[Album] The Metal Thread! (The Zombie Edition)

Originally Posted by Servilonus

That's what happened to me about a year and a half ago, Helloween. The progressive elements of Opeth (<3 Opeth) were able to make me accept death metal style vocal style, whereas I would immediately dismiss them in the past. Since then I've been brought to a point where I can KIND of like Dying Fetus, but not that much. Arsis is pretty cool...

It happened the same way for me.

Originally Posted by Servilonus

...some stuff about Dream Theater...

Also, kind of overshadowed for me, but I really liked the new Symphony X album. I do indeed enjoy the heavy. It's like Odyssey+ for me. I was kind of expecting him to do Odyssey part 2 and I still wonder if they will ever do it, otherwise it seems quite pointless to have titled it "Part 1".

See, I like when Symphony X does heavy, but not so much Dream Theater. Constant Motion and Dark Eternal Night don't do it for me at all. They left me very unreceptive to the second half of the album for the first spin. I think I'll make myself an edited version of the latter which includes only the solo stuff. The ballads are not as catchy as Octavarium's, but they're definitely deeper. Prophets of War is no Sacrificed Sons, nor does In the Presence compare to Octavarium, although they're still quite good.

Myung and Portnoy are in good form, Petrucci is perfect as usual, Labrie was spot on, and Rudess really shined. But overall, I think Octavarium is stronger. I mean, we know they're fantastic musicians, but accessibility and songwriting are important too, and I liked every track on that album.


Devy's Ziltoid is a real treat--perhaps not his strongest musically, but cohesive and fun.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Servilonus

Well, there's a point where it's simply a difference in a matter of taste.

I agree, I would never suggest otherwise.

Train of Thought is like most of their albums for me. The last two tracks on that album are brilliant, a couple others are decent, and the rest I never listen to. Octavarium stands alone in the fact that I can listen to every song on it. At the risk of making no sense, I have to say that Octavarium is their best overall, but if I could only have one album I don't think it would be my pick.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I finally got around to buying the Systematic Chaos Special Edition. When a decent album is put out in DVD-A I can't resist. Now I have to wait until I can blast it somewhere without pissing people off. XD

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Morrigan

Pfft, nothing is better than pure 80's metal cheese like "Chains and Leather"!

Chains! and leather, chains! and leather
Chains! and leather, and rivets
Chains! and leather, chains! and leather
Chains! and leather, forever

"Guitars!"

*wicked solo*

We are right - praying metal tonight
The message from hell and its spell
Even Satan wears leather, our souls to it forever
So let us pray our rules tonight

Best lyrics ever.


Anyway, Blind Guardian made me think of this band called Black Jester I heard at Prog Archives (no similarity, just popped into my head). I've only ever heard the one track they have there, and the vocals are absolutely horrible, but it's not bad otherwise. Anyone heard of them?

I was speaking idiomatically.

Hah, thanks for saving me the trouble.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Servilonus

On the more experimental side, I also downloaded Mr. Bungle and Fantomas after hearing Mike Patton in John Zorn's Six Litanies for Heliogabalus.

How the hell do you even begin to get into that shit (Six Litanies)? I downloaded it a month ago and finally listened to it a few days ago, and it was just...waaaaaaay too far out there. I've also never liked Bungle. When it comes to experimental I draw the line at Kayo Dot and Acid Mothers Temple.

Most amazing jew boots

I totally get where you're coming from, I guess I'm just anxious to appreciate more. XD I always find it frustrating when I can't get into something obscure that some people really love. Jazz/death sounds like a wonderful combination. I'm totally with you on the Opeth thing, I've been getting into a bit more death this year but I'm still lagging a bit behind you on that one. But that weird vocal shit on the Zorn album is just weird. XD Anyway, I guess I'll go back to Bungle and try again.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Thanks for the input guys. I'll check those out, guyinrubbersuit.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Morrigan

I prefer that to the "wah wah stop being so narrow-minded and ELITIST, and be more OPEN-MINDED, meanie!" whining, personally. Not that either attitude is constructive, but it's the lesser of two evils. Elitistophobia makes no sense to me. Like there's anything wrong with not tolerating mediocrity.

I agree with the last sentence, at least. People hate elitism because they of course lash out when criticized, especially if we say, "your music sucks," so I understand "elitistophobia". It also happens that most "elitists" (or at least the most outspoken) are narrow-minded and condemn entire genres. The term has a stigma, so I prefer not to be identified as such. I wonder which type of elitist you are? =p

I have The Human Equation if you guys want me to upload it or something. I don't really like it (I prefer Into the Electric Castle), but it's kinda interesting anyway.

Also, I'm enjoying Atheist and Unexpect. Alarum's vocals are not doing it for me at all.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I understand; I typically like to download something before I buy it, but I have gotten a bit relaxed in the conversion, mostly because I'm poor.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.