Now Playing Thread

[Teunis]

Threshold ~ For the Journey

Played it too today. It'll top 'March Of Progress', as far as I'm concerned .

[maddox]

Played it too today. It'll top 'March Of Progress', as far as I'm concerned .

Haven't played it much but I really like this album.

NP> Mastodon ~ Once More Around the Sun

[Bupie]

NP Steve Lukather - Transition 

[maddox]

Marillion ~ Sounds that Can't be Made

[maddox]

Just played; Isildur's Bane ~ Mind. Vol 1

After that it's just a logical step to dwell to the hell and damnation sounds of Iron Maiden.

Now playing: Iron Maiden ~ Piece of Mind 

[Bupie]

JF Styx - Pièces Of Eight


NP Circus Maximus - Live In Japan

Fresh from YouTube. I am too dumb to copy-paste the link from my tablet but go and watch/listen ... now ! 

Edit : Here's the link : http://youtu.be/qjgskpEkmUA Spread the world !!!

[Bupie]

NP DeeExpus - Half Way Home

[Bupie]

NP Big Big Train - English Electric Full Power

You want to offer a prog album to someone who doesn't know that kind of music but has an open mind ? Don't look further ... 

[Nicky007]

NP  Stiltskin:  She  (on YouTube, on repeat)

You're right, Paxi, it did come home very well with me

I tried checking the prices on the various Amazon sites, and they'r all beyond 200 DKR (with shipment), so I'll have to wait, as my finances are zero atm

How's your Sagoth listening going? Check up the lyrics too - just as important and shattering as the music - as you like mystery and philosophy

I can recommend Darklyrics.com for that.

- Nicky

[Teunis]

jp: The Pineapple Thief - Magnolia (played it three times so far, getting more and more impressed )
np: Millenium - In The World Of Fantasy ... And Other Rarities

[PH]

NP  Stiltskin:  She  (on YouTube, on repeat)

You're right, Paxi, it did come home very well with me

Glad to hear. Yeah, I was also pleasantly surprised.

I tried checking the prices on the various Amazon sites, and they'r all beyond 200 DKR (with shipment), so I'll have to wait, as my finances are zero atm

You might want to check out his own website/shop.
http://shop3.raywilson.net/index.php/cd-dvd/stiltskin-she.html
It's only 10 euros there. I'm not sure about the shipping costs. It says it's free, but perhaps this changes when you put in your address.

How's your Sagoth listening going? Check up the lyrics too - just as important and shattering as the music - as you like mystery and philosophy

I can recommend Darklyrics.com for that.

Well, the first song you mentioned (I think it's called Starfire Burning Upon The Ice Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule) is listenable. But it's covered in loads and loads of cheese. The keyboard/orchestrations reminds me somehow of Arena. You were right about that. It sounds a bit like Arena-in-a-hurry actually. Not bad though! The singing/voices are alternating between a low story-telling voice and a high-pitched demon-screaming vocal. Well, I cannot say I like it. The story-telling voice concept reminds me of what Bjørn Lynne does on his Timura trilogy ("Wizard Of The Winds" (1998), "Wolves Of The Gods" (1999) and "The Gods Awaken" (2001)). But musically it's not related at all of course.
Another thing that keeps putting me off in this kind of music, is the drums. It totally ruins it in my opinion.

About the lyrics. Well, it's fantasy alright. They makes me think of the video game WarCraft. Actually the music sounds a bit like a video game too. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since I happen to like video games and video game music. (By the way, Symphony X sounds like video game music sometimes.) The lyrics don't strike me as particularly clever though. To me it sounds like a chain of complex and obscure words.

Ok the next one then:
The Hammer Of The Emperor. There is that funny story-telling voice again. You know, to me it sounds like he's trying too hard to sound dark and mysterious. The underlying music is nice and cinematic. I actually like it! The third time I listened to it, I tried to focus just on the keyboard/orchestrations. But that's very difficult. The guitars and (especially) the drums are at the forefront too much. They demand too much attention. I simply feel the fast guitar and drum don't match with the epic orchestrations... So I like it, except for the guitars, drums and vocals. They really should bring out an instrumental orchestral album. I might even buy it.

