Now Playing Thread

[The Butterfly Man]

Absolutely! I saw them playing live (once supporting Tiamat, as well as 'on their own') and I believe they got better with each album they released (although my personal favourite still is 'Judgement', closely followed by 'Eternity' and 'Alternative 4').

I also got a couple of their albums but I like A Natural Disaster the best. Especially the melancholic 'Are You There?' and 'Electricity', so hauntingly beautiful! Those songs still give me goosebumps!

Cheers, Tom

[maddox]

The DVD Transatlantic - Live In Europe.

Awesome. 

[PH]

The DVD Transatlantic - Live In Europe.

Awesome. 

Indeed! I wanted to see that one today, but first I listened to Genesis - Selling England By The Pound.
And after that, my dad came home, so I could forget seeying that DVD...

Selling England By The Pound, people, that is a must for every prog-fan.
Dancing With The Moonlit Knight, Firth Of Fifth and Cinema Show are brilliant songs. Three of the best prog songs ever (and Cinema Show is the best of these three in my opinion).
And then we have the beautiful instrumental After The Ordeal and the very funny and adrenaline kicking The Battle Of Epping Forest.
Only I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) and More Fool Me are weaker (but far from bad especially More Fool Me).

[maddox]

Funny you mention Fifth of Firth and The Cinema Show. I consider those two the best they've ever made. 

NP> The Flower Kings - Meet The Flower Kings: @n Live Recording

Track: [disc One] 02 - Garden Of Dreams Pt I

[Nicky007]

[HIM] ... bands that sell albums because they have a cute (not to my standards, though!) singer.

Guess you're right there, Bluey.

Nicky.

[maddox]

Queensryche - Mindcrime At The Moore

Track: [Disk One] 01 - I Remember Now

First spin. I'm very curious about this one. 

[Bupie]

An evening with John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess - Furia Taurina

Great acoustic jazz rock instrumental with latin flavour. All those who don't care only for the metal side of DT and are ready for some light jazz rock should check this album 

[bluepony]

Queensryche - Mindcrime At The Moore

Just one question, Maddox: Is this a live album? Haven't heard the name before!

[maddox]

Just one question, Maddox: Is this a live album? Haven't heard the name before!

It indeed is. It's recorded in the states and features the entire Operation:Mindcrime Pt I and Op:Mi pt II.
Heard it only once until now and i must say that though the years haven't been good for the boys, it is a pretty decent album. 

If only Op pt II was a bit better than it is now. 

[bluepony]

Thanks for the info! 

Seems I have yet another album to add to my "what to buy" list...

[Nicky007]

NP  Pallas:  The Last Angel  (from Dreams).

An anthem of our times.

Don't you guys get it: Pallas is Genius, and this is their best song (also Alan Reed's choice).

Nicky.

[bluepony]

OK, OK, I get the message - note to self: Check out Pallas a.s.a.p.! 

[maddox]

Dream Theater - Train Of Thought

Track: 02 - This Dying Soul

[PH]

NP  Pallas:  The Last Angel  (from Dreams).

An anthem of our times.

Don't you guys get it: Pallas is Genius, and this is their best song (also Alan Reed's choice).

Nicky.

We get it Nicky.
I was already into Pallas three years ago.

I'm now listening to Opeth - Damnation...

It's beautiful music, exactly what I like about music. Dark with nice clean vocals and sinister chords.
But the album title is very heavy metal and it makes me once again wondering: what is the vision of Opeth. What do they stand for? What's this music about? Are they satanical? (I doubt that, but still...)

[Nicky007]

We get it Nicky.

Well, I got Bluey a'movin.

Tell me, Paco, what do you think of The Last Angel? Try to delve into the lyrics, real deep stuff.


> What is the vision of Opeth? What do they stand for? What's this music about? Are they satanical? (I doubt that, but still...)

Well, Mikael is definitely not satanic, rather agnostic, inching in on Christianity.

Otherwise I don't really have anything to add to my previous post on Opeth lyrics, except that it's some of the most profound stuff I've ever encountered.

Nicky.

[bluepony]

Well, I got Bluey a'movin.

[Nicky007]

NP  Dark Tranquillity:  Fiction.

There's so much rave about this album (i.a. on Ultimatemetal.com and Amazon) that I decided to get it.

I'm sure glad that I did, as it by all means lives up to all the excitement. Swedish metal at its finest.

It's as heavy as it gets, and there's growl most of the time, which earlier turned me off, but come on, by now we've all gotten used to growl, haven't we, even Threshold has it. The advantage is that it's really refreshing when Mikael Stanne sings clean; and no matter what style, he does it excellently.

In contrast to Meshuggah and In Flames, which I experience as thickets of thrash, there's lots more melody here, quiet passages, varied rhythms, chorus, even some female vocals, and lots of surprises, all done very precisely. The production is perfect; all instruments stand out clearly.

The lyrics also display high intelligence. They're not Christian, but religious all the same, all about faith, sin, sacrifice, disease, death, and magic.

So, for fans of Opeth and Swedish metal, I recom Fiction highly.

Nicky.

[bluepony]

Yep, Dark Tranquillity are not too bad (I got one of their 'older' albums to review, I think it was called "Haven", released in 2005 or so...), but I cannot listen to them every day. Frameshift, on the other hand...  I wonder, has anybody else ever heard of this project?

[PH]

Frameshift?

Yeah, that's quite interesting!
The first album was with James LaBrie and I haven't heard that one often enough to give my view on it actually.
The second was with Sebastian Bach, and what a powerful voice he has! Wow!
Henning Pauly is a very interesting musician!

Chain is also very good!
I've listened to Babysteps recently (with LaBrie amongst others) but wasn't really impressed...

[PH]

Anyway, I'm now listening to:
Harry Gregson-Williams & Norihiko Hibino - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Soundtrack
Disc 1 - 04. Virtuous Mission


Really really really REALLY awesome!
And just give a shout and I'll rip that song to MP3 and upload it for you all to let you hear how good it is!

[bluepony]

NP: Arena - Immortal? - Chosen (since I don't have the Frameshift album here...)

[Nicky007]

Yep, Dark Tranquillity are not too bad (I got one of their 'older' albums to review, I think it was called "Haven", released in 2005 or so...), but I cannot listen to them every day. 

I have to get better into Dark Tr to be certain, but it seems to me that Fiction is their best effort yet, and that's what most reviewers say. In any case, they're now one of the best heavy prog groups around.


> Frameshift, on the other hand...  I wonder, has anybody else ever heard of this project?

Yes, I have An Absence Of Empathy. I'll spin it after:


NP  Anathema:  Alternative 4.

Really rocks, profound lyrics, heavier than Natural Disaster.

Nicky.

[bluepony]

Ah, I wish I was at home now and had access to my CD collection... 

[PH]

I'm now playing:

The second disc of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Soundtrack
05. Sidecar - Escape From The Fortress

Now that I think of it, this soundtrack album is the ONLY double album that I can sit through without getting bored at one point.
Very adrenaline pumping music. Best of the best.

[Nicky007]

Anyway, I'm now listening to:
Harry Gregson-Williams & Norihiko Hibino - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Soundtrack
Disc 1 - 04. Virtuous Mission

Really really really REALLY awesome!
And just give a shout and I'll rip that song to MP3 and upload it for you all to let you hear how good it is!

Never heard of those guys.

Yeah, Paco, gladly, give us a taste of it. I don't know how it works, but I expect that you'll work it out for us.

Nicky.