At 11/18/12 09:07 AM, Bahamut wrote:

At 11/17/12 10:56 PM, mothballs wrote: I wouldn't take any critic seriously period. My favorite albums by an artist always seem to have much lower scores than the shittier ones.

Some favourite albums of mine get some flak just because of who they are. Some places like Metal-Archives you definitely need to take a grain of salt from but there's the odd reviewers on there that I do appreciate. There are some metal reviewers out there that I like to hear from whenever I'm up for it and possibly take recommendations from them. I'm more for wanting to know what's good than knowing what's bad. The latter can cause some cynicism.

That's not always the case. Sometimes it's the good reviews that make me cynical as fuck. For instance, the mere fact that Ildjarn gets good reviews severely diminishes my faith in black metal's standards and tastes. When artists get rewarded for "kvlt-ness" and obscurity, or simply following stylistic procedures, than actual merit, it leads me to believe that people listen to music because it's cool and not because they just like it.

Whoa, I haven't been here in a while.

At 11/18/12 08:08 PM, K2LU wrote: Whoa, I haven't been here in a while.

Oh hey.
You're back.
Welcome back.

At 11/18/12 08:35 PM, Viper50 wrote:

At 11/18/12 08:08 PM, K2LU wrote: Whoa, I haven't been here in a while.

Oh hey.
You're back.
Welcome back.

Hey, man. I don't suppose much has changed lately?

At 11/18/12 08:57 PM, K2LU wrote:

At 11/18/12 08:35 PM, Viper50 wrote:

At 11/18/12 08:08 PM, K2LU wrote: Whoa, I haven't been here in a while.

Oh hey.
You're back.
Welcome back.

Hey, man. I don't suppose much has changed lately?

Not really I guess.
A few new people joined, I think someone might have left, and some people came back.

At 11/18/12 11:36 AM, ElGhoulio wrote: That's not always the case. Sometimes it's the good reviews that make me cynical as fuck. For instance, the mere fact that Ildjarn gets good reviews severely diminishes my faith in black metal's standards and tastes. When artists get rewarded for "kvlt-ness" and obscurity, or simply following stylistic procedures, than actual merit, it leads me to believe that people listen to music because it's cool and not because they just like it.

I much prefer hope than to be doubtful of things. Although I wouldn't listen to any faceless reviewers as they could just say anything anyway, if I hear an album is good then I'm curious. However, there'll be the odd times when I'll just have to listen to something that's really bad if everyone is saying so. Morbid Angel's latest release is a great example of that. I at least had some laughs.

At 11/18/12 08:35 PM, Viper50 wrote:

At 11/18/12 08:08 PM, K2LU wrote: Whoa, I haven't been here in a while.

Oh hey.
You're back.
Welcome back.

What he said.

Just out of curiosity. To everyone here that listens to Electric Wizard, what album would you suggest to someone that was just starting to listen to them?

I'm trying to get someone I know into them.

Also what would you say is the best and worst stuff they released?

At 11/18/12 09:07 AM, Bahamut wrote:

At 11/17/12 10:56 PM, mothballs wrote: I wouldn't take any critic seriously period. My favorite albums by an artist always seem to have much lower scores than the shittier ones.

Some favourite albums of mine get some flak just because of who they are. Some places like Metal-Archives you definitely need to take a grain of salt from but there's the odd reviewers on there that I do appreciate. There are some metal reviewers out there that I like to hear from whenever I'm up for it and possibly take recommendations from them. I'm more for wanting to know what's good than knowing what's bad. The latter can cause some cynicism.

Yeah, Metal-Archives is mostly what I was referring to. Most of the reviews of later albums of a band are all composed of "This album proves that (insert band name here) is not nearly as good as they used to be". It's as if people just can't accept new music, they always have to go back to the old stuff.

At 11/16/12 04:30 AM, HeavenDuff wrote: I was just reading reviews and searching infos on the band Kansas when I stubled upon a very bad score for the album Leftoverture, which may just be the best fuckin' rock album ever released along with Phenomenon by UFO. Some dickwad named Robert Christgau is supposedly a music critic, an essayist and a music journalist, but gave the album a D+. So it got me wondering just what kind of fucktard he was. And that's what I found on his Wikipedia page :

"Christgau names Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, and The New York Dolls as his top five artists of all time.[1] In music critic circles, he was an early supporter of hip hop and the riot grrrl movements. In the 1980s, Christgau was a fervent booster of Afro-pop, a stance that alienated him from some in the critical community, as he seemed insufficiently interested in American and British rock music. In the 1990s, however, Christgau's interest in indie rock seemed to increase.