Then there is Of Carnage And A Gathering Of The Wolves (with a totally unrelated video of Married With Children ).
More of the same. But this does not have anything interesting for me. The drumming just gets irritating after a while.

And we have In The Raven-Haunted Forests Of Darkenhold, Where Shadows Reign (those song titles....)
Ah, it's the video game album again. This is obviously better than the previous song (Married With Children). But there's nothing more to add to what I have already said. I find the vocals and drums are annoying.


Of these songs I like The Hammer Of The Emperor best. Actually, I'm even tempted to try out the album "The Chthonic Chronicles" now.
It's a shame really, that the vocals and drums put me off so enormously. If they slowed down the playing and used normal vocals it would be really cool music.
Oh and pleeeeaaase drop the story telling voice all the way. It really makes me cringe.


Probably not the reply that you hoped for Nicky. But let's just say: to be continued.

[Bupie]

Epic answer right above, PH 

NP Work Of Art - In Progress

I finally bought this one, thanks to your links, PH. And I don't regret it !

By the way, if you like The Rain, that starts this album, you should really check a few Circus Maximus songs, especially the "poppy" trilogy of their last album, Nine : Game Of Life, Reach Within and I Am. Two of them also appear on the great YT footage that I mentioned above. And they are just jaw-dropping 

[PH]

NP Work Of Art - In Progress

I finally bought this one, thanks to your links, PH. And I don't regret it !

Cool! I actually still need to buy that one myself.

By the way, if you like The Rain, that starts this album, you should really check a few Circus Maximus songs, especially the "poppy" trilogy of their last album, Nine : Game Of Life, Reach Within and I Am. Two of them also appear on the great YT footage that I mentioned above. And they are just jaw-dropping 

Yeah... I need to buy that one too. There's just too much good stuff coming out lately.

[Bupie]

About Work Of Art : too soon to judge but so far I find that the album really lacks diversity. Maybe it will grow on me though.

JF Circus Maximus - Nine

When I first saw the cover of this one, I told to myself : "what an unspectacular artwork : not the best way to make people eager to try another DT-wanabee Scandinavian prog-metal band on this planet". Then someone here (Nicky ?) claimed the merits of this band. I lent an hear ... and I was just blown away. I love these guys : they prove that you don't need to have long hair nor metal looks to rock big time 

NP IQ - The Road Of Bones

[Nicky007]

You might want to check out his own website/shop.

Thanx, Paxi, I will ....

But let's just say: to be continued.

Good attitude, Paxi

You have a lot of what makes up a true proggy: curiosity, enthusiasm, adventurousness, excitability, perseverence, spreading out, sense of quality, take things as they come (also growl and extreme stuff), note but withhold judgement, prioritise the good stuff.

As I already said: Bal-Sagoth have raised music and lyrics to a new level. Not surprising that it takes effort and time

Well, the first song you mentioned, Starfire Burning Upon The Ice Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule, is listenable.

Isn't Voryn's Song, Starfire 0:11-1:31, wonderful?

But it's covered in loads and loads of cheese.

Wrong word, Paxi

But you're learning

"Cheesy" is what occurs to everyone initially - also me. It's the standard way of dealing with something that's over the top

The keyboard/orchestrations reminds me somehow of Arena. You were right about that.

Yes, there are parts that sound like Arena. But that's coincidental: I don't think that the guys are familar with Arena music.

The story-telling voice concept reminds me of what Bjørn Lynne does on his Timura trilogy ("Wizard Of The Winds" (1998), "Wolves Of The Gods" (1999) and "The Gods Awaken" (2001)).

Interesting, I'll check that ...

Btw how do you get the ø? It's not on your keyboard, I presume. It's on mine tho

Another thing that keeps putting me off in this kind of music, is the drums.

Here I can agree with you - a bit. On the first three albums of the Hexalogy, it was Jonny Maudling, the main composer, a trained classical pianist, who did the drums. On the last three albums, they have some excellent drummers. One does hear the difference.

However, the second and third album, Starfire album and Battle Magic, have so much to offer that one doesn't think about it after a while.

The lyrics don't strike me as particularly clever though. To me it sounds like a chain of complex and obscure words.

