Metal Month II is coming...

The Batlord · 05-13-2014, 09:23 AM

First of all, I think you should devote it to genres you don't listen to (not necessarily hate, but are not familiar with). No one wants to see you review another Kamelot album. We want you to abuse yourself by listening to Cryptopsy. And since I don't think you listened to much actual death metal last time (neither the Sepultura or the Entombed albums were really death metal) I'm going to nominate Cryptopsy's None So Vile. That'll separate the men from the Trollhearts.

I'd also nominate Dissection's Storm of the Light's Bane since it was mentioned elsewhere and I figure if you're going to like any extreme metal, that would be it.

Trollheart · 05-13-2014, 10:14 AM

Jeez Batty it's a whoel ****ing month! Give me SOMETHING to hold on to, huh?

Don't forget, you can throw all the Cryptopsy, Cannibal Corpse and Death at me you want, but if your aim is just to make me cry then that will certainly happen. If however you're trying to convert me to these bands, see them with fresh (possibly, I don't say certainly but possibly non-gouged-out) eyes, then I wouldn't hold your breath.

I know the metal I like and more to the point, I know the metal I don't like. I did not enjoy one minute of Morbid Angel (other than that guy's bitchin guitar work) or Napalm Death or Carcass, and yet I found a respect for some other bands, such as Candlemass, Doomsword, In Flames etc. I know you wish it was and want it to be, but the idea of Metal Month (trademarked and copyrighted by Trollheart Enterprises in all territories in perpetuity) is not for me to abuse myself or for you to laugh at me, though you'll do that anyway I know.

It's to provide as broad a canvas I can to introduce others (including myself) who may not know of these bands to as much of the genre as I can. If I don't like certain bands it doesn't mean I won't review them, but equally it doesn't mean I will like them. I don't want to be accused of wimping out and just playing the metal I like, which is something I tried to address with the original Metal Month last year --- you may notice there were few if any progressive or power metal bands, and I stuck more or less to the ones I had never reviewed or even heard before. And if you don't think I tried enough death metal last time, remember the constraints. A month may seem a long time but I had a lot of other work to do and you can only post so much each day. Plus I was working on more than just reviews, with the ABC of Heavy Metal and some other sections.

I'll certainly review the albums you suggest, but I'd prefer you didn't just throw out the most extreme, disgusting, fleshcrawling bands you can think of just to send a shiver up my skirt. I don't want to avoid anything; I'll review anything I'm asked to. But don't expect my opinions to change. I think I gave MA a fair review, and you never got back to me on what you thought about the one for "Heartwork"?

Anyway as I say the thing about Metal Month (trademarked and copyrighted by Trollheart Enterprises in all territories in perpetuity) is that it's a chance for anyone who loves metal to read about it and anyone who doesn't know anything about it but is interested to see what all the fuss is about. This is not, despite your expectations or wishes, Abuse Trollheart Month (that's in August)

so if you don't mind, take it a little seriously if you can.

WTF am I saying? Sorry, forgot who I was talking to for a moment there!

The Batlord · 05-13-2014, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I'll certainly review the albums you suggest, but I'd prefer you didn't just throw out the most extreme, disgusting, fleshcrawling bands you can think of just to send a shiver up my skirt. I don't want to avoid anything; I'll review anything I'm asked to. But don't expect my opinions to change. I think I gave MA a fair review, and you never got back to me on what you thought about the one for "Heartwork"? )

Trollheart if I didn't have you to torment and abuse then this site would not be nearly as much fun. But only the Cryptopsy album was meant as torture. I am dubious that you would like Dissection, but I see it as the last ditch effort for a gateway band. If you don't like Dissection then it's pretty much over. So I was serious.

Not that you have to keep taking on my suggestions, but I'll just throw out another that I would seriously be interested in your opinion on. Arcturus' La Masquerade Infernale. It kind of reminds me of metallized seventies prog, complete with ridiculous, pretentious singing that I find laughable, but if you can take that whole "Hey nonny" goofiness then it might be right up your alley.

Trollheart · 05-13-2014, 11:12 AM

Yeah, I know. Gotta take your fun where you can get it, right?

I'll add that Arcturus one to the list. Hey, only three days into my post and with four months still to go this could end up being one long list!

Keep 'em comin'!

Carpe Mortem · 05-13-2014, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Trollheart if I didn't have you to torment and abuse then this site would not be nearly as much fun. But only the Cryptopsy album was meant as torture. I am dubious that you would like Dissection, but I see it as the last ditch effort for a gateway band. If you don't like Dissection then it's pretty much over. So I was serious.

Not that you have to keep taking on my suggestions, but I'll just throw out another that I would seriously be interested in your opinion on. Arcturus' La Masquerade Infernale. It kind of reminds me of metallized seventies prog, complete with ridiculous, pretentious singing that I find laughable, but if you can take that whole "Hey nonny" goofiness then it might be right up your alley.

Dude.... Arcturus is awesome.

The Batlord · 05-13-2014, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carpe Mortem

Dude.... Arcturus is awesome.