Christgau readily admits to disliking the musical genres heavy metal,[1] art rock, progressive rock, bluegrass, gospel, Irish folk, and jazz fusion, but in rare instances has recommended albums in most of these genres."

Now just how can you call yourself a musical critic with such shitty opnions on music ? He disses Metal, Art Rock, Prog Rock and Jazz Fusion. Just tell me how can such a bouffon be taken seriously ? He pretty much dislikes all that makes music of today great and seems to have particular affection for poppish commercial genres with boring formulaic song-writting. And we aren't talking about some 17 years old girl who wears huge-ass glasses with black plastic frames and a stupid scarf anytime of the year. We are talking about someone who's job is to write reviews and criticize music. Wow... sad world...

I tend to completely ignore music critics or reviews unless it comes from someone like you guys, people who have repeatedly demonstrated to have similar views on what you enjoy that I do. There are a few guys on the site sputnikmusic that I generally agree with on their views on music, so I listen to their reviews. As well as the guys on the site AngryMetalGuy. Those are the only two sites I think I ever pay attention to when it comes to metal music. I usually completely disagree with the so called "professional" critics, who seem to be focused on how pretensious they can be and how "arty" they are. All I care about is enjoying the music. While it might not be the most technically impressive or jaw dropping display of musicianship or songwriting, I can still enjoy it.

At 11/19/12 10:24 AM, Viper50 wrote: Just out of curiosity. To everyone here that listens to Electric Wizard, what album would you suggest to someone that was just starting to listen to them?

I don't have many of their albums, but I love Dopethrone and it is commonly refered to as their best album. If your friend isn't a candy pop fan, I don't see any reason to not recommand this masterpiece to him/her.

I'm trying to get someone I know into them.

Also what would you say is the best and worst stuff they released?

I can't say. I don't have their whole library. But out of the three I own which are Come My Fanatics..., Dopethrone and Let Us Prey, I would say that Dopethrone is the best. Come My Fanatics... has it's great moments. And I don't know Let Us Prey enough to give a worthy opinion on it.

At 11/19/12 03:48 PM, Zodir wrote: I tend to completely ignore music critics or reviews unless it comes from someone like you guys, people who have repeatedly demonstrated to have similar views on what you enjoy that I do. There are a few guys on the site sputnikmusic that I generally agree with on their views on music, so I listen to their reviews. As well as the guys on the site AngryMetalGuy. Those are the only two sites I think I ever pay attention to when it comes to metal music. I usually completely disagree with the so called "professional" critics, who seem to be focused on how pretensious they can be and how "arty" they are. All I care about is enjoying the music. While it might not be the most technically impressive or jaw dropping display of musicianship or songwriting, I can still enjoy it.

Christgau is a poppish/commercial rock fan. He writes reviews for rock music even though he seems to appreciate only the most obvious bands like the Beatles or shitty hipster rock. The fucktard has admitted to not liking Metal, Prog Rock and Art Rock. So basically... he doesn't like music with an artistic worth. He seems to like stuff that is made to make the casual listener dance or stuff that makes the pseudo-intellectual listeners think they are artsy or music-intelligent even though they listen to shitty formulaic music. You cannot be a serious rock critic if you don't like prog rock, art rock, free-form jazz and metal, it's just plain stupid. Rock as progressed through these forms of music with innovative bands like Gentle Giant, King Crimson, UFO, Black Sabbath, etc. If you dislike all of these bands, than why the fuck would you call yourself a rock critic ? You obviously lack the interest or qualities required to appreciated this music.

I really still can't get over the fact that this Cheap Rock fanboy of a man has given a D+ to Leftoverture by Kansas... It's just obvious the man doesn't know shit about rock and metal. The fuck why does he even have a job ?

