Now Playing Thread

[funkster]

Symphony x - paradise lost

[Bupie]

PP Evergrey - In Search Of Truth
NP Vanden Plas - The God Thing

So far I prefer the latter but I might be a bit biased since I have never been a big fan of Evergrey.

[Nicky007]

So far I prefer the latter, but I might be a bit biased since I have never been a big fan of Evergrey.

I'm with you there, Bupie, but I'm planning to listen to some more Evergrey .....


NP  All That Remains:  This Darkened Heart

I fell over ATR first time at Copenhell, where they played one hell of a concert     Consequently I immediately got their latest album For We Are Many, which I enjoy immensely, and they'v become one of my pantheon groups 

TDH sounded somewhat monotonously metalcore to me at first, but the second listen was very gratifying 

Funky, Tom    - probably not for the rest of you guys 

Nicky.

[funkster]

Digital ghosts by Shadow gallery as i am on a bit of a prog metal binge at the moment 

[Teunis]

Airbag - Identity
Karnataka - The Gathering Light

[funkster]

Iced Earth - Crucible of man whilst trying to cook dinner and entertain a 5 year old

[PH]

Anyone played "Lost In The New Real" yet?
I think it's really cool!

[Nicky007]

Iced Earth - Crucible of man

whilst trying to cook dinner and entertain a 5 year old

Just crank up the volume, should be entertaining enuff 


Played:

Cairo:  Time of Legends

Very uneven:  Sometimes exciting, on par with Yes, but too much keyboard noodling for my taste 

Related groups:  Yes, Asia, IQ, Arena.

Should be interesting to all Roomies 


Judas Priest:  Angel of Retribution 

Nicky.

[maddox]

Opeth ~ Heritage

[Teunis]

Darkwater - Where Stories End

[funkster]

Forbidden - forbidden evil

Proper old school thrash

[Iggy]

NP Anathema - Weather Systems
JP IQ - The Wake

[Nicky007]

Darkwater - Where Stories End

Yeah, I have to get into this band. Heard a bit too much good about them lately to ignore'm further ..... 


NP  All That Remains:  ...For We Are Many

Fabulous, demanding, album. Lotta blast beats, which adds vibrancy. Groundbreaking group 

From the very fertile Massachusetts metalcore scene. Interestingly, despite different backgrounds, they often sound like Scar Symmetry, particularly in passages with clean singing - which once again shows how prog groups confound categorisation 

Nicky.

[Teunis]

Yeah, I have to get into this band. Heard a bit too much good about them lately to ignore'm further ..... 

You won't regret your attempt .

Today:
Arena - The Seventh Degree Of Separation (the more I play it, the more I come to the conclusion it is a masterpiece  )
Anathema - Weather Systems

[funkster]

Heathen - evolution of chaos
Onslaught - the force

One straight ahead head banging thrash , the other more melodic and dare i say progressive ?

[Teunis]

Toto - Fahrenheit
Anathema - A Fine Day To Exit
Anathema - Judgement

[Teunis]

Airbag - All Rights Removed
Anathema - Weather Systems (5.1)

[Teunis]

Rocket Scientists - Brutal Architecture

[Manatee]

Playing a lot of music lately!

Just (OK, recently) played:

Agents of Mercy - The Black Forest      I highly recommend this one.
Blind Ego - Mirror
Gazpacho - March of Ghosts               Still digesting this, certainly it's good, but not sure if it ranks with their best yet.
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Talking Heads - Fear of Music
They Might Be Giants - Flood
Kino - Picture
Opeth - Damnation
Opeth - Watershed
Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Van Der Graaf Generator - Godbluff    A challenging album.  I have a couple of their "friendlier" albums on vinyl, but this is the first on CD.
Blackfield - Blackfield
Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning    This hasn't clicked yet.  It's not bad, but so far, I greatly prefer the PT albums to this solo.  I'm having a similar reaction to this to the one I had to Lunatic Soul compared to Riverside albums.

NP: Arena - The Seventh Degree of Separation    I think this one is a long-term grower.  It's still growing on me; it may get there yet.

I've also been reading a lot of reviews.  I was browsing Prog Archives and wandered over to the Kino reviews (since I happened to be playing them at the time) and stumbled upon a review by an individual named "Bupie."  Somehow that name sounds familiar...  He seemed to like it. 

At Amazon, I was reading up on Opeth and Mastodon since I'm interested in the latest album by each of them.  The famous "Batman" reviewed both of them, and he does indeed write excellent reviews.  Sounds like I'd really enjoy the new Opeth -- they're one of the only metal bands who bring so much to the table that I'm willing to tolerate some growling, but if they've done away with that completely, all the better.     The new Mastodon, I'm not as sure about.  Batman gave it good marks, but he did say they've moved in a somewhat different direction, which is fine but might not be a change for the better in this case.  Anyone have an opinion on this one?

[Bupie]

I've also been reading a lot of reviews.  I was browsing Prog Archives and wandered over to the Kino reviews (since I happened to be playing them at the time) and stumbled upon a review by an individual named "Bupie."  Somehow that name sounds familiar...  He seemed to like it. 

I wrote a few reviews back in 2006, I guess, in reaction to some unfair (IMHO) reviews about some albums that are dear to my heart. Maybe I overreacted sometimes : 5 stars for Nomzamo are maybe one too much 

After reviewing almost all of the Kansas albums, I gave up. But I am not proud of some of those reviews, to say the least 

I am still a reader of Progarchives reviews, though : every week or even more often, I check the last 50 reviews.

