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Key 10-12-2014 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater (Post 1496466)
'Hyperdrive' is a favorite from the first Ziltoid record for me too. One hell of a musical fishhook that's for sure...

I'll be interested in seeing how the rest of your Devin series plays out. Some of the Devin "soundalikes" out there like Ramage Inc. and The Omega Experiment are pretty interesting too, so I'd recommend giving them a spin at some point. :p:

Yeah, Hyperdrive always stood out as being one of the finest tracks, even though the whole album is just fantastic.

And thanks man! Glad to have you along for the ride, i'll try to get my Ghost review up sometime today. And I'll be sure to check those two acts out as well.

Key 10-12-2014 08:03 PM

Ghost

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...m%29_cover.jpg

Devin Townsend has been quoted saying "this is by far one of the mellowest and nicest sounding albums i've done" (I assume upon the release), and even though that was said upon it's release, it still remains to be true. Ghost is an album presented on the Devin Townsend Project series, and quite possibly one of the finest works of art that Devin has created.

You can consider this album to be a mix between ambient and progressive rock, but I like to consider it a masterpiece in it's own right. When I heard about the double release in 2011 with Ghost and Deconstruction, I was kind of expecting Deconstruction to be a heavy album, but I wasn't entirely sure what to expect out of Ghost. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised to hear what this album was about, and it completely blew me away, far more than any of his other albums had done prior, but don't worry, i'm not belittling any of his previous releases.

I want to talk about the album cover for a second, because it really captivates on it's own what to expect from an album like this. Whenever I listen to this album, more often than not, I think about this album being one of the few albums i'd take with me if I wanted to get away from the world and live on an island for the rest of my life. It's perfect for both sitting out during the day, and even better at night, since it has that effect of just mellowing you out and creating a sense of therapy for your mind and body. There's just something about this album that makes me want to just chill, and open a cold one. And that's a good thing.

Not related to the album cover, this album reminds me of Fall (the season, not the band) and that probably comes from the fact that lately, i've been waking up in the morning to get ready for work, and I just want to listen to this album, and coincidentally we are in the Fall season, so it just fits. The leaves falling, the cold weather, and this album. It all just fits together so perfectly.

I haven't really touched on Devin's vocals throughout this album, because I don't think in words I can really do it justice, but let's just say, throughout this album, his voice will put your mind at ease, and will allow you to just be thoughtless and calm. He captures such a beautiful essence with his voice and it go wonderfully with the music. A fantastic combination if I ever heard one.

There's actually quite a few tracks on this album that I deem to be the finest tracks in Devin's entire catalog, and that's saying a lot. Of course, as any other Devin album, it's always good to listen to this album in it's entirety, it's the only way to truly capture it's perfection, but those few tracks I want to mention include:

Spoiler for youtube videos:




^With Ghost and Blackberry, it's a must that you listen to the tracks one after the other, otherwise you don't capture the true perfection behind the them.

In it's entirety, this album is one of Devin's perfect albums and that is saying something when you discuss his catalog, because you get a lot of those types of albums in his catalog. This one is simply a must, and I really hope that you give it a spin.

Key 10-14-2014 09:46 PM

Ki

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-_Slipcase.jpg

Just picture yourself sitting in a small to medium sized lounge area and you hear music playing overhead, you're not entirely sure what it is or who it is, but you like it. That would be Ki by Devin Townsend Project.

Ki is the first album under the Devin Townsend Project series, and a personal favorite of mine, it'd probably go number 1 on my list of favorites, but that does change periodically. This album, just like Ghost, is one of Devin's more mellowed albums. However, this one could be more closely resembled with his newer work from Casualties of Cool, since it has the mixture of progressive rock, and blues. And a bit of acoustic guitar.

You hear a lot of different things throughout this album as I mentioned before, it's sort of like he took a lot of the mellower sounding genres in music, and merged it into one album while making it his own, and he did so in such a brilliant fashion. You start the album off with an ambiance of an opening track, then you get more into the acoustic / bluesy side of it, and then leads into more of the progressive rock and more ambiance. A personal favorite off the album would have to be Terminal. It combines his stellar songwriting with this expertise in the acoustic / ambient genres.

Spoiler for video:


When I first heard this album, that song sort of sneaked up on me, not because I wasn't expecting it, but it's just a lot different than the rest of the album, however in this case it was put in the perfect spot on the album, and it worked for Devin. And then of course as the album goes on, you once again get more of the mixture of progressive rock and blues.