At 11/19/12 06:28 PM, HeavenDuff wrote: I don't have many of their albums, but I love Dopethrone and it is commonly refered to as their best album. If your friend isn't a candy pop fan, I don't see any reason to not recommand this masterpiece to him/her.

I only have physical copies of Witchcult Today and Black Masses ._. but I have everything else (including all singles, EPs, and splits) on my computer. So I might let her borrow them whenever I'm able to hang out with her or something....
She listens to Black Metal, Folk Metal, Viking Metal, Thrash Metal....stuff like that.

I can't say. I don't have their whole library. But out of the three I own which are Come My Fanatics..., Dopethrone and Let Us Prey, I would say that Dopethrone is the best. Come My Fanatics... has it's great moments. And I don't know Let Us Prey enough to give a worthy opinion on it.

Ya know I really liked Let Us Prey. Dunno why some people put it down so much....
Though out of those three albums I'd say I prefer Come My Fanatics.... mainly because I fucking love Return Trip, Son Of Nothing, Doom-Mantia, Wizard In Black, Ivixor B/Phase Inducer, and on the reissue they added one of my favorite EW songs Demon Lung.

Welcome back, K2LU.

good music, Viper. I like the songs you posted.

At 11/19/12 02:57 PM, mothballs wrote: Yeah, Metal-Archives is mostly what I was referring to. Most of the reviews of later albums of a band are all composed of "This album proves that (insert band name here) is not nearly as good as they used to be". It's as if people just can't accept new music, they always have to go back to the old stuff.

A good example of that is the album, Vilosophe by Manes. Everybody hates on it because it isn't black metal like their first album, Under ein Blodraud Maane. So what? Yeah, Under ein Blodraud Maane was a brilliant album, and I can understand people being disappointed that they didn't get anything more from Manes in the same vein, but Vilosophe was still a great album.

At 11/19/12 10:24 AM, Viper50 wrote: Just out of curiosity. To everyone here that listens to Electric Wizard, what album would you suggest to someone that was just starting to listen to them?

I'm trying to get someone I know into them.

Also what would you say is the best and worst stuff they released?

Dopethrone, Come My Fanatics, and Witchcult Today are their best, IMO, and probably a good start for new listeners.

As for their worst stuff, none of their stuff is bad, but I like Black Masses the least.

At 11/19/12 06:28 PM, HeavenDuff wrote: And I don't know Let Us Prey enough to give a worthy opinion on it.

Let Us Prey is pretty good. My favorite song on it is definitely Night of the Shape, even though it's so different from anything else they've ever done.

At 11/19/12 08:16 PM, Sense-Offender wrote: good music, Viper. I like the songs you posted.

Thanks dude.

Dopethrone, Come My Fanatics, and Witchcult Today are their best, IMO, and probably a good start for new listeners.

Okay then I'll just lend her Witchcult Today then, and maybe burn Dopethrone or Come My Fanatics.... or something.

As for their worst stuff, none of their stuff is bad, but I like Black Masses the least.

I liked Black Masses. Though out of all of their stuff my least favorite song of theirs is The Processean.
If you haven't listened to it....tada.

At 11/19/12 02:57 PM, mothballs wrote: Yeah, Metal-Archives is mostly what I was referring to. Most of the reviews of later albums of a band are all composed of "This album proves that (insert band name here) is not nearly as good as they used to be". It's as if people just can't accept new music, they always have to go back to the old stuff.

Ensiferum have sadly fallen to that with the reviews for their latest album. It's why I've pretty much discarded every review of that particular album on there. Thankfully I don't think so often of the above statement over one album. I might think that if it's a band/artist who are still playing today after 40 years and lost all relevance in the modern age of music.

At 11/19/12 06:28 PM, HeavenDuff wrote: I really still can't get over the fact that this Cheap Rock fanboy of a man has given a D+ to Leftoverture by Kansas... It's just obvious the man doesn't know shit about rock and metal. The fuck why does he even have a job ?

I'm gonna be perfectly honest here. I have yet to try out Kansas. Maybe for prog rock I've been wanting to check out more from the British side of it as thousands of bands popped up from there and the amount of good stuff to discover seems to be endless from one country alone. Still, I will get to checking out Kansas eventually.

