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

3/2/06 Opeth w/ DevilDriver @ The Venue, Winnipeg. Can't wait.

Maybe not quite metal, but heavy nonetheless, I also can't wait for my copy of Noise Addiction by Pure Hell on Welfare Records. That one's been waiting far too long. PURE HELL

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Terminus

And is Pig Destroyer cool or nope?

I'd say so. I haven't heard much of their stuff, but Terrifier was a great album. Easily a top ten of 2005 for me.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

If I were to list my favourite metal bands, it would probably be along the lines of:

Black Sabbath
Electric Wizard
Mastodon
Slayer
Corrosion of Conformity
Motörhead
Venom
Anthrax
Death
Meshuggah

First three for their great stoner riffage. Slayer, because they are Slayer. Corrosion of Conformity have a really nice slow grind thing going. Motörhead because Lemmy is Lord God King over metal. Venom made black metal the way it should be: low-fi, dirty, and over the top. Anthrax because they were the most original act of the eighties. Death defined nineties metal for me by the flawless way Chuck Schuldiner fused jazz basslines into their crushing death metal sound (it's called Death metal for a reason). And Meshuggah, because of their ridiculous chops. No one does as interesting stuff with time signatures as Meshuggah anymore.

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

Originally Posted by Schadenfreude

I probably still can listen to (and enjoy) all kinds of metal (except the prog, melodic death, power, etc etc styles)

Originally Posted by Schadenfreude

Meshuggah have never sounded like anything other than crap to me.

There's probably a connection to be made there.

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

Pantera is interesting, because they started way back in '83 and released three horrifically awful power metal albums independently, but they really grew as the nineties came around and I really respect their later catalogue. Really though, avoid those first three albums like the plague.

What in hell where they thinking?

I was speaking idiomatically.

Besides, Yngwie's always been a bit of a dick.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Probably the best show I've ever been to was 3 Inches Of Blood and Corrosion of Conformity opening for Motörhead. I couldn't hear for days after that.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by S?ecter

Anyone here a System of a Down fan, if so, where would you classify them, Genre-wise? (It seems to be hard for people to classify them)

You're right. They are hard to classify. They're an interesting group, because they cull inspiration from so many different genres. It's like Frank Zappa mixed with the Dead Kennedys, with some Slayer, Ornette Coleman, and Armenian folk music on the side. Their self titled debut is one the best metal recordings of the '90s.

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

Opeth, with DevilDriver and Dark Tranquility in two hours.
Show review soon.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by knkwzrd

Opeth, with DevilDriver and Dark Tranquility in two hours.
Show review soon.

Following through. Dark Tranquility started with about 45 minutes of music. It was mostly from their newest, "Character", and was a great opening act.
DevilDriver was definitely a weak point in the show. Dez Fafara's overwrought seriousness didn't quite fit with the Scandinavians, who told jokes between songs. Mind you, their set was better than I expected, as they're a much better live act than on record.
Then came Opeth, with an amazing two hour set including one song from every album (with the exception of "Damnation"), and three numbers from their newest. Mikael Åkerfeldt's virtuoso guitar work, punishing vocals, and surprising sense of humor was unstoppable. Fill in drummer Martin Axenrot was seamless, and they gave him a solo after announcing his birthday. Highlights were "The Drapery Falls" and "Under The Weeping Moon".
Unsurprisingly, the Swedes ruled the night.

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Originally Posted by Echolyn

Sounds like a great gig. I really hope I get to see the Opeth guys live this year here in the Netherlands that would be great.

Haven't heard of the other bands though what kind of metal are they playing?

Dark Tranquility are a melodic death metal outfit from Gothenburg. Their original lead singer formed In Flames.

DevilDriver is kind of a shitty nu metal band from California. Their lead singer used to be in Coal Chamber. As I said, they're better live than on album, but they still suck when playing beside Opeth.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Kishin

Dark Tranquillity is a good band. They're all good albums with a few great tracks, but their problem is flatness. No contrasts anywhere.

I agree. They only did seven or eight songs, but that was what was holding their set back.

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

Originally Posted by Iwata

Has anyone listened to Arsis? I've seen Opeth live as well as Arsis, Opeth are good, but Arsis if they played together would blow them the fuck out of the water. But then again, i tend to dislike anything acoustic in metal, it is just ruins the metal in metal. If anyone is interested in checking them out, i can upload their album and their new EP! I uploaded them before the board crash, but no-one checked them out, but it seems this time around far more people are interested in music then before.

I'd take you up on that.

Also, I was kind of surprised that Opeth didn't pull out anything acoustic this time around. It was a metal set, and all the better for it.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Morrigan

Metallica (old, obviously)
Slayer (old, obviously)

Absolutely a good call on the Metallica, but I question the Slayer. Slayer is one of the few thrash outfits that have stuck to their guns all these years. I don't think they've weakened in the slightest. Along with Motörhead, they are easily the most reliable band in metal. You always know what you're going to get when you pick up their new album.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I'm hearing a tentative July release.

FELIPE NO

Yeah, Rhapsody isn't really for me either. I'm not really into the whole epic/symphonic/middle earth deal. BUT, that video on their site for "Unholy Warcry" featuring Christopher Lee is priceless. Dio himself could have made that video.

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

Ok, so I should have left out the Tolkien reference in my post about Rhapsody. I'm not really into epic/symphonic/power metal. I had forgot about Tolkien-named bands like Amon Amarth and Cirith Ungol. No reading preference means bad music.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Recently, the album I've been playing the most is Venom's "Welcome To Hell". The production is awful. They're not good musicians. The lyrics are ridiculous. Yet, in my opinion, one of the greatest metal recordings of all time. You don't have to be a good musician when you invent black metal.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Kerry King liking Slipknot does not mean he can't play guitar. All that means is they got to know eachother after a few festival dates. How can they lose the good when they sound exactly the same? The only thing that's changed is production quality. Anyhow, no point in arguing. I'm a diehard Slayer fan, your opinion is fine.

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WHEN you buy an Opeth record, I recommend their first, Orchid, or Blackwater Park. Just personal favouites though. They don't have any bad records yet, although I've heard several opinions that Damnation was a weak point.

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

Originally Posted by guyinrubbersuit

Phlogiston reminded me of Berserker with it's heavy use of synth drums. Meh. Very...meh.

"Meh" isn't surprising after seeing the album cover.

Who are these guys anyway?

I was speaking idiomatically.

Their first album had their strongest work, both musically and lyrically. Back when "Spiders" was as light as they got.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by S?ecter

Anyways, question for the Winnipeg folks here, know of any good metal shows coming up soon? I (regretfully) missed the Opeth show, so I'm in need of a good metal show to go to soon.

Nothing real soon, apart from mediocre local fare. Ministry is here June 5.

The new Arsis tour is only hitting Ottawa, Quebec City, and Hamilton in Canada. Hopefully they head west next time.

FELIPE NO

On the acoustic issue, I think that really good acts let the heaviness come across in the writing, and the instrument doesn't matter as much. For instance, jazz trio The Bad Plus cover a few Sabbath tunes, and they are just as heavy when performed by an standup bass, piano and drums as by the original electric fourpiece. It's really shows the strength of the source material. Also, for a complete schooling on how acoustic guitars work in metal, see Candlemass' Epicus Doomicus Metallicus.

How ya doing, buddy?

About halfway through the set when I saw this show, Dez Fafara tried to start a riot, and all the death metal fans told him to fuck off. It's a good show though overall if Opeth pulls off the same set.

Jam it back in, in the dark.