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I'm an Opeth fanboy and I'm stoked. Got the big deluxe vinyl/CD swedish/english version preordered.
I only like the first 3 Opeth albums, and I while I am not a huge fan of prog metal/rock, as a guitarist myself (been playing since I was 12), I can appreciate the skill Opeth employs... but I don't find their style of prog metal/rock fun or "nice" to listen too, like I can hear some really complex, technical work, that is in itself impressive... but I don't find it enjoyable to listen to, unlike their older albums, which still had a big of progressive to it, but in a way when you become too technical... you can also become boring for me.
Katatonia which isn't a prog band, but in a way their sound also evolved from their 90s albums to their albums today like Opeth did, but from death-doom to more dark rock with metal undertones, even though the band changed over time, I still love every single Katatonia album.
With a lot of prog metal/rock I don't find it enjoyable but as a musician I can find appreciation in some of the work, but I still find making music is much more than how technical it can be, prog metal/rock has always felt to me the science of boiling the genre down to it the technical frontier of what can be done, but losing the soul of the music in its place. And this only applies to some pioneering bands like Opeth, there's tons of filler bands that don't aren't technically impressive but just have this "prog" sound and I find it awful, almost as bad as metalcore, one is just boring, the other annoying.
Katatonia which isn't a prog band, but in a way their sound also evolved from their 90s albums to their albums today like Opeth did, but from death-doom to more dark rock with metal undertones, even though the band changed over time, I still love every single Katatonia album.
With a lot of prog metal/rock I don't find it enjoyable but as a musician I can find appreciation in some of the work, but I still find making music is much more than how technical it can be, prog metal/rock has always felt to me the science of boiling the genre down to it the technical frontier of what can be done, but losing the soul of the music in its place. And this only applies to some pioneering bands like Opeth, there's tons of filler bands that don't aren't technically impressive but just have this "prog" sound and I find it awful, almost as bad as metalcore, one is just boring, the other annoying.
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New Cult of Luna is so good. I didn't think they'd be able to match Mariner but god-damn if they haven't given me a really pleasant surprise. Probably my Aoty right now.
I expected a good album but they still managed to suprise me. AOTY contender for sure with Inter Armas: Sulphur english. Puppys: Goat coming in close third.
New Insomnium and Leprous albums might still change the rankings...
Man that is good to hear. Last one I kept thinking I liked but it kinda put me to sleep.
The most shocking thing is that it's an 80 minute record and I'll be damned if I can find any filler track on this monster.
Imo, the last two CD album that had such a consistently high quality was probably Kenn Nardi's Dancing with the Past released 5 years ago.
New Cult of Luna is good. Possibly their best minus Mariner. Might make my top 20.
Inter Arma did less than nothing for me. Boring as hell after a bunch of tries.
For me Devin Townsend's Empath is head, shoulders, and torso above everything else. Leprous should make a splash though.
Honestly, everything they've done past their first two albums has been boring, their last album was just pure junk. Sad to say that a lot of these neo-thrash bands have a stale shelf life, the genre itself is still very strong, but there is no consistency anymore, Violator has yet to strike out, thankfully.
Thrash bands have to write good songs. I might argue its less important in some other sub genres. I think that is part of the reason you have flaky bands in thrash a little more. That said the good ones like Violator stay amazing, cause they are talented.
Agalloch is releasing The White EP digitally:
https://agalloch.bandcamp.com/album/the-white-ep-remastered
https://agalloch.bandcamp.com/album/the-white-ep-remastered
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Nice. Always enjoyed this EP from them. Much different from their albums.
I now really like Exhorder's new album, been in my ears for a few days now and it won't leave. The variety of it is what keeps me listening. Please give it a listen if you have not picked it up yet.
Exhorder - Mourn the Southern Skies
Exhorder - Asunder
Exhorder - Ripping Flesh
Exhorder - Mourn the Southern Skies
Exhorder - Asunder
Exhorder - Ripping Flesh
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Love it. Getting excited for what could be their best album yet. I cannot get 'Heart Like a Grave' out of my head.
I am all about this album, my god
Never thought Mayhem would put out something like this but 2 songs out now and both rule. They're obviously going for the classic sound but it still doesn't sound derivative, it's just jarring from what they've been doing since GDOW. Cool shit
Never thought Mayhem would put out something like this but 2 songs out now and both rule. They're obviously going for the classic sound but it still doesn't sound derivative, it's just jarring from what they've been doing since GDOW. Cool shit
Definitely been steadily losing interest since like, Ghost Reveries, and this one hasn't changed that. New sleep fuel, woo.
I agree. Found this album to be pretty boring. Their new stuff just aren't exciting compared to things like Blackwater Park or Still Life.
I haven't fully enjoyed an Opeth album since Deliverance/Damnation (though Watershed had its moments) but fuck me if their first five weren't incredible.