I'd honestly say that this could be my favorite Devin Townsend album, and I know I said I change a lot, but there are two reasons why I would still call this my favorite. On one hand, I believe it was the first album I ever heard from him, so I was already in good hands being given a recommendation such as this, and on the other hand, I just find it easily accessible and fun to listen to, so much that it'd be the first recommendation that i'd give anybody who's either willing to give Devin Townsend a first chance, or wants to hear his more mellow side. I'm hoping that comes off as not belittling Ghost in any way, this album just came before that, so naturally it'd come first as a recommendation. Maybe that makes no sense, I don't know.

Not a whole lot more can really be said that hasn't been said. You get a nice feel of his vocals once again on this album as well as his nearly perfect songwriting style, and the production quality is simply fantastic. If I were to give any advice going into this album, do it when you feel relaxed. This album will put you in a trance, just like Ghost does, by putting you into a nice mellow atmosphere and just allows you to forget everything bad and you will just enjoy the presence of the music. You'll feel the music, and that's the best part.

Key 10-18-2014 12:46 AM

Unplugged

http://i62.tinypic.com/o0qzyd.jpg

So, i'm a pretty big fan of acoustic covers. And i'm even more of a fan of them when an artist decides to take some of his tracks and make an entire acoustic album out of it. Once again, Devin Townsend hit it out of the ball park. Yes, this is an unplugged/acoustic album.

Honestly, I didn't even know this album existed until about a year or so ago. Seriously. I had been a fan of Devin Townsend for quite some time, and I believe a song off this album played on my last.fm, and I was curious. Figured i'd do a quick google search and there it was, an unplugged album. Personally, I didn't really know what to expect from it other than the one song I had already heard, but the album as a whole really isn't bad. Few flaws, but that's only because you're hearing the raw sound of his voice matched with the raw sound of an acoustic guitar.

Speaking of that however, it is safe to say that he still manages to make this album sound fantastic, production wise, even if it's an unplugged album. You still get the quality you'd find on his other albums, plus you get some of the most beautiful vocals i've ever heard come from him, especially on songs like Terminal.

Spoiler for video:


The original version is found on the Ki album, and upon hearing that song for the first time on that album, I didn't think it was possible to make it sound any better, until I heard it on the unplugged album. I personally believe that every song on this album is made 10x better just due to the fact that it's played on the acoustic. It just brings a whole new life to songs that already had it.

You get a new sense of what each song truly brings to the large table of Devin's entire works. And I really believe that's what his intention was. And if it wasn't, he still managed to do it.

Personally, one of the best rare finds in Devin's discography that wasn't really something you thought existed. And here's hoping for another unplugged album in the near future, lord knows he's got the clones to do it.

Key 10-23-2014 10:57 PM

Addicted

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...%282009%29.jpg

So, we've been talking so far about the good albums that you can find in Devin Townsend's catalog, but let's talk about one that I personally don't think is one of his finest works. Addicted, is a part of the Devin Townsend Project family being released in 2009, and with Deconstruction being next in the line of albums.

This album, is a mixture of what I would call pop, metal, and symphonic melodies, but honestly, it doesn't really have that feel that his other albums do. It's not that it doesn't flow at all, it does. It has a nice steady flow of great powerful songs that anyone who's into metal could enjoy, but as a Devin Townsend Project album, it's not up to par with the standards that Devin himself has bestowed on himself, and those are pretty high standards.

Being the album that it is however, I do think there are quite a few powerful tracks on their own that are worth mentioning.

Spoiler for videos+descriptions:



An absolute killer track and one found on the Ziltoid album I talked about earlier. The vocals are just beautiful.



This is one of the tracks that has that pop/dance feel to it, which was a weak point throughout the album, but this track on it's own is really catchy and really clever in it's own right.



Definitely one of my personal favorite slower songs of Devin's. The beautiful lyrics, guitar work, and vocals really make this a killer track.


When it all comes down to it, I just see this album as an album with a couple of great tracks, and that's about it. There's not a whole lot of specialty Devin Townsend magic to go along with it, at least from what I hear. I enjoy this album, I think it's listenable, and I have no problem recommending it to someone, but it wouldn't be anywhere near my favorite.

Key 10-23-2014 10:59 PM

Just a quick note: Seeing as my review for Casualties of Cool wasn't so far away from when I decided to do this Devin Townsend reviewed section, I went ahead and linked it in the main post, if I do decide to re-review the album, i'll change the link, but I figure having something there that is related to what i'm doing is better than not having it.

