Now Playing Thread

[PH]

NP Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura

This is still one of the best and most adventurous albums by Neal Morse. I love it!

Listening to Arena - "Contagion Max"

Very nice.

I was wondering, where do you store this cd on your shelf? Just after Contagion (Contagious, Contagium) or after "The Seventh Degree..."?

A small dillema for the OCD people among us.

[Teunis]

Listening to Arena - "Contagion Max"

Received it today, also signed . Didn't expect that, as I ordered it last weekend. Just played it. Great, what a journey  .

I was wondering, where do you store this cd on your shelf? Just after Contagion (Contagious, Contagium) or after "The Seventh Degree..."?

A small dillema for the OCD people among us.

I'll store it after 'The Seventh Degree', as I rank my cd's first on 'name of artist', followed by 'year of release' order.

Riverside - S.O.N.G.S.

[PH]

I'll store it after 'The Seventh Degree', as I rank my cd's first on 'name of artist', followed by 'year of release' order.

What about reissues of early albums?
And isn't this some kind of reissue?

[Nicky007]

Another wonderful video by the Moodies:

Moody Blues:  I Know You're Out There Somewhere

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjImFYf2Vzc

- Nicky

[erik]

NP Yep, Contagion Max again

The track Contagious is playing now, one of my favourites together with Confrontation. Contagious is a killer instrumental, with great guitar riffing, Confrontation is superb as the penultimate track with its foreboding choir and organ sounds. It's great rediscovering these EP tracks (kind of 'forgotten') now that they're included on the Max version.

[erik]

If you listen closely to the final chorus of Rising Up on the Max album you can hear Clive singing in the background: "Rising up - we've waited soooo looong"   

Just kidding of course

[PH]

NP Yep, Contagion Max again

The track Contagious is playing now, one of my favourites together with Confrontation. Contagious is a killer instrumental, with great guitar riffing, Confrontation is superb as the penultimate track with its foreboding choir and organ sounds. It's great rediscovering these EP tracks (kind of 'forgotten') now that they're included on the Max version.

Actually, whenever I listen to Contagion, I always play the EPs after it, in the order of release date. So these EP tracks are not unfamiliar to me at all. I've always seen them as part of the whole package and like the songs very much.
They're actually the most played EPs I have.
But I agree that it's really really really nice to have the tracks properly mixed in the right order. Of course it takes time getting used to the different track order, but I think it works really well!!
The only (small) point of criticism I can think of (if you allow me), is that the front art is practically identical to the 1-disc edition, while "Contagious" and "Contagium" had different cover. I was always under the impression that new artwork also meant that another cover was made.
But this is actually a very minor 'flaw' since the original artwork is of course fantastic!
Seriously, this Max edition is a dream come true!!

If you listen closely to the final chorus of Rising Up on the Max album you can hear Clive singing in the background: "Rising up - we've waited soooo looong"   

Just kidding of course

[erik]

The only (small) point of criticism I can think of (if you allow me), is that the front art is practically identical to the 1-disc edition, while "Contagious" and "Contagium" had different cover. I was always under the impression that new artwork also meant that another cover was made.
But this is actually a very minor 'flaw' since the original artwork is of course fantastic!
Seriously, this Max edition is a dream come true!!

It is, isn't it 
We did consider a different cover but in the end decided that we preferred using the original artwork of the digipack version, because it just looks so great
So the new artwork is in the booklet, which has a lot more pages to include the extra lyrics and the short story. As for the running order, if you played Contagion a lot then you have to get used to it a bit at first I agree. And if you made your own Max mix you have to get used to it again, because for this definitive version the original "master tracklist" (that was provided on the Contagium EP and used for the 2004 preview version of The Max) was abandoned, to create a better flow and tie the tracks together with the chapters of the short story. So if you compare you'll find a lot of tracks got shuffled around!

[Teunis]

What about reissues of early albums?
And isn't this some kind of reissue?

I agree it's sort of a reissue, but I decided to use the year of release to sort the cd's. Decisions ... good luck. May you find peace with it .

Contagion Max again this morning, just wow .

[Teunis]

Subsignal - Paraiso

There they were: goosebumps. What an awesome album .

[keyboardistmatt]

Pink Floyd - 'A Collection of Great Dance Songs'

(Picked it up this morning.)

