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[Teunis]

jp: Asia - Silent Nation
np: Arena - The Unquiet Sky

[PH]

jp: Asia - Silent Nation
np: Arena - The Unquiet Sky

So what was it? Silent or not?

Just finished listening to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". It has been a while. Still like it!

[Bupie]

Listening to a newly released song of the forthcoming Circus Maximus album and can't wait to hear it all : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvCXn6rHZD8

Also watched again a few vids of their Loud Park concert and I am out of voice. The most exciting metal band of the present time, considering that Seventh Wonder unfortunately doesn't give much news these days ... 

[Teunis]

So what was it? Silent or not?

Fortunately not, it rocked .

jp: Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes From A Memory
np: The Mute Gods - Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me (will not run to my record shop for this album I'm afraid )

[PH]

Glass Hammer - "The Breaking Of The World"

Not bad at all!
This band sounds a lot like Yes, and a bit like Genesis here and there.
I have a bit of a love/hate affair with these guys. I won't call myself a fan, but I can't ignore the fact that something keeps drawing me back to their albums. There is no catchiness in their music. In fact, it takes me a very long time to actually appreciate the albums. I'm always a few albums behind. So probably a frustrated fan. When I get there however, I can feel the 'deepness' of their music.

I have somewhat the same issue with Gazpacho.

I guess there are no Glass Hammer fans in the Shattered Room at all. I think Bupie mentioned them, but anyone else?

[Teunis]

I guess there are no Glass Hammer fans in the Shattered Room at all. I think Bupie mentioned them, but anyone else?

Nope, I consider it a Yes clone and I don't like yes at all . There's only one song I can bear: 'Owner Of A Lonely Heart', the rest is 'working on my nerves' .

pp: Gazpacho - Molok (Still growing on me, am getting there ...)
jp: Leprous - The Congregation (Reminds me a lot of Agent Fresco, which is a good sign. Great album )
np: IQ - The Road Of Bonus (3rd cd, second bonus disc to 'The Road Of Bones')

[PH]

np: IQ - The Road Of Bonus (3rd cd, second bonus disc to 'The Road Of Bones')

Sooooooo what's on this third disc then? And will I regret not having this specific release?
I really like the second disc. Some pretty fantastic songs on that one. Actually I prefer to see it not as a bonus disc but more as the expanded edition. Like how the two disc edition of Marillion's "Marbles" is not really a bonus disc.

[PH]

Steven Wilson - "Hand. Cannot. Erase."

It IS a nice album! Steven is the boy genius of Prog, and he is surrounded by some of the finest musicians. And it's on my top 10 of 2015 list (still working on that one...). But I also think it's slightly overrated. Some bits are becoming tedious after a while.

[Teunis]

Sooooooo what's on this third disc then? And will I regret not having this specific release?
I really like the second disc. Some pretty fantastic songs on that one. Actually I prefer to see it not as a bonus disc but more as the expanded edition.

I do own the 2cd too and you're right: the second disc is too. I found this 3rd disc on a download site, naughty me. The following songs are on it:
1. From The Outside In (First Studio Run Through; 2. The Road Of Bones (First Studio Run Through); 3. Ocean (Piano/Vocal Version; 4. The Slender Sky; 5. McDozenstrings; 6. Without Walls (Live Medley); 7. From The Outside In (Live)
It's nice, not breathtaking. Two new tracks (4+5), but not the quality from the first two discs. As I remember correctly this 3-cd version was sold at gigs.

Today:
Peter Gee - The Spiritual World
Agent Fresco - Destrier

np: radio SymphoShop

[PH]

I do own the 2cd too and you're right: the second disc is too. I found this 3rd disc on a download site, naughty me. The following songs are on it:
1. From The Outside In (First Studio Run Through; 2. The Road Of Bones (First Studio Run Through); 3. Ocean (Piano/Vocal Version; 4. The Slender Sky; 5. McDozenstrings; 6. Without Walls (Live Medley); 7. From The Outside In (Live)
It's nice, not breathtaking. Two new tracks (4+5), but not the quality from the first two discs. As I remember correctly this 3-cd version was sold at gigs.

Ah right, thanks for reassuring me. Now I remember searching for the 3 disc edition but eventually settling with the 2 disc version.

Now listening to some Robert Fripp tracks on YouTube. The guy apparently is a master at ambient music. Especially like his collaborations with Theo Travis. Good stuff there if you like this kind of thing. You gotta be patient for this. Not really Nicky-stuff I guess...

[Teunis]

pp: Knight Area - Hyperlive
jp: Shearwater - Jet Plane And Oxbow (Nice, reminds me of 80's electronic pop/rock. Not so proggy ).
np: Leprous - Coal

[Teunis]

Riversea - Out Of An Ancient World

[Nicky007]

Not really Nicky-stuff I guess...

I have a deep respect for Robert Fripp. He's one of the most exciting guitarists. He has done great stuff with KC and on Bowie's "Heroes" and Scary Monsters. I don't really know his other work. But you're right, Paxi, ambient music is usually not my thingy.

