Now Playing Thread

[Teunis]

Quite predictable:
Arena - Pride 

[PH]

Ten - "Stormwarning"
3. Kingdom Come

Very catchy melodic AOR/hardrock. I'm sure many people will like this! So, let's give this band a try. Just don't expect anything progressive or anything. The musicians really know what they're doing, but they keep it fairly on the safe side. Even Mark Zonder, who's a great drummer, plays safe. Nicky did very well as ambassador for this band, but still (I'm sorry) I can't compare them to Arena in any way. Perhaps Asia is a better comparison although Ten is a bit heavier than that. Gary Hughes is a very good singer, but a bit too polished for my liking. I call it a 'radio voice' or 'radio friendly voice'. Which isn't really bad, because Ten could be much bigger than they are. I can imagine Ten getting radio play. Something Arena can only dream of.

[funkster]

Iced Earth - Dystopia

Pleasant so far and i am sure it will be a grower.

Bit of a mixed bag listening wise recenty - lots of metal in Machine Head , Anthrax and Evile. Some more rock and roll stuff in Cats in Boots , Kings of the sun and Buckcherry and not really any prog 

Isn't music just amazing - something to suit any mood     

[PH]

Iced Earth - Dystopia

Pleasant so far and i am sure it will be a grower.

I've heard a bit here and there. Doesn't sound bad. But then again, I don't know Iced Earth, and I'm not really at home in that genre either, so what do I know?

Bit of a mixed bag listening wise recenty - lots of metal in Machine Head , Anthrax and Evile. Some more rock and roll stuff in Cats in Boots , Kings of the sun and Buckcherry and not really any prog 

Isn't music just amazing - something to suit any mood     

Absolutely!

[Nicky007]

Ten - "Stormwarning"

Very catchy melodic AOR/hardrock.

That's if you take Stormwarning.

If you take The Twilight Chronicles (as I mentioned earlier), you have something more progressive and more like Arena. I still think that Ten, with the Chronicles, The Essential Collection, and Once And Future King (formally a Gary Hughes album, but basically a Ten album) are the closest band to Arena, apart from Arena side projects like Kino and Caamora. And Gary's lyrics are as evocative as Clive's 

So Paxi, try these other albums and tell me what you think 

I can imagine Ten getting radio play.

Actually they don't 

That's why they made Stormwarning 

Nicky.

[PH]

That's if you take Stormwarning.

When are you finally happy?

If you take The Twilight Chronicles (as I mentioned earlier), you have something more progressive and more like Arena. I still think that Ten, with the Chronicles, The Essential Collection, and Once And Future King (formally a Gary Hughes album, but basically a Ten album) are the closest band to Arena, apart from Arena side projects like Kino and Caamora. And Gary's lyrics are as evocative as Clive's 

But dear Nicky, "The Essential Collection" is a 'best of' album...

I have heard "The Twilight Chronicles" and it's really good. But I don't recognise Arena in it. Can't help it, but it still sounds like AOR/Melodic Hard Rock to me, albeit with some symphonic elements. But they're really good at it!

By the way, Kino and Caamora don't sound like Arena either. Kino is AOR/Alternative/Pop Rock with a progressive touch. And Caamora, well, they sound like a lot of things!

On a funny sidenote: I wanted to check some of Ten's lyrics, but on "the largest metal lyrics archive on the Web" (i.e. DarkLyrics.com) they didn't have them listed. While they DO have Arena there.
I DID find Ten lyrics on NuttyLyrics.com where you can also find Britney Spears lyrics.

So Paxi, try these other albums and tell me what you think 

I'll try "Once And Future King" sometime.

[Nicky007]

When are you finally happy?

Paxi, you have a way of twisting things outta shape, so I have to twist them back again 

"The Essential Collection" is a 'best of' album...

No it's not, it's a new recording of some old classics 

The biggest difference is that on Essential, Chris Francis plays lead guitar, and he's imo a super guitarist 

Vinny Burns was good too, but the present lead guitarist Neil Fraser seems rather regular to me 

But also Gary Hughes sings with much more power on Essential than he did on the earlier recordings 

I DID find Ten lyrics on NuttyLyrics.com

Yeah, you don't find much Ten on the net 

Iac if you wanna hear Ten at their very best, then get The Twilight Chronicles. It's an organic whole, so one simply has to hear the whole album from beginning to end 

I'll try "Once And Future King" sometime.

Now you'r makin sense 


NP  Arena:  Burning Down - Live

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqI3jHoNbYI&feature=related

Probably recorded on a phone, but it gives a bit of an impression 

Nicky.

[PH]

No it's not, it's a new recording of some old classics 

Not a 'Best Of'? So they've decided to record the worst songs? Or did they indeed look for their best songs to record them?

[Nicky007]

Not a 'Best Of'? So they've decided to record the worst songs? Or did they indeed look for their best songs to record them?

What does your dad think of you and yer bro, Paxi ? "Best of" ? - or "Worst of" ? Depends on how you guys behave, and his mood, donnit ?