Anteater 10-24-2014 08:22 AM

Yeah, I don't think Addicted is one of Devy's strongest efforts either, at least compared to his absolute best material or some of the stuff that would come later in the poppier vein (such as Epicloud and this year's Z2).

On another note, what did you think of him on Steve Vai's 1993 album Sex & Religion? I'm pretty sure he's the lead vocalist on every track.

Key 10-24-2014 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater (Post 1501026)
Yeah, I don't think Addicted is one of Devy's strongest efforts either, at least compared to his absolute best material or some of the stuff that would come later in the poppier vein (such as Epicloud and this year's Z2).

On another note, what did you think of him on Steve Vai's 1993 album Sex & Religion? I'm pretty sure he's the lead vocalist on every track.

I haven't heard Sex and Religion, but I may have to now from what you've said.

Key 10-24-2014 10:29 PM

Deconstruction

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Slipcase.jpeg

Going to say this right away, this is possibly the finest example of what a heavy metal album should sound like, especially one with Devin Townsend involved. Now, i'm noticing i'm focusing big time on Devin Townsend Project specifically, that wasn't planned, I think that's just the way it turned out. But, oh well.

Anyway, Deconstruction was released in 2011, along with Ghost being released that same year, this is one of those times where Devin Townsend released two albums that are complete polar opposites of each other. I feel the same way about this album that I do about Ghost, just absolute perfection. And that's saying something when an artist decides to release two albums in the same year, shows that he's got a great sense of creativity and musical intelligence.

Reviewing this album right after my Addicted review was purely coincidence, considering Addicted was released a few years before Deconstruction, but they are neighbors in the timeline of albums released under Devin Townsend Project.

Onto a bit about the album. What is there to say really, if you're looking for a nearly perfect heavy metal / progressive metal album, this would be the one to turn to. It mixes some of Devin's finest gifts, his ability to growl, his heavy guitar chords, and of course, a bit of his quirky-ness and nerdiness really add a wonderful touch to an already perfect album. Let's say you're walking to work, or home, and suddenly you feel the urge to listen to a heavy metal song that is about Cheeseburgers, well you're in luck, because Devin Townsend made a track like that on this album, and it's easily one of the best (which doesn't seem to appear on Youtube, lame).

Then of course we have a wonderful track simply titled "The Mighty Masturbator" which is a personal favorite of mine, mostly because this track is just everything I love about metal. And has some fantastic atmosphere and backing vocals near the end which really adds a nice touch. You hear Devin at his best in this track, though that's the way it is throughout the album altogether.

Spoiler for video:


Then we have some heavier tracks which really adds to the power that this album conveys.

Spoiler for videos:



This album has everything. It really does. It's perfection shines throughout the entire album, and you're left with wanting more and more each time you hear it. This is definitely an album I would consider listening to at least 2 times in order to really get a grasp as to what is going on. Due to this album being so technical and heavy, a first listen will sort of leave you confused, but the more you listen, the better it gets.

Key 10-27-2014 10:33 PM

Synchestra

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Synchestra.jpg

I'm going to be honest, when I first heard this album, years ago, I honestly didn't think much of it. There wasn't a whole lot that I particularly liked about it, and it just became an album that sat in my library collecting dust. That changed dramatically when I listened to it again these last few days.

I used to think that this album was sort of an AOR / Hard Rock sort of deal, and in some cases that is still true, but I feel like this is one of Devin's more beautifully crafted heavy metal albums. It's definitely got the sound and feel to a Devin Townsend album that you would come to expect, although this album was released before a lot of the more perfect albums were released. Which honestly surprised me, because this album could easily surpass a lot of his later albums in quality, not saying the later albums are particularly lacking in quality, but I would never think this album was released in his earlier years. Which goes to show you how his album quality really hasn't gone away over the years, give or take a few albums *cough* Addicted *cough*.

Devin Townsend decided he wanted to make a permanent line-up for his solo work, and that's what this album stemmed from, along with Accelerated Evolution, which I will review in time. This project is known as The Devin Townsend Band, not to be confused with just simply Devin Townsend or Devin Townsend Project. Yeah, he goes by a lot of project names, but nonetheless, still fantastic. I'm hoping Accelerated Evolution has the same effect and will be good now as opposed to what it was when I first heard it years back. It's just rather bizarre that the two albums under The Devin Townsend Band weren't necessarily my favorites at the start.