These days I listen mainly to black metal. I've had a capital that allowed me to buy some 100 cd's during the past months, and most of them have been BM.

I never imagined that I would become a Mayhem fan, but the three studio albums from the Eriksen-era (aka Blasphemer, 1995-2008 in Mayhem), have spellbound me. What an amazing guitarist and composer !!! The first album, Grand Declaration of War, is surpringly melodic and has all the classic progressive metal elements, with some jarring twists and weird vocals, and of course Hellhammers maniacal drums going all over the place (my fave drummer now). The second, Chimera, is even wilder, Hellhammer really revs up even more here, but still with the other guys holding on and doing great stuff. The third album is wild _and_ weird, possibly the most challenging rock album I've ever encountered; will need to listen to it several times before it (hopefully and expectedly) makes sense to me. Not exactly Teunis-stuff

But I could imagine that Funky and Mad have been here

Ordered Mayhem's fifth and latest studio album too, Esoteric Warfare, looking very much forward to listening.

Their first official studio album, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, I've decided to omit in my collection, because it's too loaded in a wrong way for me, not only the title and lyrics, but also the bassist Varg Vikernes murdering the guitarist Euronymous, the original singer Dead shooting out his brains, the wooden church burnings, and other stuff that I'm not sympathetic too.

But after all those misdemeanors, the surviving members who were not jailed, Necrobutcher and Hellhammer (great names, huh ), decided (at Euronymous' burial) that they would/should continue Mayhem, they thought of adding Blasphemer and Maniac to the mix, who agreed, and thus they created a series of three albums that arguably are the most cutting edge rock/metal ever heard on this planet

Yeah, guess I've moved somewhat beyond what's comme il faut in the Room

I've also used the opportunity to acquire some more Bowie albums, his last Blackstar, which is super, and completing the great Hunky Dory - Station to Station era

So this was a glimpse into my world of music - just because you mentioned me in passing, Paxi

- Nicky

[Bupie]

quote author=Nicky007 link=topic=15.msg69810#msg69810 date=1453926275]

Yeah, guess I've moved somewhat beyond what's comme il faut in the Room

Yes Nick, you probably did since we are so intolerant and short-minded ...

Do you know that Vikernes has a French wife and has been living in a farm in the center of France for a few years ? The one farm you don't want to knock on the door at dusk looking for help when you ran out of gas.

If Mayem and BM in general move you, it's fine with me, really, and if your finances afforded to buy a hundred records and dig deeper into this passion of yours, I am truly happy for you. And I am eagerly waiting for the story around your next musical move, of course 

In the meantime, allow me to stand by my short-minded metal standards : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ibK-ABD5WE 

[Nicky007]

Yes Nick, you probably did since we are so intolerant and short-minded ...

Bupie, I wouldn't say "intolerant" and "narrow-minded" - that is when someone denounces it and tries to prevent me from going there, which no Roomie has - but a bit more adventurousness could be considered

Stuff that is so far from mainstream like BM requires training by anyone. When I first heard Celtic Frost's Monotheist some ten years ago, it disturbed me (also my stomach) to the extent that I gave the cd away. (I've since repurchased it and enjoy it.) Today Monotheist is easy compared to Mayhem's stuff.

I regard music as a great adventure, and I want to go ALL the way (as with with non-violence, languages, philosophy, and more).

And my joy of Mayhem doesn't preclude me from enjoying lighter excellent music. E.g. this forenoon I grooved to the stellar first City Boy album (self-titled, which you guys haven't either gotten across to ).

Do you know that Vikernes has a French wife and has been living in a farm in the center of France for a few years ? The one farm you don't want to knock on the door at dusk looking for help when you ran out of gas.

I knew that Varg had moved to France - well, understandably, considering that he had brutally murdered the person who was considered the symbol of Norwegian BM, burned down I don't know how many churches, and told musicians and fans that they were idiots.

Well, lotta people want a French wife - good love life, food etc. You got a French wife too, Bupie, so you got somethin in common with Varg

Yeah, I wouldn't exactly seek up his company, and if I ran into him, I wouldn't start telling him he's a murderer, racist and stuff

Even so, I purchased his classic album Filosofem, which was recorded in March 93', ½ year before his murder of Euronymous. I considered it OK to have it, as he wasn't a murderer at the time that he composed and recorded it. OK, there was the satanism and church burnings - but with BM you have to make some compromises

It's quite special and atmospheric, but a bit too monotonous for my taste. Let's see, gotta give it some more runs. Some people consider it ingenious.

And I am eagerly waiting for the story around your next musical move, of course 

I think I've been around pretty much now. Of course, one fine day some genius will go off on some entirely new course - and I'll be there, for sure

In the meantime, allow me to stand by my short-minded metal standards : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ibK-ABD5WE 

Still bigtime CM (and SW) fan here

Talking about this style, Bups, did you ever get around to listening to RH's Collision Course and the albums around it ? If not, here's a new recom from me, old pal

Going to a RH-concert March 30, with my good progfriend LJ, with whom I share almost all music (also KoK, Sagoth, and Mayhem).


