Jump to content

What Are You Listening To?


khaos

Recommended Posts

20 hours ago, Nasty_Cabbage said:

NP: Void Blight - Monolith of Vortex Realms

Anybody else catch a listen on this one? Did it work for you? If not, what do you think is throwing it off? I'd be curious to hear other opinions.

I'll give stuff you post a listen because you take the time to say something insightful about it.

Not sure if this is for me as those drums are just too much in the realm of a disembodied typewriter. Guitars have a pretty rough tone and sound a bit thrown together, but I guess it has its own charm.

I really could dig it, if it weren't for that "bass" drum. 

I've mostly being listening to King Diamond and Mercyful Fate. There are still a few albums from both I've never even heard, which is something to look forward to, but I'm not in a hurry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, JonoBlade said:

I'll give stuff you post a listen because you take the time to say something insightful about it.

Not sure if this is for me as those drums are just too much in the realm of a disembodied typewriter. Guitars have a pretty rough tone and sound a bit thrown together, but I guess it has its own charm.

I really could dig it, if it weren't for that "bass" drum. 

I've mostly being listening to King Diamond and Mercyful Fate. There are still a few albums from both I've never even heard, which is something to look forward to, but I'm not in a hurry.

How these clickety typewriter drums came to be the the standard in tech death and some people must actually like the way that sounds, will always remain a mystery to me. This VB album is weird in that it's far uglier than most tech death, not nearly as complex, riffs were dull and lifeless. Seems they just borrowed tech death's shitty drum production and that was about it. That snare, I just can't. I made it about 10 minutes and then had to bail. I liked the ugly vocals quite a bit, but that's about the only good thing I can say about it. 

I've never been able to connect with solo King Diamond. I really just like those first 3 Fate releases. So unfortunately I can't engage you on that topic. But it's always nice to see you pop by Jon-O.  I'll try to be more insightful today so maybe you'll come back again and grace us with your presence in the not too distant future. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, JonoBlade said:

I'll give stuff you post a listen because you take the time to say something insightful about it.

Not sure if this is for me as those drums are just too much in the realm of a disembodied typewriter. Guitars have a pretty rough tone and sound a bit thrown together, but I guess it has its own charm.

I really could dig it, if it weren't for that "bass" drum. 

I've mostly being listening to King Diamond and Mercyful Fate. There are still a few albums from both I've never even heard, which is something to look forward to, but I'm not in a hurry.

Well thank you sir. You might be right about the drums. It didn't sound egregiously bad to me compared to other bands I've heard, but then that's not really a compliment.

On my second listen I think it might have had to do with the strumming effect over the top of so much the guitar. It's part of what makes it stand out, but also kind of listless and doesn't add much. I like the atonal riffing, but the persistent 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures (which are the baseline standard for most popular styles of music, save classical and sometimes jazz) do end up limiting it from what I've come to expect. What's more listening as closely as my poor abused woebegone ears allow to the root notes beneath the chords a good portion of this would be in major key if it was played straight. An interesting experiment to be sure, but ultimately, barring a very unlikely, but not unheard of 'eureka' moment on that next listen I'd have to say the experiment fizzled.

5 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

How these clickety typewriter drums came to be the the standard in tech death and some people must actually like the way that sounds, will always remain a mystery to me. This VB album is weird in that it's far uglier than most tech death, not nearly as complex, riffs were dull and lifeless. Seems they just borrowed tech death's shitty drum production and that was about it. That snare, I just can't. I made it about 10 minutes and then had to bail. I liked the ugly vocals quite a bit, but that's about the only good thing I can say about it. 

I think maybe the reason the drum sound is accepted is because it's the same sound you hear in brutal death of the non tech variety (Deeds of Flesh, Defeated Sanity, etc.), so you could argue it just passed along to tech death by default. Either way I definitely doubted that you'd enjoy it Sir Goatmeal. I just couldn't put a finger on exactly what was holding the album back for me. If I knew these guys I'd say they need to onboard some Anata influence for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Svrm - Мовчання і смерть EP, Ukraine. 15 minutes of black metal excellence.

 

Nornír - Skuld, Germany 2023

 

Flukt - Omen ov Darkness, Norway 2023

 

2 hours ago, Nasty_Cabbage said:

I think maybe the reason the drum sound is accepted is because it's the same sound you hear in brutal death of the non tech variety (Deeds of Flesh, Defeated Sanity, etc.), so you could argue it just passed along to tech death by default. Either way I definitely doubted that you'd enjoy it Sir Goatmetal. I just couldn't put a finger on exactly what was holding the album back for me. If I knew these guys I'd say they need to onboard some Anata influence for sure.

