The Random Album Club: Week 1

~~MicShazam~~ · 09-07-2017, 01:53 PM

I'm pretty used to this sort of thing even though death metal of varying stripes was never really something I truly loved. These days, I don't really listen to any death metal except a rare bit of Nile. I'm completely over music that only tries to be aggressive. Now, melodic death metal is something I can still appreciate, but this constant grinding, gurgling, chugging and bass drum blasting... It gets boring really, really fast.

Oddly enough, I wouldn't say I didn't at least somewhat enjoy this for what it was, but I can't see myself wanting to listen to this album or anything like it outside of when I'm just checking stuff out.

At least this record doesn't sound as sterile as a lot of death metal albums do (I refuse to call it slam. It's death metal. I don't care about the tiny difference) and there's a fair amount of rumbling bass to keep it from sounding too flat. Is it heavy? Yes, but it's also the same thing over and over again for 27 minutes straight. I'm not sure what prompts a band to release this sort of thing? Going out and playing this stuff live I can understand, but did they really feel like they had anything at all to add to the genre by releasing cookie cutter death metal album #8924717287? Same ****, different cover. No, wait, the cover is the same as thousands of other DM records as well.

It gets the job done. That's not high praise, but it isn't a bad album for what it is.

5/10. Would have been a 4 if it wasn't for the above averagely meaty production.

~~MicShazam~~ · 09-07-2017, 02:15 PM

Before the first song was over I checked to see how long the album was. 53 minutes... ugh...

I can tell already what's going to sink this ship for me: The useless singer.

Lady, you're no Jane Birkin, Francoise Hardy, Donna Summers, whatever-the-ladies-in-Abba-are-called. Her voice is limp and has no body to it. Her careful approach could work if she was expressive, sexy or anything else, but she's just weak and vaguely out of tune. Sometimes she even finds a way to make some incredibly annoying sounds with her mouth ( after the 12:40 mark of the album). I don't know why so many bands get singers that can't sing. I'm just picky that way.
In any case, this genre needs a good singer. You can't just moan and pose your way through a disco record.

The music is mostly lame and cheesy. Sometimes it surprisingly starts sounding a bit fuller and nicer, but this really isn't anything to write home about.

Everything after this point is written after the album is over:

Well into the album, something really unexpected starts happening. Things go quiet. There's some piano in the background. Some sound effect. It's mostly just some mild atmosphere building. Then some tinny, fake sounding jazz rounds things off and ends with a DJ talking and another bite sized piece of music. Not rally a point to any of it, but it did mean the album was a good 20 minutes shorter than expected, so I'm not complaining.

I don't listen to disco, but I can't imagine this is anywhere near the best the genre can do. Very, very weak music in my irrelevant opinion.

2/10. Profoundly unimpressive.

**Frownland** · 09-07-2017, 06:48 PM

I travelled to Sri Lanka and thought it sucked in context too. Annoying album tbh.

Trollheart · 09-07-2017, 06:49 PM

I don't see the similarities with the molam album at all. This I found highly enjoyable and entertaining, much to my surprise, given Mord's review above. She's a decent singer, unlike much of (imo) the molam gang, and though the album is 16 tracks long I never felt it was time to skip or just stop listening. Nothing brilliant, nothing I'd necessarily listen to again, but nothing I wouldn't listen to again, if you know what I mean. The only time I cringed a little was her attempt to "rock up" the song "Pawee Giya Ma" as if she was some sort of female Elvis: that was terrible. But the instrumentation sounded - dunno if it was - mostly quite ethnic, she can sing and the melodies were catchy and sort of poppy. Very palatable, and very listenable.

Quite surprised: I'll give this a good 8/10.

Trollheart · 09-08-2017, 09:29 AM

Nobody will be in the least surprised, I'm sure, to hear I got nothing out of this. I try to give all metal a decent chance, but this is just garbage. Started off well, with the spoken intro, then three, two one ... run program Standard Brutal Death Metal v 1.1! Vocals unintelligible as per, guitars occasionally break out into a decent solo here or there but generally just bludgeeon you into unconsciousness, and well, not much more to be said. At least it went by quickly.