There you'r wrong again: The lyrics are the most advanced in Progworld. (With you guys one is bound to have to repeat oneself )

The English is at Shakespeare level. Noone else in Progworld can match Byron's rich vocabulary. But of course one has to understand the words properly; else it's gibberish

The stories have been made up by Byron - based on an unbelievable range of literature, including Star Wars, Silver Surfer, Lovecraft, English history and legend, Theosophy, whatever.

There is that funny story-telling voice again. You know, to me it sounds like he's trying too hard to sound dark and mysterious.

Well, that's Byron's choice to do it that way. It goes thru the entire Hexalogy. It's part of the concept of Sagoth.

He could have sung, but it wouldn't have fitted the "dark and mysterious" as well.

From start I loved his straight diction, his wonderful English pronunciation.

The rest one gets used to

The underlying music is nice and cinematic. I actually like it!

Yeah, also try the decidedly cinematic pieces, like Battle Magic:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYufuVNbw4M

They really should bring out an instrumental orchestral album. I might even buy it.

That's pretty silly, Paxi

It was Byron who got the idea for Bal-Sagoth. It's all built around his Multiverse. It was just lucky that he ran into a musician who was just as much of a genius as he, in music.  And Jonny's bro Chris is a guitar wizard. So there you are

a totally unrelated video of Married With Children ).

Yeah, the poster just liked that series. It was just a concurrence. You do crazy shit like that too, Paxi

Of these songs I like The Hammer Of The Emperor best.

Yeah, I can follow you there - great song

Actually, I'm even tempted to try out the album "The Chthonic Chronicles" now.

Wait with that one. It's the most intense and jarring of the Hexalogy. And the lyrics are   like:

This red charnel pit of primal horror, howling black ecstasies to the void.
Ancient and divine, older than the hidden Icosahedron, now rebirthed beyond the chaosphere.
Rise... rise and destroy!
The Abyss yawns wide!
Spirit of the carrion-thronged battlefield, open wide thy gate!

Takes time

If they slowed down the playing and used normal vocals it would be really cool music.

The speed and vocals make up the whole intensity, Paxi. That's simply Bal-Sagoth. They didn't make music for sleepyheads

Probably not the reply that you hoped for Nicky.

Well, you're a bit of a talking head, Paxi

Guess I'm too

- Nicky

[Nicky007]

Then someone here (Nicky ?) claimed the merits of this band.

Well, if you wanna get to the real good stuff, then listen to me

It's actually quite curious: Norway have Circus Maximus, Sweden Seventh Wonder, Finland Anthriel, and Denmark Royal Hunt. They all do quite similar stuff - altho they all are also unique in each their way - and their lyrics are also related.

Guys, if you like one of them, then check out the rest

- Nicky

[Teunis]

jp: Focus - Moving Waves
np: Opeth - Pale Communion

[Nicky007]

Paxi, I think you'll like this one:

Bal-Sagoth:  The Sixth Adulation Of His Chthonic Majesty  www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMMCi6otqmg

Even their titles had to be over the top


NP  Mike Oldfield:  Amarok

My fave Oldfield album

... altho not the most important one for me, which is QE2 - balled me over at the time

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Focus - Focus III

[PH]

Good attitude, Paxi

I'm full of good attitudes.

As I already said: Bal-Sagoth have raised music and lyrics to a new level. Not surprising that it takes effort and time

Yeah, or it just doesn't work.

Isn't Voryn's Song, Starfire 0:11-1:31, wonderful?

So I guess it's a song within a song. It's OK. It's an intro to the actual song right? So this guy is actually singing a song? A song about his quest that has ended. He's the only survivor so it seems. I presume there was a battle, because his sword is dripping with blood. And he's cold since he's standing in snow. He is remembering a prophecy and there seems to be a fulfillment of this prophecy at hand.

Wrong word, Paxi

But you're learning

"Cheesy" is what occurs to everyone initially - also me. It's the standard way of dealing with something that's over the top

I thought it was fitting!

Yes, there are parts that sound like Arena. But that's coincidental: I don't think that the guys are familar with Arena music.

I'm not saying that they were influenced by Arena. Both Arena and Bal-Sagoth probably like epic music with choir sounds in the keyboards.