When I first heard this album, I instantly was attached to one song, Gaia. Though that track is still one of my favorites on the album, there are a lot more that I have really gotten to like, and I see now that each track has it's own little quirk that makes this album pretty fantastic as a whole. Songs such as:

Spoiler for videos:



And we can't forget these two very cleverly crafted tracks that go so well together:





I still have yet to decide if I would put this album as perfect. Not yet, anyway. But it's honestly got the potential to reach that status with me. Nonetheless, I am really happy I went back and listened to this, because listening to it now, I see I missed a lot of the quality and amazingness that went into this album, and it has also made it's way more towards the top of my list for favorite Devin Townsend albums. I don't know exactly where i'd put it quite yet, but it's definitely up there now, and opposed to just being one of those albums I pass by every now and again.

Key 10-29-2014 09:32 AM

It's been a little under a month since I started this little Devin Townsend endeavor, and i must say, I'm been having a blast going back and listening to some of the albums of his that I once thought were either mediocre or just decent, then to find out those same albums are pretty fantastic. Very eye opening experience and i'm excited to get to other albums that i've been putting off due to the reasons I started with.

Pet_Sounds 11-07-2014 03:27 PM

Reminds me of something - how did you get away with a two-character username? When I joined, the max was four.

Frownland 11-07-2014 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds (Post 1505654)
Reminds me of something - how did you get away with a two-character username? When I joined, the max was four.

You have to send Yac your requested new name and nudes.

Key 11-07-2014 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland (Post 1505670)
You have to send Yac your requested new name and nudes.

Correct.

Key 11-10-2014 11:34 AM

Epicloud

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lbum_cover.jpg

I can't even begin to count the amount of times this album has gotten played. When it was announced, just the name alone already had me hooked, I mean it combines Epic and Loud, how can it not be great??!

Of course, as it was leading more toward it's release, we had tracks being released on Youtube and teasers and such, and obviously those will just hold your excitement for so long, and it's impossible to judge an album by the few singles that are released before it's release, though some people like to judge it based on one song they hear, which never made much sense to me.

Anyway, this album is part of the Devin Townsend Project series, the fifth one to be exact, and it's got a lot of great things going for it, one being the fact that it really does a great job at sounding like it would do fantastic in a large open space, sort of like a heavier AOR album, but not exactly.

Devin Townsend obviously put in a lot of what he loves into this album, and it shows. Each track is better than the one before it, and it continues that tradition throughout the entire album. I can't really think of one track that I absolutely hate, granted there may be a few that I tend to skip over, more for the fact that it may not fit the mood i'm in at the time of listening, but that always changes since you get a mix of fast and slow in this album, so it's hard to go through it with feeling one way.

Some of the finest tracks on the album are as follows:

Spoiler for videos:





As I said, it's very hard to choose one or two tracks that really show what this album is capable of, so I chose three, ha!

Anyway, this album also comes with a more updated version of the song Kingdom, and it's sooooo much better than the original, not that the original is bad by any means:



By far one of Devin's finest works, and one I will come back to day after day and still feel that awesome feeling of "wow, this album is simply perfect."

Pet_Sounds 11-10-2014 12:37 PM

Your posts about Devin Townsend have made me want to give him a listen. Where should I start?

Key 11-10-2014 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds (Post 1506573)
Your posts about Devin Townsend have made me want to give him a listen. Where should I start?

Oh man, I really don't know. Either Ki or Synchestra would be good since they're the easiest in my opinion. If you're into some really heavy technical proggy stuff, give Deconstruction a listen. Honestly, just choose one that looks interesting to you. They're all different but they're all fantastic in their own way.

Chula Vista 11-10-2014 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds (Post 1506573)
Your posts about Devin Townsend have made me want to give him a listen. Where should I start?

IMO Ocean Machine.

Key 11-23-2014 01:07 AM

http://i58.tinypic.com/2ltfq83.jpg

I was fortunate enough to be able to see Judas Priest in concert tonight (11.22.2014), which apparently was the last show they were going to be playing until they left for Australia. I'm going to be completely honest off the bat, I wasn't the biggest fan of Judas Priest prior to hearing the news that I would be able to see them perform live. I did have a good knowledge of what they sang and how they sounded, but was never really a huge fan as most other people are. That did however change within this last week including seeing the show. Prior to seeing this show, I did express excitement to a few friends of mine and told them i'd be seeing them in concert, I heard nothing but good things from what they've heard and from people who have seen them before, all the time saying that they really know how to put on a show, and that was proven tonight from a personal point of view. I want to say that this is probably close to the top of my list of all time favorite concerts that I have seen in my life, and I do feel very fortunate that I have been able to see them perform.

http://i62.tinypic.com/21bkade.jpg

Rob Halford did not sound like age has gotten to him at all. In fact, he sounded better than he does on any of Priest's albums, and that's saying something. Being 63, you wouldn't expect him to still be able to pull off what he has been able to pull off, however he was able to pull off the high notes, the long-lasting notes, and do them with so much passion and energy, it just sounded natural, and it was a fantastic thing to witness.

