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

I'm probably about to get shot for having bad taste, but my metal listening lists:

Rhapsody
DragonForce
Parakletos
Haggard
Immortal Souls
Thy Majestie
Sonata Arctica

A few others, but those are the main bands I listen to. Also, I'm not into black metal anymore because I used to be naive enough I didn't know about its theological roots but if you ARE into that, you DEFINITELY need to check out a band called Tvangeste. They have some free tracks on their website. It's symphonic black metal. I still haven't found any bands that sound like them, very unique sound.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Does anybody listen to death metal band called "Haggard" from Germany?

It's like...take classical/medieval style music, and mix with with metal. Throw in a normal male vocalist, a very good growling vocalist, and a very high female voice (which is dominant in most songs). Anyway its really powerful and heavy.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Morrigan

I like Haggard. I recently bought Eppur Si Muove. Kind of samey with the previous albums, but still good.

Yeah, but that's not always bad . If they don't change musical styles much at all, (and as long a their songs are different sounding, which they do a good job of doing), then at least you konw you will always like them . Back when I was into *shudders* emo-ish music (which I can't STAND now...don't know what causes that kind of radical change in tastes), there was a band called Sonic Flood which I used to listen to all the time, they changed their sound with like every album...I only ended up liking their first. Of course there is also a band called Skillet which is totally outside my normal tastes, and their new album is pretty sweet, but I don't like any of their stuff from before.

But ANYWAY....yeah, lol. I just prefer bands not to change.

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

My listens:

Deep Purple
Thy Majestie
Sonata Arctica
Rhapsody
Dragonforce
Parakletos
Illuminandi
Haggard

I've got others but thsoe are the ones I listen to excessively.

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

Originally Posted by Iwata

DRAGONFORCE TONIGHT!!!!!! Im psyched like no other.

I've seen some of their music videos and compared to how their albums sound, live they really suck. I mean they are still GOOD, but comparitively... Did I just see crappy music videos or what? I mean its a totally different sound.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Iwata

I've seen them live before, and i think they are great.

I haven't seen them live and I want to . I'll take the word of someone whos been there over crappy bootleg concert vids too, lol.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by XtremeDJW

That stuff awesome my favorite bands being Meshuggah, Textures and Dillinger Escape Plan

I have a friend who really, REALLY liked Meshuggah, I heard a bit of them, and while I can say they are very talented, they really aren't my slice of cake .

How ya doing, buddy?

I haven't ever stopped liking certain styles (well, of metal, I used to actually like emo *shudders* but thankfully i saw the light, and now i literally cant stand the stuff), but I do go through phases where I just like some stuff better and thats all I listen to.

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

Dude....uh....ok, listen to these bands:

Dragonforce
Haggard
Extol
Rhapsody
Deep Purple
Black Sabbath
Demons and Wizards
Illuminandi
Immortal Souls
Sonata Arctica

and tell me there isn't any contrast.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by knkwzrd

Well apparently I didn't explain the contrast statement. Sure, there are diffferent types of metal, but all metal kind of loses it's impact when you hear nothing but metal. If you listen to a metal album after listening to another genre, it seems heavier.

I suppose everyone is entitled to their wrong opinion .

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Morrigan

I'm sorry, but those are terrible examples. These bands have a lot in common. I see knkwzrd (that's hard to spell)'s point, and disagree, but you just made it for him. Especially for someone who's not really familiar with metal.


I liked my examples better. Tiamat, Morbid Angel, Korpiklaani, Dokken. What do they have in common? Hmmm, they have distorted guitars... that is all. ^_^ And the contrast is definitely there.

A LOT in common? I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to say you've listened to virtually none of those, or aren't very musically inclined at all. A couple of them are similar in style or genre, but hardly have a lot in common other than being "power metal" or whatnot. Where do you get off saying Dragonforce and Haggard have a lot in common?

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

Originally Posted by Krelian

I've heard Dragonforce, Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica and Demons & Wizards - They have an insanely similar sound.