[Teunis]

jp: Maschine - Rubidium (don't agree with the great reviews, it was a 'once in a lifetime' experience )
np: Huis - Despite Guardian Angels (much better, will appeal to fans of Mystery/IQ/Pendragon and maybe Arena )

[PH]

Mystery/IQ/Pendragon and maybe Arena )

Check, check, check and check.
Alrighty then!

[keyboardistmatt]

Saxon - 'Strong Arm of the Law'

[Teunis]

Ayreon - The Theory Of Everything
Antimatter - Leaving Eden

[keyboardistmatt]

Arena - 'Contagion Max'

[Bupie]

NP Thought Chamber - Psykerion

Avalaibable on progstreaming. I think Nicky already told us about them ?

[Teunis]

Cosmograf - End Of Ecclesia

[Teunis]

The Opium Cartel - Ardor

Not bad, but I've heard better music .

[Nicky007]

Re Contagion Max: Just like Paxi, I'v played all three Contagion cd's to death, admittedly mostly Contagion, but I know the other two thoroughly. In fact, I burned my own Contagion almost Max, up to 80 minutes, extending Contagion with my favorites from the two ep's.

I plan to get the official Contagion Max, but since I couldn't readily use PayPal, I'm waiting for a good opportunity. As should appear, there's no rush.


Playing:

Yes:  Topographic Oceans

I'm playing that one a lot these days. I'm totally fascinated by it - lyrics, music, moods, atmospheres, segues, everything man 


I'm also playing a lot of Bal-Sagoth these days, and spending a lot of time getting into this awe-inspiring universe. I have Battle Magic, The Power Cosmic, and Atlantis Ascendant on cd - the texts in the cd-booklets are about three times as long as what's spoken on the albums - and The Chthonic Chronicles on its way from Amazon.UK 

Byron Roberts claims that the released six albums constitute a perfect hexalogy. It's obviously not entirely true, as some of the epics are unfinished. It would be great if they venture on a new round ... but it's very dependent on the support they get

Clearly Bal-Sagoth are for the very few. To begin with, the vocabulary is advanced, Shakespearean one could say, the stories deliberately convoluted, and the music covers the entire spectrum of rock - meaning that you got everything possible - and impossible - descending upon you: growl, scream, thrash, dissonance, but also a lot of wonderful melody, and man, Byron's diction - epic indeed

Byron's Universe is without comparison the vastest in rock. Byron is imo the most learned person in rock. Not that this should be any competition, but it explains why there are so few who are willing to get into this amazing band - and why it's so gratifying for the adventurer

NP  Bal-Sagoth:  YouTube Mix

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMLFvZMqvQQ&list=RDYMLFvZMqvQQ

A good place to start

NP Thought Chamber - Psykerion

I think Nicky already told us about them ?

Yes, Thought Chamber became pantheon with me on the basis of their fabulous Angular Perceptions 

I have only listened a bit to Psykerion on YouTube. I'll get the cd, but it's not right around the bend.

What do you make of it, Bupie ?

- Nicky

[erik]

NP Contagion Max again

But also played Clive Nolan - Alchemy, inspired by the great show in Zoetermeer this weekend. It was great to see and hear it live again, this time in the concert version and not the theatre version. Fabulous performance!!

[keyboardistmatt]

Lyle Mays - 'Street Dreams' album.

Some of the music sounds like it should be on American late night television.
It's a nice album though.

[Bupie]

Yes, Thought Chamber became pantheon with me on the basis of their fabulous Angular Perceptions 

I have only listened a bit to Psykerion on YouTube. I'll get the cd, but it's not right around the bend.

What do you make of it, Bupie ?

- Nicky

Well, I listened to it twice and it was pleasant enough. I will have another listen today, hopefully.

NP DeeExpus - King Of Number 33

A Teunis favorite. Interesting story, great artwork, good music.

[PH]

JP:
IQ - "Frequency"

NP:
Arena - "Contagion Max"

I agree it's sort of a reissue, but I decided to use the year of release to sort the cd's. Decisions ... good luck. May you find peace with it .

It's driving me crazy!

[Teunis]

NP DeeExpus - King Of Number 33

A Teunis favorite. Interesting story, great artwork, good music.

Indeed, good choice

It's driving me crazy!

. Just use a coin and pitch-and-toss .

Subsignal - Paraiso (second cd: Live In Mannheim 2012)