Interesting, I'll check that ...

Don't expect anything like Bal-Sagoth though. Lynne's music is perhaps somewhere between Mike Oldfield and Ayreon.

Btw how do you get the ø? It's not on your keyboard, I presume. It's on mine tho

I know there's a certain key combination you can use. I think Peter knows quite a few of them. I don't. I just copy paste them from internet.

Here I can agree with you - a bit. On the first three albums of the Hexalogy, it was Jonny Maudling, the main composer, a trained classical pianist, who did the drums. On the last three albums, they have some excellent drummers. One does hear the difference.

However, the second and third album, Starfire album and Battle Magic, have so much to offer that one doesn't think about it after a while.

Ok, so you just ignore the drum then?

There you'r wrong again: The lyrics are the most advanced in Progworld. (With you guys one is bound to have to repeat oneself )

No. I am not wrong. You just don't agree with me. And these lyrics are not the most advanced in Progworld. You think they are advanced. And you are free to think they are. And I simply don't agree with you.

The English is at Shakespeare level. Noone else in Progworld can match Byron's rich vocabulary. But of course one has to understand the words properly; else it's gibberish

Yeah, there are a lot of words that I didn't know about. But a rich vocabulary doesn't make one a brilliant lyricist. Of course with a rich vocabulary you have a more diverse palette. But these lyrics do absolutely nothing to me. It's just that: difficult words.

The stories have been made up by Byron - based on an unbelievable range of literature, including Star Wars, Silver Surfer, Lovecraft, English history and legend, Theosophy, whatever.

That's great. But what is it about? Do these lyrics move you? We have a "Great Lyrics" topic here and I posted a lyric by Spock's Beard (All That's Left). That lyric is moving me. And most of Neal Morse's lyrics move me, but that's probably because it resonates with my religious beliefs. What are these lyrics by Bal-Sagoth about? It doesn't move me.

Well, that's Byron's choice to do it that way. It goes thru the entire Hexalogy. It's part of the concept of Sagoth.

He could have sung, but it wouldn't have fitted the "dark and mysterious" as well.

It wouldn't have fitted the cheesiness as well. In fact, it doesn't sound dark and mysterious to me. It sounds like he's trying to sound dark and mysterious.
Arena is dark and mysterious.

From start I loved his straight diction, his wonderful English pronunciation.

I agree. His English is really good. There's no accent whatsoever. It looks like most Scandinavian bands have studied the English language really well.

The rest one gets used to

I'm not so sure. I didn't like Opeth's growling vocals at first. (I'm still not really fond of them but ok, the music is just too good)
But I never thought of Opeth's vocals as hilarious.

Yeah, also try the decidedly cinematic pieces, like Battle Magic:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYufuVNbw4M

Yes. I like this!
Some of the comments on that YouTube video are confirming my thought:
"It's like I'm in a village buying potions and getting my sword sharpened.?"
"at 0:42, the song look like warcraft 2, human song...is not it??"
"Wow, this song really does inspire me to play some runescape. Well off I go."
"apparently the guitarist and keyboardist are brothers, the keyboardist writes video game music and the lead singer does comics and epic cosmic stories"
"sounds like the theme from super smash bros brawl GREAT!"
"It's sounds like an MMORPG, this band rocks "

That's pretty silly, Paxi

No, I'm being serious! I really like cinematic music like that. Actually you should check out WarCraft's video game music for example.
Here's a YouTube link to WarCraft II music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz4INLEmh_I

I also like the music of WarCraft III. Especially the 'human' themes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLh2TrxBJr0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3stH_mCm2XE

Wait with that one. It's the most intense and jarring of the Hexalogy.

Too late Nicky. I listened to the album.

And the lyrics are   like:

This red charnel pit of primal horror, howling black ecstasies to the void.
Ancient and divine, older than the hidden Icosahedron, now rebirthed beyond the chaosphere.
Rise... rise and destroy!
The Abyss yawns wide!
Spirit of the carrion-thronged battlefield, open wide thy gate!

Takes time

Yeah, takes time to look up all these ridiculous words.
In other words:

"There is this pit. A red pit. Of doom. Out of it comes sounds that are unpleasant. It cries into nothingness.
It is very old. Older than a certain geometric thing that's more complex than a cube.
So, it's old and it's back.
And it's going to destroy."