Doesn't apply to DP or Sabbath, though...

They are all power metal, but WOW. Listen to them again.

Double Post:
Anyway....for a new topic...whats everyone's favorite DragonForce song?

I like Valley of the Damned .

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

Originally Posted by Morrigan

You missed the point. knkwzrd said metal lacked contrast. Obviously for someone who knows metal, Dragonforce and Sonata Arctica are different, but even I would agree there is not much of a contrast.
As examples of contrasting bands, you named Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, and you also named DragonForce, Sonata Arctica, Rhapsody and Demons & Wizards. If you fail to see why they are poor examples of contrasting bands, and why Morbid Angel and Tiamat are, then I can't help you. That doesn't mean the bands you listed sound identical, that's not what I said at all.

Yeah, I'm missing your definition of contrast, but whatever.

Quote:

The one between Valley of the Damned and Black Fire on their first album. Best one they ever made.

:P

I think you probably mean Black Winter's Night, but that comes after Black Fire . Those two are consecutive tracks . Also an amazing track though .

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Dalkaen

I still need to get Dragonforce's first album. I don't take the band seriously at all (probably impossible to do so) but it's definitely fun music. I agree with knkwzrd's point on contrast.

It's their best album . I highly reccomend it.

Well....actually I'd say sonic firestorm as a whole is the best album, in terms of how its composed and how the songs are arranged...it just offers the best listening experience imo, but Valley of the Damned by far has the best songs on it . Valley of the Damned, Black Fire, Black Winter's Night, Heart of a Dragon, and Starfire are all amazing. Revelation & Disciples of Babylon I thought were rather mediocre. I mean they are still awesome, but compared to the rest of their songs .

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Morrigan

*blinks* Use a dictionary? Heh.

v. tr.

To set in opposition in order to show or emphasize differences: an essay that contrasts city and country life; contrasted this computer with inferior models.


v. intr.

1. To show differences when compared: siblings who contrast sharply in interests and abilities; a color that contrasted clearly with the dark background.
2. Linguistics. To evince a difference that can distinguish meaning: Voiced and voiceless stops contrast in English but not in Cree.


n. (kntrst)

1.
1. The act of contrasting; a setting off of dissimilar entities or objects.
2. The state of being contrasted: red berries standing in vivid contrast against the snow.
2. A difference, especially a strong dissimilarity, between entities or objects compared: the contrast between Northern and Southern speech patterns.
3. One thing that is strikingly dissimilar to another: My new school was a welcome contrast to the one before.
4. The use of opposing elements, such as colors, forms, or lines, in proximity to produce an intensified effect in a work of art.
5. The difference in brightness between the light and dark areas of a picture, such as a photograph or video image.
6. Linguistics. A difference between units, especially one that distinguishes meaning.

I'd definitely say according to that that Rhapsody and Dragonforce are contrasting bands, but perhaps its just a subjective thing.

Quote:

No, I most definitely meant the track between those two. Now, look above and behind you, you see that thing going wayyyy over your head? Do you know what it is? It's a called... wait for it... a... joke! :P

lol i'm not sure wtf was going on then but i read that again later on & it made sense

Most amazing jew boots

Angra kind of comes off as a Rhapsody wannabe, lol, but I still really like them.

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

Well I have their Rebirth and Hunters & Prey albums, its possible that those are a different sounds. Most of them kind of sound like a slightly different Rhapsody sound - which don't get me wrong, its still an amazing sound, but a couple sound like a mix of Blind Guardian and something else. I've never heard any Symphony X, although I've heard of the band before. Symphonic metal, I'm assuming? If so, I'd probably like it .

Anyway Angra kind of has the wavering drawn out vocals in some points like what Fabio does from Rhapsody. Not quite so much though and I actually like it better, because it gets kind of irritating when Fabio does that a ton. The guitar solos & riffs in some songs sound similar to Rhapsody's =/.

