointed. Seriously, these tr00 wankers need to chill out.

Nothing wrong with not liking an album (for example, to my ears that Lou Reed thing sounds like absolute shit, and I found the Morbid Angel album close to unlistenable). But who the fuck do fans think they are in demanding that musicians play a certain type of music forever and a day? Hats off to guys like Mastodon and Dev (and Metallica I guess, despite Lars' propensity for talking bulldust), who have the balls (or the money, ha!) to make the music they feel compelled to make, instead of what they think their fans might want.

/rant

Good points. In my view, if musicians want to make something different than to what fans expect, that's all well and good, but just make it listenable. For instance, Celtic Frost pulled it off their whole career (except Cold Lake, which they are the first to admit was an abortion). Machine Head have evolved their sound over their career (their new album included) and with the exception of Burning Red and Supercharge, have created works that are good in their own merits. Clearly not all fans will agree, but they do have their appeal to many nonetheless (even the aforementioned lesser ones).
Lou Reed + Metallica is an interesting concept, but the execution was grating. If the whole album is like that, I must say no thank you.

[Octillus]

I am the table.

Ways of seeing. Herp derp, entry level philosophy/humanities derp de derpity do.

Good for them for trying something out of their wheelhouse which totally wasn't trying to be mainstream. I still think it's awful, and the way they're approaching the material sounds incredibly shallow and juvenile.

[youtube]MHRCJmDXwMU[/youtube]

[youtube]wmPPjzr7TBU[/youtube]

Ah, bliss.

finally hearing the new steven wilson album in it's entirety. i'm trying not to get my hopes up, but i can't help it.

Fields Of The Nephilim - Slow Kill

man i love diz shit

man, they do not fuck around. i wish more got bands would have taken some hints from them. i also love that they went metal instead of electronic.

[JuZ]

I think that as soon as you bring an agenda to your appreciation of music, you're fucked.

We all have things we might hope to hear from musicians, but as soon as you turn those hopes into expectations or demands you put yourself at risk of going from being an enthusiastic fan to being miserable, humourless music-nazi douche who deserves to be perpetually disappointed. Seriously, these tr00 wankers need to chill out.

Nothing wrong with not liking an album (for example, to my ears that Lou Reed thing sounds like absolute shit, and I found the Morbid Angel album close to unlistenable). But who the fuck do fans think they are in demanding that musicians play a certain type of music forever and a day? Hats off to guys like Mastodon and Dev (and Metallica I guess, despite Lars' propensity for talking bulldust), who have the balls (or the money, ha!) to make the music they feel compelled to make, instead of what they think their fans might want.

/rant

Good points. In my view, if musicians want to make something different than to what fans expect, that's all well and good, but just make it listenable. For instance, Celtic Frost pulled it off their whole career (except Cold Lake, which they are the first to admit was an abortion). Machine Head have evolved their sound over their career (their new album included) and with the exception of Burning Red and Supercharge, have created works that are good in their own merits. Clearly not all fans will agree, but they do have their appeal to many nonetheless (even the aforementioned lesser ones).
Lou Reed + Metallica is an interesting concept, but the execution was grating. If the whole album is like that, I must say no thank you.

Yep, exactly right... that's what it all boils down to. Do I like it or do I not like it? Surely nothing else really matters. Not "it's not xyz enough" or whatever. Just seems self-defeating.

Slatewoman, I'm keen to hear what you think of the Steve Wilson album once you've given it some time. Haven't heard it yet myself.