So, I guess this is about Hell. But... why are you so impressed by this?

The speed and vocals make up the whole intensity, Paxi. That's simply Bal-Sagoth. They didn't make music for sleepyheads

Well, it actually bores me to death.

Like I said. I tried that album "Chthonic Chronicles" but I can't make anything out of it. It sounds all the same to me. And (as I said before) the drums and vocals put me off so much. It's not 'too heavy' or anything. I just don't like the ridiculously fast and uncreative drumming, it's an insult to my ears. I prefer the subtle drumming of guys like Gavin Harrison or Nick D'Virgilio who always add something nice. There's room for something extra like a little fill. Not with Bal-Sagoth: in every second the snare drum gets hit ten times. Which makes it very repetitive to me.
And the vocals are so bad. It makes me laugh. The music of A.C.T also makes me laugh. But the guys of A.C.T don't take themselves seriously and are just making fun. That can't be the reason by Bal-Sagoth...

No. I'm very sorry, but I don't think I'll ever be good friends with Bal-Sagoth.

[Bupie]

Second epic answer, PH, but with a rougher edge ...

I'll check the links, Nicky, since I have not heard a single note of Bal-Sagoth so far ... but from what I read here and elsewhere I have that vague feeling that their style is a kind of hybrid of Rhapsody and Cradle Of Filth ... which doesn't seem very engaging to me. And I am afraid that the lyrics won't help neither. If you want to read a little French about Bal, including some rave reviews, it's here : http://metal.nightfall.fr/index_1792_bal-sagoth-battle-magic.html

NP Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope

So far it's my least liked of theirs but I haven't played it enough to have a definitve opinion ... if such a thing exists about music.

[PH]

Second epic answer, PH, but with a rougher edge ...

I apologise for my roughness.

... hybrid of Rhapsody and Cradle Of Filth ...

That's actually a very good description. And while I'm not a big fan of Rhapsody, I really like epicness and orchestras and such. It's the speedmetal element that I don't like. But I can tolerate their music. Cradle Of Filth on the other hand is... well... a cradle of filth...

NP Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope

So far it's my least liked of theirs but I haven't played it enough to have a definitve opinion ... if such a thing exists about music.

Initially I said that I think "The Whirlwind" is their best and that "Kaleidoscope" shares second place with "Bridge Across Forever". I thought "Kaleidoscope" would eventually take over from "Bridge Across Forever" but that hasn't happened yet.
"Bridge..." was my first Transatlantic album and I liked it very very much. Then "The Whirlwind" came and blew it all away.
"Kaleidoscope" has the same 'feel' as "The Whirlwind" but the structure of "Bridge...". I do like it a lot, but it doesn't add anything extra. In the end it's not as much a monumental album as the previous two. Or three. "SMPT:e" is also very good (All Of The Above and My New World) but to me it sounds like they were still searching for the right sound. And they found it with "Bridge..."


JP:
Devin Townsend (Project) - "Epicloud"

This is a very fine album. Catchy and epic and loud. I'm looking forward to "Z2" (double album with DTP and Ziltoid discs).
I miss Manatee's enthusiasm regarding HevyDevy... Would he also be looking forward to it? Will we ever know?

NP:
Riverside - "Out Of Myself"

I really like this album. It has written Floyd all over it. The instrumentals are soooo nice. Next on the list is "Second Life Syndrome".

[PH]

JP:
"Voices In My Head" EP
I'm listening in chronological order, so this one is second. It's mellower than the full lenght albums. It's more like their SONGS album actually.

NP:
Riverside - "Second Life Syndrome"
It's heavier than their first album. Perhaps it's also a bit proggier. I can hear quite a few nice organ sounds. Still Floydian but also a bit more like Arena. I can see why this album is doing very well here in the Room.

[Bupie]

Then "The Whirlwind" came and blew it all away.

NP Flying Colors - Second Nature

The opener, Open Up Your Eyes, could easily be a Transatlantic song. After that, things change. And change again. And again.

[Nicky007]

So I guess it's a song within a song. It's OK. It's an intro to the actual song right?