But yeah, if Angra changed their sound, that is really pretty sweet, because most bands don't ever really do that.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Well with Rhapsody, you have 2 kinds of songs. Total awesomeness and total crap. It's hard to find anything in an in-between range. The total crap ones are insanely repetitive and they use WAAAAY too many drawn out vocals where he does that annoying fake-vibrato deal with his voice. It's ok at times, but wow, in some songs it can get annoying FAST. The ones I like best make use of a really cool choir effect in the chorus. But anyway, I can't really think of any specific albums to recommend that are just completely amazing. Some songs of theirs that are pretty good are: (aren't necessarily all angra-reminescent, they are just my favs =/) I'm really into the epic choir/orchestra songs so naturally my fav Rhapsody songs are the ones that make heavy use of those types of things .

Album: Dawn of Victory
2 - Dawn of Victory
3 - Triumph for My Magic Steel
6 - The Bloody Rage of the Titans
10 - The Mighty Ride of the Fire Lord

Album: Eternal Glory (this album really has an Angra-ish sound...especially some of the tracks i didnt list, lol)
2 - Warrior of Ice
8 - Emerald Sword (one of my favs) (also on Symphony of Enchanted Lands)
9 - Where Dragons Fly
11 - Holy Thunderforce

Legendary Tales
3 - Rage of the Winter
8 - Echoes of Tragedy
10 - Legendary Tales

Power of the Dragonflame
2 - Knightrider of Doom (possibly my fav Rhapsody song)
Other songs are pretty good but not really noteworthy on this album

Symphony of Enchanted Lands II
2 - Unholy Warcry (try to ignore the irritating narration from Christopher Lee...some people might like it but i think its just going overboard, i want to listen to MUSIC)
7 - The Last Angel's Call

This album is pretty sweet as they had an entire philharmonic orchestra & choir perform it with them.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Xanadu

You should check out Holy Land. My favorite Angra album, there's some really heavy brazilian folk influence there.

I'll definitely check that one out, I've heard lots of good things about that album, and not just from here.

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

Dragonforce is ANYTHING but a watered-down rhapsody. They aren't even trying for the same sort of mechanics that Rhapsody has woven into their songs. If anything they are even more energetic than Rhapsody. Dragonforce is just all about playing fast & powerful with some rehashed lyrics they've had in 10 other songs. Rhapsody is more about sticking an actual story into their songs, and has plenty of slow, ponderous songs. Their more active, true power metal songs have a LOT of choral effects thrown in, and a completely different style of guitar solos...not really shredding in the strictest sense like Dragonforce likes to do.

I'd agree though that Dragonforce really doesn't fit in with the rest of that list.

I also want to second Blind Guardian . AMAZING band. Their covers of Beach Boys songs in the Forgotten Tales albums were hilarious. Their own works are of course incredible as well . The Bard's Song of course is a fav...I also like Bright Eyes a lot.

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

Originally Posted by Krelian

Their new single's damned impressive and reminds me a lot of Nightfall In Middle-Earth, but "And Then There Was Silence" is my favourite BG song of all time - Hell, maybe my favourite power metal song, full stop.

And yeah, they actually made "Surfin' USA" sound pretty damn rockable.

I just checked that song out, brief sections of it, since I'm actually supposed to be at work right now...lol...its one I've had but haven't listened to yet, that's incredible. When I get home I'll listen to the song in its entireity.

EDIT-> Just realized what I said about Dragonforce sounds kind of negative, lol, but I like them just as much as I do Rhapsody. Just depends on what mood I'm in as to which sound I want to hear .

I was speaking idiomatically.

Same here with me & DragonForce. I listen to them when I'm not feeling up for anything serious, and I just want to have fun. When I just want sheer metal shredding.

They aren't very melodic though, I don't know where that came from =/.

If I want something epic, melodic, grand, etc, I'll bust out Rhapsody or some other band like that.

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As Dragonheart they weren't very good. I don't like their demo version of "Valley of the Damned." However "Valley of the Damned" when they turned into DragonForce is just sheer awesomeness, probably my favorite DragonForce song.