I'm not really going to get into the opening act "Steel Panther", because...well there's not a lot to say.

Here are some pictures I took of the show:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...66498fb849507a

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...4ac0cf243d60da

I did get some videos as well, however they are huge files, and would take forever to upload. I will say though that the live performance of "Breaking The Law" is flawless, as was every other song they performed.

Trollheart 11-27-2014 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ki (Post 1506555)
Epicloud

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lbum_cover.jpg

I can't even begin to count the amount of times this album has gotten played. When it was announced, just the name alone already had me hooked, I mean it combines Epic and Loud, how can it not be great??!

Of course, as it was leading more toward it's release, we had tracks being released on Youtube and teasers and such, and obviously those will just hold your excitement for so long, and it's impossible to judge an album by the few singles that are released before it's release, though some people like to judge it based on one song they hear, which never made much sense to me.

Anyway, this album is part of the Devin Townsend Project series, the fifth one to be exact, and it's got a lot of great things going for it, one being the fact that it really does a great job at sounding like it would do fantastic in a large open space, sort of like a heavier AOR album, but not exactly.

Devin Townsend obviously put in a lot of what he loves into this album, and it shows. Each track is better than the one before it, and it continues that tradition throughout the entire album. I can't really think of one track that I absolutely hate, granted there may be a few that I tend to skip over, more for the fact that it may not fit the mood i'm in at the time of listening, but that always changes since you get a mix of fast and slow in this album, so it's hard to go through it with feeling one way.

Some of the finest tracks on the album are as follows:

Spoiler for videos:





As I said, it's very hard to choose one or two tracks that really show what this album is capable of, so I chose three, ha!

Anyway, this album also comes with a more updated version of the song Kingdom, and it's sooooo much better than the original, not that the original is bad by any means:



By far one of Devin's finest works, and one I will come back to day after day and still feel that awesome feeling of "wow, this album is simply perfect."

Watch for a serious review of this in my main journal very soon.

Key 11-27-2014 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart (Post 1514244)
Watch for a serious review of this in my main journal very soon.

Looking forward to it.

----

On another note, I've been going back and forth with myself as to whether or not I want to include reviews of Strapping Young Lad in this whole Devin Townsend review thing I've been doing. I've come to the decision that I will not be attempting to review those albums as I just don't see myself doing it justice. I've listened to the albums multiple times, but I just can't seem to get the right opinions about them, they are all just heavy and that's the conclusion I tend to go to. I'll continue with Devin's solo albums, but I think leaving out Strapping Young Lad will allow me to continue this little project I have with no stress on my mind.

Key 11-29-2014 12:07 PM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Artwork%29.jpg

Pink Floyd - The Endless River

Honestly, I'm disappointed that I kind of put this off as long as I did. Most of that was due to the opinions of other people saying that it's not as great as an actual album, and that it just lacks the quality of a traditional Pink Floyd album. You know, people just need to get past the "bands are just hungry for money" thing and the whole "they're past their prime" deal. So what if they want to make more money, they've been successful enough in their time that i've got no problem paying for another album. Admittedly, I was on the bandwagon of "this album isn't gonna be as great as an actual release" opinion, however upon listening to it, that opinion is pretty much out the window. I wouldn't necessarily say I love this album, as I haven't heard it in it's entirety, but i've heard about 80% of it, it's still very good, and definitely not the worst one they've released, not even close. It's got a lot of fantastic tracks on it, and it really has that "i could sit in my bedroom for hours and light some incense" feel to it. Ambiance is the word I was looking for, I guess. Either way, don't let people's negative opinions get in the way of you giving this album at least one listen. I'm happy to have heard this, and will probably get more listens out of it in the near future.

Pet_Sounds 11-29-2014 03:11 PM

Thanks, man. I've been on the fence regarding listening to that, and you've convinced me to give it a shot.

Key 11-29-2014 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds (Post 1515369)
Thanks, man. I've been on the fence regarding listening to that, and you've convinced me to give it a shot.