1/10

Trollheart · 09-08-2017, 10:14 AM

Maybe it was just the effect of listening to this after suffering through Parasitic Wotsit, but I really enjoyed this. Sure, it's nothing special or clever, but it's catchy and listenable. I'd disagree that she can't sing; disagree strongly. I'm sure there are "stars" in pop today who sing much worse. She's no virtuoso, no, but she can hold a tune and for me, has a sort of bouncy, almost innocent, even childlike tone. She just seems to be enjoying herself.

Nothing really stood out to me as great, but the same is true for bad tracks. Overall a very enjoyable listen and I would certainly consider hearing more of their work.

7/10 easily.

Trollheart · 09-08-2017, 11:09 AM

I'd say I really enjoyed this album. Sometimes it's hard to form your opinion based on one listen, but with five albums to be listened to this week (six, if you include the basic Album Club one too) I really don't have the time for or luxury of multiple listens. What I did hear on my first and only listen was a very competent band with some great vocalists (like the switching of male and female vocals) and some fine ideas. When you consider they're Costa Rican too, that kind of puts it a little more into perspective, as this sounds, to me, as good as any American or British prog metal band. Also not too long: eight tracks and none monsters. Can't pick out a favourite but I did really like the opener and also "Starlight". When I get time, I may very well listen to this again.

A solid 8/10 from me.

~~MicShazam~~ · 09-08-2017, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gigantic Debaser

A made a YT playlist of this in case someone doesn't have Spotify:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...hbSvqfRRYBqVmL

haven't listened to it yet btw

You are the man.

OccultHawk · 09-09-2017, 06:01 AM

This obviously isn't anywhere as cool as Frowny's SE Asian pick but this has pretty solid Bollywood sound working for it. It's an ocean of a genre. . . whatever it's called

Three Stars.

Trollheart · 09-09-2017, 11:34 AM

Can someone remove the poll please, if that's possible? Thanks.

Here's the next one that came up. Seriously.

https://open.spotify.com/album/4AF1M7bGCFL3LHCtXUUXw5

View Poll Results: It'd be cool if we could remove this poll huh
Yes	0	0%
Yes	0	0%
Voters: 0. You may not vote on this poll

09-07-2017, 06:48 PM	#23 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	I travelled to Sri Lanka and thought it sucked in context too. Annoying album tbh. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

09-07-2017, 06:49 PM	#24 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	I don't see the similarities with the molam album at all. This I found highly enjoyable and entertaining, much to my surprise, given Mord's review above. She's a decent singer, unlike much of (imo) the molam gang, and though the album is 16 tracks long I never felt it was time to skip or just stop listening. Nothing brilliant, nothing I'd necessarily listen to again, but nothing I wouldn't listen to again, if you know what I mean. The only time I cringed a little was her attempt to "rock up" the song "Pawee Giya Ma" as if she was some sort of female Elvis: that was terrible. But the instrumentation sounded - dunno if it was - mostly quite ethnic, she can sing and the melodies were catchy and sort of poppy. Very palatable, and very listenable. Quite surprised: I'll give this a good 8/10. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

09-08-2017, 09:29 AM	#25 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Nobody will be in the least surprised, I'm sure, to hear I got nothing out of this. I try to give all metal a decent chance, but this is just garbage. Started off well, with the spoken intro, then three, two one ... run program Standard Brutal Death Metal v 1.1! Vocals unintelligible as per, guitars occasionally break out into a decent solo here or there but generally just bludgeeon you into unconsciousness, and well, not much more to be said. At least it went by quickly. 1/10 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

09-08-2017, 10:14 AM	#26 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Maybe it was just the effect of listening to this after suffering through Parasitic Wotsit, but I really enjoyed this. Sure, it's nothing special or clever, but it's catchy and listenable. I'd disagree that she can't sing; disagree strongly. I'm sure there are "stars" in pop today who sing much worse. She's no virtuoso, no, but she can hold a tune and for me, has a sort of bouncy, almost innocent, even childlike tone. She just seems to be enjoying herself. Nothing really stood out to me as great, but the same is true for bad tracks. Overall a very enjoyable listen and I would certainly consider hearing more of their work. 7/10 easily. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

