Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind!
Welcome! This is my second attempt at a journal. My first attempt was made about the first week I was here, and consisted mainly of me trying to push lesser known bands out there to everyone. The attempt felt unfocused and forced, and rather unpleasant for me. I think the entire point of a journal should be enjoying the music and the writing experience. So I've come to the conclusion I prefer to share my thoughts on a well known band than lesser known ones I'm not really enjoying. That doesn't mean there won't be negative reviews here there most will be.

Now, I am going to focus mainly on reviewing albums, and writing my thoughts on the album and band. So if you've gotten an album you would like me to give a listen shoot me a PM or post in this journal and I would be happy to do so.

If you're in the middle of the ocean with no flippers and no life preserver and you hear a helicopter, this is music. You have to adjust to your needs at the moment. -- Tom Waits
My Last.fm

Hmm, I've decided my first journal entry should be about the band I've been listening to the most lately, of Montreal. I won't focus on one specific album in this particular case. I will simply write about my thoughts on a couple of the bands albums.



of Montreal is one of those bands that before checking out many moons ago I was a bit skeptical about. I knew of them, and I knew they made music that was all over the spectrum. I was, at that time, basically listening to only metal but was growing a bit bored with and looking to expand my horizons so to speak. The first album I heard was The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy and I was really a bit unsure what to make of it. After a couple more listens it was really growing on me. I found myself really enjoying it. I guess it had enough of the catchy elements of the early of Montreal albums and just a hint of the complexity of what of Montreal would become to drag me in. Looking back I now realize this album is probably truly one of my least favorite, which I still like, albums by Barnes and crew. That's not to say its at all bad though.

Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

For my money, this is THE of Montreal album. As I've said before I enjoy the entire discography, but wow. This album is flawless. This album is made by an obviously shaken Barnes after a split with his wife. And it certainly shows. The mood swings give you the feeling Barnes was on the edge of insanity, or perhaps already insane. And once you come up on the 12 minute track "The Past Is a Grotesque Animal" if you didn't feel the insanity, you will. A stomach turning 12 minute track that is probably my favorite on the entire album. Love the synth work on this one.



One might think after the 12 minute saga that you just heard there's no way the rest of the album could hold up to that, but I think it does very well. The basslines are what really stand out to me from the all the things I hear in this album.

So this is kinduva a little bit of my thoughts on the album that got me into of Montreal, and the album I like the most. I may do a more comprehensive and in depth, possible full discography, review of the bands material at some point in the near future.

If you're in the middle of the ocean with no flippers and no life preserver and you hear a helicopter, this is music. You have to adjust to your needs at the moment. -- Tom Waits
My Last.fm

Progressive Rock took me a long time to get into. I'm going to say now that at one point I thought music needed to be simple, short, sweet, and to the point to be enjoyable. Once I opened my eyes to the vast world that is progressive rock though; my opinion changed. The first album I heard was Close to the Edge by Yes. The album opened my eyes, but beyond that my mind. I realized music no longer HAD to be a 90 secon sloppy punk song, not to say I don't STILL love those because I do, and showed me bands could write 20 minute epics that could hold my attention...and even make me beg for more.




As I sit here on this rainy Saturday morning with the sounds of Close to the Edge pumping out of my speakers I realize this is a 40 minute epic with not a boring moment on it. That's saying a lot considering its 40 minutes and only 3 songs. Each note played on this album though makes you eager for the next, and even once the album ends you're still hungry for more.

Throughout the album every note seems so delicately placed, and like it NEEDS to exist. So many bands seem to pack tons of notes together for the sake of doing so, and that's just NOT the case here. In fact I could live with another song or two worth of notes existing. haha.

I've seen some people gripe about the intro to the title track on this album. I think it works perfectly though; Even upon my first listen the 3+ minute introduction made me anxious to hear what was to come. And now that I know a barrage of amazing music follows the introduction I am even more eager than I was upon first hearing this amazing album! So for someone who is trying to get into progressive rock, and looking into this album, I promise you that this introduction is worth waiting through every single time. Because what follows more than makes up for it!