And I don't know how anybody could take these guys seriously with a name like DragonForce, lol. Or with songs with names like "Heart of a Dragon."

It's "just-for-fun" metal and I don't think there's enough bands like this in the metal scene.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by knkwzrd

There are far more pathetic sounding bands out there that take them selves completely seriously. For example, half of all black metal outfits.

QFT.

I stand corrected.

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I don't find Dragonforce irritating at all, but now we are just down to personal opinion .

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For a slightly different direction, let's talk about Thy Majestie. Anybody heard them? I don't know how it's possible for a band to have several really kick-ass songs, but have the absolute worst album arrangement I've ever heard in my life. I didn't know it was possible to go insane from a combination of boredom & confusion, but I did for a short while after listening to...well, any of their albums.

Or maybe Haggard. An absolutely amazing melodic death metal band based in Germany. Actually they are probably right on the fringes of what could be called metal. If you are an album listener, it's more like classical/medieval/choral/orchestral with metal thrown in for a VERY powerful effect at very appropriate places. At least with Eppur Si Muove. Their other two albums have a pretty different sound, Awaking the Centuries and Thou Shalt Trust...The Seer. Still a good sound, but I think Eppur Si Muove is loaded with the most energy.

Did they have any other albums? I've got 4 tracks I got from a friend that are EXTREMELY kick-ass, but they don't appear on any of those albums. I'll upload them if this isn't answered by the next time I have broadband access .

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Or for a completely different flavor yet, Apocalyptica. These guys are INSANE. Of course, being a cellist myself I'm extremely partial towards liking them, and appreciating the difficulty it takes to make metal music with cellos . And running around on stage, playing your cello at the same time . Most people know these guys for their "Plays Metallica By Four Cellos" album, but their original works are far, FAR, more amazing.

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Double Post:

Originally Posted by Morrigan

...Wha? Rahpsody is epic and grand? How about Bathory, Graveland or Moonsorrow?

I'll have to check these guys out....when I'm on broadband. Argh. The one thing I just really, REALLY hate about being at home. There is just so much I can't do .

Does pandora.com have them?

FELIPE NO

I don't listen to a band for the message, whether or not I agree with it or no. If it's extremely offensive to my beliefs, maybe I won't, but it varies. Basically i listen to music just for the pure sound of it.

I generally just stay away from bands with any religious/political message to them, that's for other times in my life, not when I'm listening to something for pure and utter entertainment.

Illuminandi is pretty sweet, as is Parakletos. Both are tagged as christian, but they ain't in english so it may as well be pure satanic black metal for all I know.

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

Originally Posted by Arkhangelsk

And I agree, their original stuff is far better than their Metallica covers -- not that they aren't good and all, but their later stuff is much more interesting. Cult and their self-titled album are my favorites, and I don't think it's any surprise that those have percussion on them. They sound damn heavy and good for three/four cellos by themselves, but the percussion adds that extra oomph to make them sound like a true metal group.

Same thing here . I originally heard their 'Plays Metallica' album, and thought that was pretty amazing & sweet. I kind of dropped them after awhile just due to the lack of power, and I'd pick them back up when I got back more into a mood to play classical sounding usic. Adding a percussionist was the best move they could make. I got one of their newer albums and listened to it - and I thought "holy crap, this is freaking insane and amazing." SO much more power to it, and their original works just have more power to them regardless of the percussion.

Quote:

Thy Majestie annoys me. I thought that their concept for their albums sounded awesome (enough that I bought one sound unheard), and some of their songs are okay, but overall they're just kind of average.

Some are ok, some are kick-ass, but most are extremely annoying for me. The thing that annoys me is the LACK or repetition. I think they are fighting back against the ridiculous amounts of repetition that occurs in many modern day songs, but in doing that they forgot that repetition (like a chorus) is what helps to give coherence to a song.

Quote:

Still, my favorite classical/metal bands are Therion and Hollenthon. Damn good groups, those.

Definitely going to be checking these out.

Jam it back in, in the dark.