It's a song alright. My fave Sagoth passage, absolutely divine

It reminds me of the main theme in the first movement of Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto, my fave classical music passage

So this stuff is probably the closest to the Music of the Spheres as far as I'm concerned

I was surprised to find that the Sagoth guys and fans don't think much of it. But I go my own ways, don't need anyone else to tell me what is great music

Ok, so you just ignore the drums then?

I like a great variety of drumming, also that of Nick D'Virgilio and Gavin Harrison. And Dave Mackintosh and Dan Mullins did some formidable drumming on the three last albums of the Hexalogy.

It's just that: difficult words.

Well, obviously one needs to have a rich vocabulary oneself to appreciate Byron's lyrics. Just like with Shakespeare. You probably wouldn't start accusing the Bard for talking nonsense because you're not familiar with all the words that he uses in his dramas

Comparing Byron Roberts with Shakespeare makes a lot of sense

Too late Nicky. I listened to the album.

Yeah, I hope that you enjoyed some of the music. You seem to have enjoyed The Hammer quite a bit

Yeah, takes time to look up all these ridiculous words.

Well, in my experience - without exception actually - the difference between a true intellectual and a poser is that the intellectual has made it a habit to use dictionaries whenever it's called for, that is, whenever he or she is not 100% certain of the meaning of a word, in a particular context or in general.

So I spend an hour or two every day (when possible) looking up words in dictionaries. That way I've learned English, Danish, German, and Swedish properly, and now I'm working on French. I expect soon to expound on Proust in French with Bupie

So, I guess this is about Hell.

Well, a lot more

But... why are you so impressed by this?

I'm a Theosophist, Paxi. And I was absolutely flabbergasted at how close Byron got to describing the basics of Theosophy with only having grazed Blavatsky. It's simply stunning!

He got it from reading mystery and horror fiction, and history and a lot of other mundane literature. So going his very different path, he arrived at very much the same insights. This took me aback bigtime.

Of course the (Blavatsky) Theosophists don't want to acknowledge this. They avoid doing so by simply avoiding Bal-Sagoth - a very well-known human trait

They're more into Indian ragas and Western easy-listening music.

However, Byron's stories are very dismal. I like to call his texts "The Dark Side of Theosophy". But of course, it's lots lots more

I tried that album "Chthonic Chronicles" but I can't make anything out of it.

I regard Chthonic as the greatest rock album of all times. That might mean something to you

But the guys of A.C.T don't take themselves seriously and are just making fun. That can't be the case with Bal-Sagoth.

There you're absolutely right, Paxi. The Sagoth guys are dead serious about their art. And so are all the true fans. You hardly find people who are as serious about their music - and life in general - as Sagoth fans. Take me as an example

No. I'm very sorry, but I don't think I'll ever be good friends with Bal-Sagoth.

Well, anyway, Thanx for giving it a run, Paxi. You certainly put some effort into it, and that I appreciate

Maybe we proggies just have more differing tastes than we like to think, or maybe it's just not the right time for you, or probably both

I have that vague feeling that their style is a kind of hybrid of Rhapsody and Cradle Of Filth

Well, Bupie, your guesses re my preferences are often quite sensational

Maybe you should try to listen to some Sagoth, or I might start comparing Toto to Conchita Wurst

If you want to read a little French about Bal-Sagoth ...

Thanx, Bupie, but I'm the creator of the Bal-Sagoth Starfire Fan Group (on Facebook), and the daily administrator of the group, so I think that I'v read quite a sufficient number of reviews of Sagoth and their albums - pretty much all there is on the main English-language sites.

I doubt that French rockers can properly appreciate Byron's lyrics, because of the language barrier.

If you absolutely must have a comparison, then to my mind, among well-known bands, Manowar come closest to Bal-Sagoth. And they're just as unduly blasted and cheesed up

But actually the best way to find out what Bal-Sagoth are like is to listen to them. That shouldn't really be that difficult in these days of YouTube and the like. You could well try some of the YouTubes that I posted for Paxi

Just don't name Rhapsody together with Sagoth


NP  David Bowie:  Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) 

I long wanted to have this album, and now I found it at a second-hand shop for almost nothing

- Nicky