On the second track on the album, And You and I you have almost the opposite of the title track. It opens and you're thrown right into the music, which is great! I absolutely adore the acoustic guitar used on this track, and throughout the track at that. This song features Rick Wakeman doing some keyboard soloing and its GREAT!! Now he's accompanied by Bill Bufords drumming, and that too only adds to the experience.

On the final track on the album, Siberian Khatru, its a little different from the other two tracks and that's perfectly fine because in my eyes its still a great piece. Its a really uplifting and positive track, very groovy and fast. Very fun listen, and works really well with the album.

This album as I said in the opening is one of the albums that truly opened my mind and ears to progressive rock, and for that I am forever grateful to Yes and this masterpiece they produced. In my eyes, this album will always be the best progressive rock album ever produced.

If you're in the middle of the ocean with no flippers and no life preserver and you hear a helicopter, this is music. You have to adjust to your needs at the moment. -- Tom Waits
My Last.fm

Originally Posted by Black Francis Fully agree on Hissing Fauna, that album is just amazing sadly that was the first cd i ever heard from them and it set the bar too high for them to match it again imo. they still make great music though and they got a unique sound and vibe to them that sounds like something new. coincidentally the past is a grotesque animal is the song that got my into them along with Voltaic crusher

If you're in the middle of the ocean with no flippers and no life preserver and you hear a helicopter, this is music. You have to adjust to your needs at the moment. -- Tom Waits
My Last.fm

Between the Headphones:


Pallbearer - Sorrow and Extinction
Label: Profound Lore Records
Release Date: February 21, 2012



Here you are sitting on the pews of an airless and crowded little country Church. The rolling of thunder as a massive thunderstorm is plodding along outside. The pews around you full of people mourning the loss of a beloved family member and friend. There is a sense of anger floating amongst the congregation, as there always is when someones time comes. The preacher gathering his tattered Bible and notes steps to the pulpit and begins to preach a sermon about life and death, and the loss of this beloved individual. Suddenly the mood in the Church almost becomes one of acceptance. Still sadness, but acceptance....

That is the kind of emotions this album induces.

Now that the mood has been set for this five track, forty minute slab of cold, heavy, masterful doom metal lets talk a bit about it.

The album opens with "Foreigner" which has a slow acoustic intro that lasts about two-minutes and thirty seconds before you're thrown into a crushingly heavy riff. The guitar continues to thunderously rumble for a good minute and ten seconds before the vocals of Brett Campbell come in. Imagine a slightly more epic-sounding young Ozzy.. And you've got an idea of what Campbell vocals sound like.

"Devoid of Redemption" is an almost sludgy piece at points. It doesn't lose the traditional feel of the album, but its crunchy and just raw sounding. Then the solo on this track is just a face melting, too. "The Lengend" on the other hand starts off and the opening riff sounds just like a riff off of Sleep's Holy Mountain. The extremely fuzzy bass adds to the feeling of it being a Sleep track. Yet, Pallbearer makes it their own, and its as full of hopelessness and despair as anything on the album. "An Offering of Grief" This song really embodies everything I look for in doom metal, slow, powerful and haunting riffs. "Given to the Grave" This is the part where acceptance comes in.. As the song begins you hear the faint sound of angels chanting and a bass line.. As they've closed the casket and begun to lower it into the clay.. its all over. I can't think of an album that has a song that closes the album the way this one does. When the song closes you honestly feel like its the end of a life...



One thing I failed to mention at any point in my above writeup on the songs is about how well done the production is on this album. Its not overly produced, but its not produced in a way that you have to listen extra close to hear everything.

If you love "full" sounding bands, I highly suggest checking this out. If you're looking to get into some doom metal bands outside from the more obvious bands, I highly suggest this album.



My Rating: 5/5. This album made me feel things that no other doom metal piece has in a long time, and in some ways, ever. Highly highly recommended.

If you're in the middle of the ocean with no flippers and no life preserver and you hear a helicopter, this is music. You have to adjust to your needs at the moment. -- Tom Waits
My Last.fm

Originally Posted by OccultHawk I was called upon by the muses for greatness.

Originally Posted by Frownland I'm bald, ja.

If you're in the middle of the ocean with no flippers and no life preserver and you hear a helicopter, this is music. You have to adjust to your needs at the moment. -- Tom Waits
My Last.fm