It deserves at least one listen. I may listen to it again later.

Frownland 11-29-2014 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ki (Post 1515270)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Artwork%29.jpg

Pink Floyd - The Endless River

Honestly, I'm disappointed that I kind of put this off as long as I did. Most of that was due to the opinions of other people saying that it's not as great as an actual album, and that it just lacks the quality of a traditional Pink Floyd album. You know, people just need to get past the "bands are just hungry for money" thing and the whole "they're past their prime" deal. So what if they want to make more money, they've been successful enough in their time that i've got no problem paying for another album. Admittedly, I was on the bandwagon of "this album isn't gonna be as great as an actual release" opinion, however upon listening to it, that opinion is pretty much out the window. I wouldn't necessarily say I love this album, as I haven't heard it in it's entirety, but i've heard about 80% of it, it's still very good, and definitely not the worst one they've released, not even close. It's got a lot of fantastic tracks on it, and it really has that "i could sit in my bedroom for hours and light some incense" feel to it. Ambiance is the word I was looking for, I guess. Either way, don't let people's negative opinions get in the way of you giving this album at least one listen. I'm happy to have heard this, and will probably get more listens out of it in the near future.

It's definitely worth listening to to form your own opinion on it. Tbh, them being old or in it for the money means nothing to me. It's just a boring album to me. It does have it's good moments but those are far and few in between and the moments are too short to listen to a bunch of lame new age **** to get to them.

Trollheart 11-29-2014 05:25 PM

My problem with it isn't that it's a bad album, cos it's not, though it has some very weak moments and most of it is just rewriting material from older albums. My main gripe with it is that it's their swan song, the last we'll hear of them and to me it's a middle finger to the fans, who deserved something better. Even if they said ok, Division Bell is it. No more from us. I could have lived with that. But to put out this weak, cheap collection of studio cutting floor out-takes and songs that weren't deemed good enough for TDB is really annoying me.

Plus, is it just me or does Gilmour look in every picture (recent) of him that I've seen like he's sneering at you?

Key 11-29-2014 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart (Post 1515418)
My problem with it isn't that it's a bad album, cos it's not, though it has some very weak moments and most of it is just rewriting material from older albums. My main gripe with it is that it's their swan song, the last we'll hear of them and to me it's a middle finger to the fans, who deserved something better. Even if they said ok, Division Bell is it. No more from us. I could have lived with that. But to put out this weak, cheap collection of studio cutting floor out-takes and songs that weren't deemed good enough for TDB is really annoying me.

It's weird, because I don't feel that way at all. Honestly, i'm pretty happy about the fact that most of this album is instrumental, makes it much more of a chill out album than anything. Maybe i'm just too easy to please, but I do see myself enjoying this album quite a bit more than I initially thought.

Key 11-29-2014 06:16 PM


That's right, it's that time of the year for frolicking, joy, and a little bit of death. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems like Satan has decided to take the role of handing out gifts this year, and by gifts I mean music, more specifically heavy music, i.e. death metal, melodic death metal, progressive death metal, anything like that.

Satan has decided that since he's just so fucking tired of seeing all the joy and happiness in our world, he's wanting to change things up, and that means potentially ridding Santa of this world by making his ears bleed with as much power as we can.

Still not sure what's going on? Well, i'll tell you. The entire month of December, my journal is dedicated to doing two things: ridding the joys of Christmas with a taste of death metal. No, that does not mean i'm copying metal month, i'm being much more specific and sticking to one genre and the sub genres alike. Satan would not be very happy if he had to listen to heavy metal, I asked him, he doesn't want it. He heard the word "death" and was excited and told me to go with that, so I am. And two, it'll be me presenting my favorites in the death metal genre as well as giving some new albums a listen, some of which I will take recommendations. Feel free to send some album names my way if you think they will fit and I will like them, and i'll talk about them.

The way I want to do this is not just give albums reviews. I mean, I can do that, but I'm not great at it. If I do end up doing reviews, they'll be short and sweet. I just want to talk about bands, their music, and anything relating to death metal, so expect to see a variety of things. I'm mostly doing this for my own personal liking, but if you end up liking it, that's good too, I guess.

Santa must be brought down, and Satan must reign supreme. Keep an eye out on December 1st for the first post in this month of madness that is to come.

Wpnfire 12-01-2014 08:13 PM

Death metal for this month? cooool.

Key 12-01-2014 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wpnfire (Post 1516728)
Death metal for this month? cooool.