Blech. I'm just gonna post the review I did for that album in my journal cause I'm too lazy to talk about it again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Arcturus: La Masquerade Infernale

I've listened to Arcturus' first album and loved it. Probably the only symphonic black metal album I do anything more than tolerate. This, their second album is a different kettle of fish. It completely dropped the black metal and went "avant garde". Which usually means a bunch of weirdos who don't really know what avant garde is making something goofy. Just look at that album cover. It says it all. Well, I've never given it more than five or ten minutes of my time, so I'm giving it another chance...

Alright, those vocals are just as ludicrous as I remember. That dude needs to realize that this is the real world, and real people are going to laugh at you if you sing that way. It's clean singing, but with this self consciously "gothy" thing to it that sounds like he's doing the world's worst impression of opera, but without actually singing opera. He doesn't always sound that goofy, but sometimes it's just laughable.

The music is symphonic progressive metal apparently, and doesn't really seem that avant garde to me. It just sounds like the metal version of ludicrously over-the-top, hey nonny nonny 70's prog rock, and I don't know that anyone who wasn't a fan of that kind of music could take this seriously. It's not so much terrible as I'm just not a prog fan and couldn't give less of a shit about this. There are parts that I like, even a song or two, but in general it's just overblown weirdness that flies by while I just tune out until something that I like actually comes on. Maybe Trollheart or Unknown Soldier would get more out of this, but not me.

Spoiler for Insert "Click Joke".:

Trollheart · 09-07-2014, 07:59 PM

Just to let yaz know, as I prepare for Metal Month II, tomorrow I'll be beginning the reviews of the albums you guys suggested, or as many of them as I can. I said it was in order received, so tomorrow I'll be listening to at least "Blood mountain" by Mastodon, as recommended by Frownland.

As I listen to/review them I will post here but I won't tell anyone what I think of the albums: you'll have to wait till next month to read that in my journal. This will be just confirmation that your rec has been listened to, in case you think you're being ignored or that I'm just humouring you.

Thanks again!
Troll

05-13-2014, 10:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Jeez Batty it's a whoel ***ing month! Give me SOMETHING to hold on to, huh? Don't forget, you can throw all the Cryptopsy, Cannibal Corpse and Death at me you want, but if your aim is just to make me cry then that will certainly happen. If however you're trying to convert me to these bands, see them with fresh (possibly, I don't say certainly but possibly non-gouged-out) eyes, then I wouldn't hold your breath. I know the metal I like and more to the point, I know the metal I don't like. I did not enjoy one minute of Morbid Angel (other than that guy's bitchin guitar work) or Napalm Death or Carcass, and yet I found a respect for some other bands, such as Candlemass, Doomsword, In Flames etc. I know you wish it was and want it to be, but the idea of Metal Month (trademarked and copyrighted by Trollheart Enterprises in all territories in perpetuity) is not for me to abuse myself or for you to laugh at me, though you'll do that anyway I know. It's to provide as broad a canvas I can to introduce others (including myself) who may not know of these bands to as much of the genre as I can. If I don't like certain bands it doesn't mean I won't review them, but equally it doesn't mean I will like them. I don't want to be accused of wimping out and just playing the metal I like, which is something I tried to address with the original Metal Month last year --- you may notice there were few if any progressive or power metal bands, and I stuck more or less to the ones I had never reviewed or even heard before. And if you don't think I tried enough death metal last time, remember the constraints. A month may seem a long time but I had a lot of other work to do and you can only post so much each day. Plus I was working on more than just reviews, with the ABC of Heavy Metal and some other sections. I'll certainly review the albums you suggest, but I'd prefer you didn't just throw out the most extreme, disgusting, fleshcrawling bands you can think of just to send a shiver up my skirt. I don't want to avoid anything; I'll review anything I'm asked to. But don't expect my opinions to change. I think I gave MA a fair review, and you never got back to me on what you thought about the one for "Heartwork"? Anyway as I say the thing about Metal Month (trademarked and copyrighted by Trollheart Enterprises in all territories in perpetuity) is that it's a chance for anyone who loves metal to read about it and anyone who doesn't know anything about it but is interested to see what all the fuss is about. This is not, despite your expectations or wishes, Abuse Trollheart Month (that's in August) so if you don't mind, take it a little seriously if you can. WTF am I saying? Sorry, forgot who I was talking to for a moment there! __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018*

05-13-2014, 11:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Yeah, I know. Gotta take your fun where you can get it, right? I'll add that Arcturus one to the list. Hey, only three days into my post and with four months still to go this could end up being one long list! Keep 'em comin'! __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

09-07-2014, 07:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Just to let yaz know, as I prepare for Metal Month II, tomorrow I'll be beginning the reviews of the albums you guys suggested, or as many of them as I can. I said it was in order received, so tomorrow I'll be listening to at least "Blood mountain" by Mastodon, as recommended by Frownland. As I listen to/review them I will post here but I won't tell anyone what I think of the albums: you'll have to wait till next month to read that in my journal. This will be just confirmation that your rec has been listened to, in case you think you're being ignored or that I'm just humouring you. Thanks again! Troll __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018