NP Nothing at the moment but I plan to 

[Iggy]

Playing a lot of music lately!

Just (OK, recently) played:

Agents of Mercy - The Black Forest      I highly recommend this one.
Blind Ego - Mirror
Gazpacho - March of Ghosts               Still digesting this, certainly it's good, but not sure if it ranks with their best yet.
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Talking Heads - Fear of Music
They Might Be Giants - Flood
Kino - Picture
Opeth - Damnation
Opeth - Watershed
Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Van Der Graaf Generator - Godbluff    A challenging album.  I have a couple of their "friendlier" albums on vinyl, but this is the first on CD.
Blackfield - Blackfield
Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning    This hasn't clicked yet.  It's not bad, but so far, I greatly prefer the PT albums to this solo.  I'm having a similar reaction to this to the one I had to Lunatic Soul compared to Riverside albums.

NP: Arena - The Seventh Degree of Separation    I think this one is a long-term grower.  It's still growing on me; it may get there yet.

I've also been reading a lot of reviews.  I was browsing Prog Archives and wandered over to the Kino reviews (since I happened to be playing them at the time) and stumbled upon a review by an individual named "Bupie."  Somehow that name sounds familiar...  He seemed to like it. 

At Amazon, I was reading up on Opeth and Mastodon since I'm interested in the latest album by each of them.  The famous "Batman" reviewed both of them, and he does indeed write excellent reviews.  Sounds like I'd really enjoy the new Opeth -- they're one of the only metal bands who bring so much to the table that I'm willing to tolerate some growling, but if they've done away with that completely, all the better.     The new Mastodon, I'm not as sure about.  Batman gave it good marks, but he did say they've moved in a somewhat different direction, which is fine but might not be a change for the better in this case.  Anyone have an opinion on this one?

I have played March of Ghosts alot and I find it excellent especially if you are in the right mood.

Grace for Drowning is definitely an acquired taste but on the whole worth perservering I was fortunate enough to see it live which I always find helps the understanding and enjoyment of the CD.

Heritage is my favourite Opeth CD.

An d Flood 

[Manatee]

I wrote a few reviews back in 2006, I guess, in reaction to some unfair (IMHO) reviews about some albums that are dear to my heart. Maybe I overreacted sometimes : 5 stars for Nomzamo are maybe one too much 

After reviewing almost all of the Kansas albums, I gave up. But I am not proud of some of those reviews, to say the least 

I am still a reader of Progarchives reviews, though : every week or even more often, I check the last 50 reviews.

I wouldn't be too concerned about it.  There was nothing wrong with your Kino review in any case.  People with certain tastes are going to focus on aspects that clash with their personal standards.  With Kino, people who can't stand a hint of pop are going to react negatively, but if you enjoy a catchy tune, it's an excellent album.  I read a review of Sylvan's Sceneries that complained that the whole album was mid-tempo (and gave it a paltry two or three stars).  It's true, it's a mid-tempo album, but that works beautifully with the material, and it doesn't bother me a bit.  Five star album IMO.

I have played March of Ghosts alot and I find it excellent especially if you are in the right mood.

Grace for Drowning is definitely an acquired taste but on the whole worth perservering I was fortunate enough to see it live which I always find helps the understanding and enjoyment of the CD.

Heritage is my favourite Opeth CD.

An d Flood 

March of Ghosts is currently in my car rotation, so it should get plenty of chances to seep into my brain.

Grace for Drowning I will keep working on.  Steven Wilson obviously merits being given every chance to click considering all the wonderfully nuanced music he's been responsible for.

I expect I'll be getting Heritage soon.

They Might Be Giants are pure fun.  Maybe they're the American equivalent to Half Man Half Biscuit.


NP: Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning

Seems like I have a lot of potential growers in the queue to see if they grow.

[Manatee]

NP: Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight

Just listening to this with earbuds in, and I'm hearing things I never noticed before.  Every song on this album is great, and I haven't even gotten to my favorite yet.  I'll have to go back to the couple of h-M albums I have that haven't clicked yet and listen some more.  Oh, beer count: 1.5, so I'm not whacked out of my mind.  And these are the wimpy U.S. 12 oz. bottles mind you.   

[PH]

Yesterday I was playing some Genesis albums again.
Man, that stuff still is fresh. It's great music and will always be.

I was also checking what albums were released in the same period and for me Genesis is the winner.
For instance, Yes, always seen as the rival of Genesis at that time, released "Tales From Topographic Oceans" around the same time "Selling England By The Pound" came out.
"Selling England..." obviously is the better one.
Same as "Relayer" and "The Lamb.." in 1974.
"Going For The One" from 1977 is nice, but Genesis released two excellent albums in 1976: "A Trick Of The Tail" And "Wind And Wuthering". I wouldn't trade any of them for that Yes album.
Of course Yes released more albums and I was recently pleasantly surprised by "Fly From Here", which is a really nice album. It's a shame that Genesis never released an album after "Calling All Stations", but I guess they remain a legend. Yes has released a lot of awful attempts in the 90's.

I admit I'm deliberately being provocative. I want to have a bit of a discussion. I wonder which side you take: Yes or Genesis.
I was soooo captured by Genesis' brilliant albums last night.

[funkster]

Genesis all the way for me Paxi 

Now playing Yield by Pearl Jam and some Heathen as well -mixed bag today