NP  City Boy:  Dinner at the Ritz  (second studio album)


Here's a lovely City Boy song, one of my faves:  Haymaking Time  www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SK97R2m0PA

And a grandiose one, also a fave:  The Day The Earth Caught Fire  www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRMD35QXuFE

- Nicky

[Bupie]

  I like when you go with these French clichés about love and food. Lucky me, if I have to ask Varg for help, neither am I black nor Muslin ... but I still suspect it won't be enough to save me. Funny that Black Metal can be a vector for White Power claims in this case.

I hope you will enjoy the Royal Hunt gig but hopefully we will exchange again before that.

NP Dream Theater - The Astonishing via Amazon Autorip.

A very promising first listen !

[Edit] ... but you have to enjoy ballads !!!

[Teunis]

X-Panda - Flight Of Fancy
Toto - XIV

np: Wolverine - Still 

[Nicky007]

I like when you go with these French clichés about love and food.

I've never been together with a French woman, but during my some 15 visits to Paris, I've fallen in love from a distance many times

The food I've become more critical of. The foie gras thingy is one of the worst mistreatments of animals, just to tickle human tongues

Lucky me, if I have to ask Varg for help, neither am I black nor Muslin ... but I still suspect it won't be enough to save me. Funny that Black Metal can be a vector for White Power claims in this case.

Yeah, in the early 90's in Norway, some people in the BM-community went rampant and did terrible things. Varg was one of the worst. He probably is aware of this, and knows that he wouldn't be popular in Norway.

France has all these Islamicist terrorists, so why not have a Nordic one for a change

Varg claims he's out of BM and actually denounces BM-fans. Donno, don't really care

What I find noteworthy is that I experience the BM folks as some of the most peaceful and tolerant people. I think it has something to do with how fulfulling one experiences one's life. BM people have decided to go beyond standard norms to pursue the music they love, they grow accustomed to being (seen as) outsiders, and following one's passions and being true to oneself becomes a habit. So I think they'r more fulfilled than most other people, therefore also leave more space to others. We're talking about freedom here: Live and let live

I've left all the philosophical and theosophical FB-groups that I was member of, the only group where I feel comfortable is my Sagoth Fan Group (where I'm founder-admin). Man, people are so prejudiced In the philosophical groups my Christian foundation and esoteric interests were disqualifying, the theosophists regarded philosophy as needless pedantry, and both dissed my BM-passion. In the Sagoth-group people are open to and interested in good music, philosophy and theosophy (and also fantasy, gaming, comic strips, and other things that don't interest me much).

I hope you will enjoy the Royal Hunt gig but hopefully we will exchange again before that.

Thanx, Bupie

The exchange thingy depends on whether somebody writes something that interests me, maybe shares some new music with me

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Dream Theater - The Astonishing (Enjoying it more than I expected, will get more listenings. Interesting so far ...)

[Nicky007]

Dream Theater - The Astonishing (Enjoying it more than I expected, will get more listenings. Interesting so far ...)

Hey, this is news: Teunis listening to DT !!!

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Hey, this is news: Teunis listening to DT !!!

No news at all. I even own three albums: 'The Triple Album Collection' with the following albums:
'A Change Of Seasons'
'Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory'
Octavarium



But I have to admit I enjoy the ballads Bupie is talking about the most .

np: Riverside - Love, Fear And The Time Machine

[Teunis]

Damian Wilson & Adam Wakeman - Weir Keeper's Tale

[PH]

Just finished listening to the first disc (Act 1) of
Dream Theater - "The Astonishing"

What can I say. I am impressed! This is truly something different from anything they've done before! What an ambitious project!
I'm only halfway through my first listening (as I needed a break), but this is promising. I'm reading the lyrics along with listening to the music and it works really well. I guess when I was only listening to the music without reading the lyrics, I would probably have had a harder time. A lot of ballads indeed (or ballad-ish songs), but there are some heavier parts as well (more Rock than Metal).

It's hard to compare this to any of their previous albums, but "Scenes From A Memory" comes to mind of course. It's story based music and there are some samples like the sound of an opening door, or a carriage passing on a dirt road or something. There's even a bit where James LaBrie is giving us a menacing laugh. I got sucked into the story and I'm wondering how it will end, so that's a good thing.

I still have to listen to Act 2, but I can already say that it's easily better than the previous self-titled album. In fact, it's probably better than the last three or four albums.
Then again, it's sooooo different that it could be viewed as something entirely outside their discography, more like a Dream Theater project.

OK, the break is over, time for disc number two!

[PH]

Disc two was really good too.

A new day, so today I'll try a second full listen. This time without reading the lyrics. Already on track 4, and loving it. Dream Theater has put out a masterpiece no doubt.
Honestly, the last time I've been as enthusiastic about a DT album, was with "Octavarium". This is just as good.

[Teunis]

jp; Threshold - For The Journey 
np: Dream Theater - The Astonishing (Still first listening, cd 2 this time.)