I can't listen to bands like Deeds or DS either for that very reason, sounds totally sterile to me. I've always lumped them in with tech death personally, I had no idea they weren't considered tech death. I do like me some brutal death, but obviously I go for the uglier sounding bands. But admittedly I haven't spent a ton of time with those type of bands. I listen just long enough to see what it is and then I get the hell out. Life is too short. I respect that they're talented and all, it's just not for me. But totally cool if you're into it Cabbie. I listen to your recos because I'm curious and you have a pretty good track record actually. You usually warn me which ones are tech death and I very much appreciate that. I will say that I really loved the vocals on that Void Blight album though. Maybe that dude will pop up somewhere else in a different band that I could enjoy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Join Metal Forum

    joinus-home.jpg

  • Our picks

    • Whichever tier of thrash metal you consigned Sacred Reich back in the 80's/90's they still had their moments.  "Ignorance" & "Surf Nicaragura" did a great job of establishing the band, whereas "The American Way" just got a little to comfortable and accessible (the title track grates nowadays) for my ears.  A couple more records better left forgotten about and then nothing for twenty three years.  2019 alone has now seen three releases from Phil Rind and co.  A live EP, a split EP with Iron Reagan and now a full length.

      Notable addition to the ranks for the current throng of releases is former Machine Head sticksman, Dave McClean.  Love or hate Machine Head, McClean is a more than capable drummer and his presence here is felt from the off with the opening and title track kicking things off with some real gusto.  'Divide & Conquer' and 'Salvation' muddle along nicely, never quite reaching any quality that would make my balls tingle but comfortable enough.  The looming build to 'Manifest Reality' delivers a real punch when the song starts proper.  Frenzied riffs and drums with shots of lead work to hold the interest.


      There's a problem already though (I know, I am such a fucking mood hoover).  I don't like Phil's vocals.  I never had if I am being honest.  The aggression to them seems a little forced even when they are at their best on tracks like 'Manifest Reality'.  When he tries to sing it just feels weak though ('Salvation') and tracks lose real punch.  Give him a riffy number such as 'Killing Machine' and he is fine with the Reich engine (probably a poor choice of phrase) up in sixth gear.  For every thrashy riff there's a fair share of rock edged, local bar act rhythm aplenty too.

      Let's not poo-poo proceedings though, because overall I actually enjoy "Awakening".  It is stacked full of catchy riffs that are sticky on the old ears.  Whilst not as raw as perhaps the - brilliant - artwork suggests with its black and white, tattoo flash sheet style design it is enjoyable enough.  Yes, 'Death Valley' & 'Something to Believe' have no place here, saved only by Arnett and Radziwill's lead work but 'Revolution' is a fucking 80's thrash heyday throwback to the extent that if you turn the TV on during it you might catch a new episode of Cheers!

      3/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 10 replies
    • I
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/52-vltimas-something-wicked-marches-in/
      • Reputation Points

      • 3 replies

    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/48-candlemass-the-door-to-doom/
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • Full length number 19 from overkill certainly makes a splash in the energy stakes, I mean there's some modern thrash bands that are a good two decades younger than Overkill who can only hope to achieve the levels of spunk that New Jersey's finest produce here.  That in itself is an achievement, for a band of Overkill's stature and reputation to be able to still sound relevant four decades into their career is no mean feat.  Even in the albums weaker moments it never gets redundant and the energy levels remain high.  There's a real sense of a band in a state of some renewed vigour, helped in no small part by the addition of Jason Bittner on drums.  The former Flotsam & Jetsam skinsman is nothing short of superb throughout "The Wings of War" and seems to have squeezed a little extra out of the rest of his peers.

      The album kicks of with a great build to opening track "Last Man Standing" and for the first 4 tracks of the album the Overkill crew stomp, bash and groove their way to a solid level of consistency.  The lead work is of particular note and Blitz sounds as sneery and scathing as ever.  The album is well produced and mixed too with all parts of the thrash machine audible as the five piece hammer away at your skull with the usual blend of chugging riffs and infectious anthems.  


      There are weak moments as mentioned but they are more a victim of how good the strong tracks are.  In it's own right "Distortion" is a solid enough - if not slightly varied a journey from the last offering - but it just doesn't stand up well against a "Bat Shit Crazy" or a "Head of a Pin".  As the album draws to a close you get the increasing impression that the last few tracks are rescued really by some great solos and stomping skin work which is a shame because trimming of a couple of tracks may have made this less obvious. 

      4/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...