NP  Arena:  Lion's Cage

Doin my homework - so I'm "Best of" 

Nicky.

[Nicky007]

I have heard "The Twilight Chronicles" ... But I don't recognise Arena in it ... Kino and Caamora don't sound like Arena either.

Of course they'r different groups, but considering the vast spectrum of music that I listen to, from, let's say, Jeff Buckley (ethereal) to The Arcane Order (onslaught), I consider that I can group these groups    together. And Paxi, if you got properly into Twilight Chronicles ("have heard" is not enough with such a great classic), meaning several listens from beginning to end, which it really merits, musically and lyrically, you'd realise how close it is in many ways to Contagion 

In the Room, understandably, there's a tendency to overestimate the prog of the Arena albums in relation to that of albums by other groups, like Ten 

Nicky.

[maddox]

Haken ~ Visions

[funkster]

Crucible of man by Iced Earth

[Bupie]

NP Arena - The Visitor

On anticipation for next week  And yes, as PH wrote, this is some kind of -positive- therapy.

[funkster]

Shadow gallery - carved in stone accompanied myself in on the bus this morning and damn enjoyable
it was as well

[Teunis]

Shadow gallery - carved in stone

Knight Area - Nine Paths
Arena - Pride
Iona - Another Realm (on progstreaming.com)

[The Butterfly Man]

NP: Arena - Immortal?

My personal highlight of Arena's discography, but more on that later...

Tom

[Nicky007]

Played:

Protest the Hero:  Scurrilous

These guys have raised metal to a new level - amazing 


NP  Subsignal  on  YouTube

Paradigm is a wonderful piece, prog at its best:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx4rTyWIAvs&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=AV4oVf-d_DwKCimuRSWhWZNf3Hc9045hJC

Gotta get their albums 


Mad, this habit you have of not answering questions in the Room, is that cuz your wife and kids talk too much ? 

Nicky.

[Nicky007]

NP  MilleniuM  on  YouTube

Thanx, Teunis 

Nicky.

[funkster]

Iced Earth - Horror show

I have dveloped a bit of an unhealthy obsession with this band now 

[bellanova]

Arena -The Visitor

Im getting in the mood for the Leamington Spa gig. I love all the songs on this album but Tears In The Rain is especially meaningful to me and reduced me to tears at Reading. Maybe I need to cheer myself up with some Porcupine Tree!!!!!
No, Im positive now and cant wait for the gig!

[PH]

Scar Symmetry - "The Unseen Empire"
2. Illuminoid Dream Sequence

I like it!
Nice Melodic Death Metal!

[funkster]

Scar Symmetry - "The Unseen Empire"
2. Illuminoid Dream Sequence

I like it!
Nice Melodic Death Metal!

Nicky ,is that you 

[Nicky007]

Nicky, is that you 

Yes, it's me here, tuteloo

Yup, Scar Symmetry are pantheon with me 

However, the two albums that I have and know well are Pitch Black Progress (2006) and Holographic Universe (2008). I havent listened much to their stuff after that. Christian Älvestam is a terrific singer, and I'v heard from several fans that losing him was detrimental to SS, so therefore getting the latest two albums hasnt been of top priority to me. But of course I have to have them some time.

What I'm wondering about is why Paxi thinx he likes'm 



Yeah, they'r heeeavy for sure, but also very melodic 


Played:

Lana Lane & Erik Norlander:  The Secrets of Astrology

Super album, guys, aint that so, Teunis ? 

Cuz of Secrets, LL & EN are pantheon with me 

I like several other of their albums too, but Secrets is really exceptional !


NP  Four Manowar albums

Doin my homework 

I like The Triumph of Steel quite a bit, edgy, varied, melodic, yeah I'd almost say prog, with "intelligent lyrics", quoting meself 

I have it on my SL 

The other three albums admittedly don't grip me much (surprised, Paxi ?  ), bit too much "anthemic thrash" with self-indulgent lyrics 

Iced Earth - Horror show

I have developed a bit of an unhealthy obsession with this band now 

Au contraire, Funky, you'r goin full-scale pantheon now 

Nicky.

[Teunis]

Lana Lane & Erik Norlander:  The Secrets of Astrology

Super album, guys, aint that so, Teunis ? 

Yep it is. Thanks for reminding, it's about time that I'll play this album again  .

Shadow Gallery - Digital Ghosts 

[Nicky007]

In order to spare you going thru the whole Manowar catalog, here are some of the catchy songs I discovered listening to the four Manowar albums:


Defender   www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRWcmYLVKG0

On this song, it's the real Orson Welles reciting. Manowar actually managed to engage him for this particular recital, and he has a diction that's absolutely spellbinding. Later in the song, Eric Adams starts singing on top of Welles' speaking, and the result is fabulous 


Another fine song, in a classic Judas Priest mood:

The Gods Made Heavy Metal     www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XyBMYbLiCU


And from their imo best album, The Triumph Of Steel, a surprisingly sensitive melodic song. Here you get it live:

Master Of The Wind    www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkv-XGD2cQQ


Enjoy, man !

Nicky.