I love the new Opeth, especially the Swedish version but I've loved all their albums. It probably has no chance of beating Pale Communion as far as new Opeth, but it's solid. Heritage grew on me like crazy so not sure how it'll compare to that too. In Cauda is much more dense/layered and orchestral in a way than the other new albums. It feels bigger.
Overall I appreciate that all Opeth albums feel different and distinct to me in mood and execution. Still one of my favorite bands of all time.
Overall I appreciate that all Opeth albums feel different and distinct to me in mood and execution. Still one of my favorite bands of all time.
new Parasitic Ejaculation. FFO Vomit The Soul (though PE is probably more widely known than them at this point....)
After a day to absorb some new albums, I have to say that the new Opeth album is probably my favorite of their prog era. It likely won't stay in my rotation for very long since I prefer their older material.
Borknagar's True North is phenomenal. I'm still upset about them parting ways with Vintersorg, but I'm glad to hear how good this album is as a follow-up to Winter Thrice.
For power metal, Wind Rose really reinvented themselves after taking on the dwarf schtick. The last album or so was enjoyable, but Wintersaga has a lot of energy and is a just really fun to listen to.
Borknagar's True North is phenomenal. I'm still upset about them parting ways with Vintersorg, but I'm glad to hear how good this album is as a follow-up to Winter Thrice.
For power metal, Wind Rose really reinvented themselves after taking on the dwarf schtick. The last album or so was enjoyable, but Wintersaga has a lot of energy and is a just really fun to listen to.
lol, got to love a good show boater. You ever see them play live?
No, not yet. The last time they came close, I couldn't go (I think it was a weekday and I didn't want to take off work).
Play very tight, can't say that for all tech bands. If they swing by again you got to call in sick.
I've watched some live videos, and yeah, they're super tight. I'm definitely going the next time they're in the area.
Metallica was cocaine and alcohol, Mustaine was the needle junkie. James and the rest of the band drank like they treked through endless desert though, James being the biggest drinker.
No love for the new Babymetal tune? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQnG_T7kbtY
This group continues to just throw whatever the fuck style they want into their music, and I really like that. I'm not honestly in love with the tune on the whole, but the guitar work is so good it makes up for the rest.
This group continues to just throw whatever the fuck style they want into their music, and I really like that. I'm not honestly in love with the tune on the whole, but the guitar work is so good it makes up for the rest.
Been listening to the new Opeth album on repeat since Friday, and while initially the early released tracks made the album as a whole promising, for some reason I wasn't impressed on my first two listens. However, after removing the first "song", as well as the fifth, I am finding it to be very strong overall. I could not stand their previous three albums at all, despite them having one or two songs that I liked. This however has what I consider four really great songs, two filler and the rest are all at least decent.
"Charlatan" and especially "All Things Will Pass" remind me a whole lot of some of their "Oldpeth" stuff. Enjoying this album far more than the new Tool though, that's for damn sure. I didn't think they could release something more boring than 10,000 Snores, but they really blew through my expectations. That album at least had two of their best songs on it, Fear Inoculum has...nothing memorable.
This album has more "metal" injected into it than the previous three. It's far easier for me to listen than anything they've released since Heritage (although I fall asleep listening to Damnation). No growls, but it's not like they never put out one or two songs on the previous albums that were all clean vocals. This might actually be the first Opeth album that my best friend actually really enjoys too. He's all about riffs, but can't stand growling at all, and told me a long time ago that he would enjoy them more if the vocals were all clean.
"Charlatan" and especially "All Things Will Pass" remind me a whole lot of some of their "Oldpeth" stuff. Enjoying this album far more than the new Tool though, that's for damn sure. I didn't think they could release something more boring than 10,000 Snores, but they really blew through my expectations. That album at least had two of their best songs on it, Fear Inoculum has...nothing memorable.
This album has more "metal" injected into it than the previous three. It's far easier for me to listen than anything they've released since Heritage (although I fall asleep listening to Damnation). No growls, but it's not like they never put out one or two songs on the previous albums that were all clean vocals. This might actually be the first Opeth album that my best friend actually really enjoys too. He's all about riffs, but can't stand growling at all, and told me a long time ago that he would enjoy them more if the vocals were all clean.
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This is adorable
If only it were proper Swedish DM instead of borderline deathcore though ;)
Words cannot describe my hate for this band and its ilk.
As Morrigan replied, there's plenty of heavy Synthwave that serves that exact purpose lol
I didn't find that very dancy. Might make for good writing music though.
Babymetal's fine but you'd be better off with Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas and Passcode for dance-y stuff. There's also Broken By The Scream but they're more Jpop + Deathcore than dance-ish. If you're looking for something more trance/dance metal oriented, try Blood Stain Child or Fatal FE. I'd also recommend Crossfaith.