Hell yeah man. Stay tuned for the first official post of the month to get this rolling.

Key 12-02-2014 08:02 PM

Sorry. I'm a day late. I'll just skip the intro post and get right into it...

http://i61.tinypic.com/k96k54.png

Satan has a bunch of albums that he wants people to listen to, and hopefully enjoy. He's starting off with this one:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...armageddon.jpg
Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon

I had a recent interview with Satan himself, and he gave a few words about this album and why he chose to start this month with revealing his liking for this album.

Me: So Satan, why would you say you chose Death Cult Armageddon to start your takeover of Christmas? Also, how do you think this will help you reign supreme over Santa Clause?

Satan: Great question, and thank you for having me on your show. I chose Death Cult Armageddon for a few reasons, one being that I am just an enormous fan of black metal as a genre. I think it's pure and really allows for some powerful headbanging. I can guarantee the people down here enjoy the hell out of it, so to speak (satan laughs). Anyway, the way I see it, if I start with something as deadly and black as an album called Death Cult Armageddon, Santa doesn't even stand a chance, and that is one big reason why I chose it. Plus, I just think the music is great, and a lot of their videos for their songs really fit my liking, one in specifically would be Progenies of the Great Apocalypse.



Me: Well, Satan, thank you for coming on our show. We do have a surprise for you. Santa is here to give this album a listen and he has asked for people to keep from asking questions as he says he isn't feeling too well, something about eating too many cookies last night. Anyway, we were able to get a rating our of him if anything. It seems from what I can tell that he sort of enjoyed it.

Santa's rating:

http://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.png

Key 12-03-2014 08:26 PM

http://i62.tinypic.com/2418rxl.png

inb4 "the pentagram isn't even evil". Well, whatever. We all know that this symbol is used when most people talk about Satan in some ways. Or perhaps not, but that's beside the point. Enough bands have used the pentagram for symbolism in their music, black metal bands specifically. That's what this is for, is to highlight those bands that have used it.

I'll start with the obvious one:

Cradle of Filth did a track on their Thornography album titled "Rise of the Pentagram". It starts off with what I assume is a poem written specifically for the theme of the track.

One dark afternoon
Like a shadow I flew
Through the rain that fell sick with lament
To this house of incest
For when we undressed
Blasphemies against Venus were rent
Though a sister removed
Her white body approved
The parade of my heavenly quests
Yet, all tongues are not true
Some are forked or askew
Like an uncivil serpent's at best
For ousted from Eden
I fausted all reason
Hook in mouth like Saint Peter Pan
To haunt fairy groves
And hot virgin coves
Where in the promiscuous swam
I elected lovers and rejected others
Mathistrisses that don't give a damn
But for those that still do
My deep interest grew
The rise of the true pentagram!


I mean, I wouldn't say it's incredible, or if it's really a clever way to bring up such topic, but it's not really terribly written either. Especially since the rest of the track is purely instrumental, which I seem to like quite a bit. Anyway, i'll keep this short.



We've gotten a surprise rating by Santa on this one as well.

http://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.png

Santa says: Ho ho! I'm not really a big fan of the topic at hand, but I can say that I really enjoy the instrumentals quite a bit. Gets the reindeer dancing and keeps Misses Claus off my back. I must learn to play this some time!!

Key 12-04-2014 08:50 PM

http://i60.tinypic.com/dy6u85.png

So it looks like it's Santas turn. He has some questions and concerns about what's been going on here, but he's also curious about a few things and would love it if Satan himself could shine some light on it. So, on Santas wish list, he's got a list of songs that he believes do not have a death metal counterpart, or heavy metal etc. Perhaps Satan has something up his sleeve, but we'll see.

Satan: I may not have the songs you're looking for, but I do have this:

http://f1.bcbits.com/img/a2406546779_2.jpg
Death Metal Christmas - Hellish Renditions of Christmas Classics

Tracklist:
Unrest for Melancholy Men (God Rest Ye Merry Christmas)
Earthen Kings (We Three Kings)
Nutcracker: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Greensleeves
O Come, O Come, Azrael (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel)


That's right, there is an album out there dedicated to death metal versions of Christmas songs.

Satan: I had a feeling Santa would be coming to me asking about whether or not I knew some Christmas songs with the death metal touch to it. Turns out, I do. Bet you didn't think I did huh Santa?

Santa: My god, how could you have known I was looking for something like this. I'm still not going to let you take Christmas away. We've got weeks before the big day, and i've got things up my sleeve that you may not be prepared for.