09-07-2017, 01:53 PM	#21 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,634	I'm pretty used to this sort of thing even though death metal of varying stripes was never really something I truly loved. These days, I don't really listen to any death metal except a rare bit of Nile. I'm completely over music that only tries to be aggressive. Now, melodic death metal is something I can still appreciate, but this constant grinding, gurgling, chugging and bass drum blasting... It gets boring really, really fast. Oddly enough, I wouldn't say I didn't at least somewhat enjoy this for what it was, but I can't see myself wanting to listen to this album or anything like it outside of when I'm just checking stuff out. At least this record doesn't sound as sterile as a lot of death metal albums do (I refuse to call it slam. It's death metal. I don't care about the tiny difference) and there's a fair amount of rumbling bass to keep it from sounding too flat. Is it heavy? Yes, but it's also the same thing over and over again for 27 minutes straight. I'm not sure what prompts a band to release this sort of thing? Going out and playing this stuff live I can understand, but did they really feel like they had anything at all to add to the genre by releasing cookie cutter death metal album #8924717287? Same ****, different cover. No, wait, the cover is the same as thousands of other DM records as well. It gets the job done. That's not high praise, but it isn't a bad album for what it is. 5/10. Would have been a 4 if it wasn't for the above averagely meaty production.

09-07-2017, 02:15 PM	#22 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,634	Before the first song was over I checked to see how long the album was. 53 minutes... ugh... I can tell already what's going to sink this ship for me: The useless singer. Lady, you're no Jane Birkin, Francoise Hardy, Donna Summers, whatever-the-ladies-in-Abba-are-called. Her voice is limp and has no body to it. Her careful approach could work if she was expressive, sexy or anything else, but she's just weak and vaguely out of tune. Sometimes she even finds a way to make some incredibly annoying sounds with her mouth ( after the 12:40 mark of the album). I don't know why so many bands get singers that can't sing. I'm just picky that way. In any case, this genre needs a good singer. You can't just moan and pose your way through a disco record. The music is mostly lame and cheesy. Sometimes it surprisingly starts sounding a bit fuller and nicer, but this really isn't anything to write home about. Everything after this point is written after the album is over: Well into the album, something really unexpected starts happening. Things go quiet. There's some piano in the background. Some sound effect. It's mostly just some mild atmosphere building. Then some tinny, fake sounding jazz rounds things off and ends with a DJ talking and another bite sized piece of music. Not rally a point to any of it, but it did mean the album was a good 20 minutes shorter than expected, so I'm not complaining. I don't listen to disco, but I can't imagine this is anywhere near the best the genre can do. Very, very weak music in my irrelevant opinion. 2/10. Profoundly unimpressive.

09-08-2017, 11:09 AM	#27 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	I'd say I really enjoyed this album. Sometimes it's hard to form your opinion based on one listen, but with five albums to be listened to this week (six, if you include the basic Album Club one too) I really don't have the time for or luxury of multiple listens. What I did hear on my first and only listen was a very competent band with some great vocalists (like the switching of male and female vocals) and some fine ideas. When you consider they're Costa Rican too, that kind of puts it a little more into perspective, as this sounds, to me, as good as any American or British prog metal band. Also not too long: eight tracks and none monsters. Can't pick out a favourite but I did really like the opener and also "Starlight". When I get time, I may very well listen to this again. A solid 8/10 from me. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

09-09-2017, 06:01 AM	#29 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	This obviously isn't anywhere as cool as Frowny's SE Asian pick but this has pretty solid Bollywood sound working for it. It's an ocean of a genre. . . whatever it's called Three Stars. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

09-09-2017, 11:34 AM	#30 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Can someone remove the poll please, if that's possible? Thanks. Here's the next one that came up. Seriously. https://open.spotify.com/album/4AF1M7bGCFL3LHCtXUUXw5 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018