Key 12-07-2014 04:57 PM

http://i61.tinypic.com/k96k54.png

Satan is back, and with a little treat. He's bringing us a song and an album that aren't exactly as heavy as the rest of his other favorites, but it still does the job well in terms of being something he can bash his head to.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._master_gr.jpg
King Diamond - The Puppet Master

Satan: There's something about the album covers and the way the guy portrays himself that just makes me feel all fuzzy and dark inside. Definitely an artist I wouldn't allow my minions to listen to, but it's a guilty pleasure.

And what better way to show Satan's love for this album with a track with a title as dark as the album cover portrays:


Key 12-07-2014 06:33 PM

http://i59.tinypic.com/2eov31u.jpg

This is where i'll be talking about some of the more terrifying / grotesque looking album covers that can be fairly common within the metal genre as a whole. Some will be personal favorites, and some will just be ranked on how "nightmarish" they come off. And of course, we'll continue to use the Santa horns rating system, because Santa is away for the day, and we want to scare the crap out of him once he returns. So let's get started.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2629/...8a333db2_m.jpg
Disarmonia Mundi - Mind Tricks

Out of the four album covers from Disarmonia Mundi, this one always seem to be the scariest. It looks like the setting of a murder mystery where the victim is locked up in a basement. The shadow figure looks like it'd be the killer.

http://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.png

Next up we have...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...obsessesed.jpg
Cannibal Corpse - Gore Obsessed

I know. Maybe i'm cheating a little bit when I use Cannibal Corpse. This is certainly not the most terrifying album cover that I have seen from them, but I did want to include one of their albums in this list.

http://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.png

Key 12-07-2014 06:34 PM

Next up we have...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...t-Original.JPG
Burn The Priest - Burn The Priest

Before Lamb of God were named Lamb of God, they were known as Burn The Priest. Honestly, this is one of the cooler album covers of theirs that i've seen, and I wish they'd go back to this artwork. For one, it just fits their style of music so well, and it just reeks of gore. To me, that's pretty badass.

http://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.png

And finally, for now...

http://www.metal-archives.com/images...17782.jpg?1024
Mistweaver - Tales From The Grave

Nothing fits this list better than an album title that directly relates to the topic i'm going on about. Tales From The Grave is one of the cooler album covers that this band has to offer, but that's not saying the others are bad. Mistweaver have been pretty consistent at keeping the album art they release both nightmarish and artistic.

http://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.png

Anteater 12-07-2014 06:38 PM

When I think King Diamond and Christmas stuff, I put this on. :tramp:


Trollheart 12-09-2014 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ki (Post 1518018)
http://i60.tinypic.com/dy6u85.png

So it looks like it's Santas turn. He has some questions and concerns about what's been going on here, but he's also curious about a few things and would love it if Satan himself could shine some light on it. So, on Santas wish list, he's got a list of songs that he believes do not have a death metal counterpart, or heavy metal etc. Perhaps Satan has something up his sleeve, but we'll see.

Satan: I may not have the songs you're looking for, but I do have this:

http://f1.bcbits.com/img/a2406546779_2.jpg
Death Metal Christmas - Hellish Renditions of Christmas Classics

Tracklist:
Unrest for Melancholy Men (God Rest Ye Merry Christmas)
Earthen Kings (We Three Kings)
Nutcracker: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Greensleeves
O Come, O Come, Azrael (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel)


That's right, there is an album out there dedicated to death metal versions of Christmas songs.

Satan: I had a feeling Santa would be coming to me asking about whether or not I knew some Christmas songs with the death metal touch to it. Turns out, I do. Bet you didn't think I did huh Santa?

Santa: My god, how could you have known I was looking for something like this. I'm still not going to let you take Christmas away. We've got weeks before the big day, and i've got things up my sleeve that you may not be prepared for.

Um, are you gonna review that album? If not, can I?

Key 12-09-2014 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart (Post 1520328)
Um, are you gonna review that album? If not, can I?

Feel free to do so.

Key 12-12-2014 08:34 PM

http://i59.tinypic.com/2eov31u.jpg

Time for some more skin crawling, fear inducing album covers.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...AmonAmarth.jpg
Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods

What could possibly be more terrifying than being forced to fight against a God? That's right, nothing!

http://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...d/Kansi_bw.gif
Kalmah - The Black Waltz

The guy in this album cover isn't super terrifying but he also seems like the kind of guy that would **** you up if you made a problem with him.

http://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.pnghttp://i57.tinypic.com/dhe491.png


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