Just got Mago De Oz's Gaia III Antlantia. I must say, this is one huge clusterfuck of styles, but I like it. It sounds, in turns, folky, progressive, classically influenced, electro, poppy, and theatrical. I love it.

At 11/20/12 11:58 PM, ElGhoulio wrote: Just got Mago De Oz's Gaia III Antlantia. I must say, this is one huge clusterfuck of styles, but I like it. It sounds, in turns, folky, progressive, classically influenced, electro, poppy, and theatrical. I love it.

It's funny... I always assumed that this band didn't release anything new since Gaia. And the only reason is that I do not hang out with the people I first borrowed Mago De Oz's cds from back in 2003. So since I don't know a lot of people who are into them, I didn't hear much from them ever since, except of course for the albums I already owned.

So why don't you tell me how they did over the last decade ?

At 11/16/12 02:29 PM, Bahamut wrote: I wouldn't take any critic seriously if their website looks like it was made in 2000.

You shouldn't take any critic seriously. Musical taste is subjective. For example, St Anger is my second favourite Metallica album. I'm sure someone likes Lulu. Then again, there's also common sense.

At 11/21/12 11:20 PM, jjjkuk wrote:

At 11/16/12 02:29 PM, Bahamut wrote: I wouldn't take any critic seriously if their website looks like it was made in 2000.

You shouldn't take any critic seriously. Musical taste is subjective. For example, St Anger is my second favourite Metallica album. I'm sure someone likes Lulu.

Yeah, it's subjective, but there ARE objective ways of measuring music's worth. For instance, things like dynamics, performance, counterpoint, originality, mixing, etc...

Then again, there's also common sense.

Which is why I dislike Ildjarn. There's no reason for any Ildjarn album to get over 40%.

I know we have some Manilla Road fans in here, so has anyone heard Mark Shelton's side project Hellwell? I picked the album up a few days ago, and it IS AWESOME. I think (at least in my opinion) it's the best Manilla Road-style albuum since Spiral Castle. It is full of awesome riffs and a very promenint keyboard, but that's a good thing. Check it out if you are a fan of Manilla Road or old school metal.

At 11/20/12 11:58 PM, ElGhoulio wrote: Just got Mago De Oz's Gaia III Antlantia. I must say, this is one huge clusterfuck of styles, but I like it. It sounds, in turns, folky, progressive, classically influenced, electro, poppy, and theatrical. I love it.

If there's one thing I've been liking from metal bands lately, it's bands that can incorporate various subgenres in one place and still sound like the same band. I know I keep bringing up this band but Hammers of Misfortune are a great example for when they were more black/death metal orientated at first with traditional metal elements for The Bastard and the Unholy Cadaver demo but have shown folk, thrash, doom, progressive and power metal elements throughout their career so far. This is also why I've been fascinated with what I've heard from While Heaven Wept so far for showing a mixture of doom, progressive and power metal.

As for Mago De OZ, I've not heard of them before but I did just listen to Sueños Dormidos. I take it this album will require a thorough listen to get the full idea of it.

At 11/21/12 11:20 PM, jjjkuk wrote:

At 11/16/12 02:29 PM, Bahamut wrote: I wouldn't take any critic seriously if their website looks like it was made in 2000.

You shouldn't take any critic seriously. Musical taste is subjective.

Allow me to rephrase: I'll take someone with an ancient design of a website less seriously. :P

At 11/22/12 10:37 AM, Zodir wrote: I know we have some Manilla Road fans in here, so has anyone heard Mark Shelton's side project Hellwell? I picked the album up a few days ago, and it IS AWESOME. I think (at least in my opinion) it's the best Manilla Road-style albuum since Spiral Castle. It is full of awesome riffs and a very promenint keyboard, but that's a good thing. Check it out if you are a fan of Manilla Road or old school metal.

I probably find Hellwell's album to be the weakest Manilla Road album post-reunion (if it counts as a 'Road album). Some good riffs here and there but the overall record doesn't seem to be as gripping as everything else they've done. Even though this album was only released this year, Mark Shelton has said that in 2013 he will be spending time to work on more material for Hellwell and Manilla Road, even if the latter hasn't had the upcoming album Mysterium released yet. He also has yet another project to work on as well. At this rate he'll be releasing albums more frequently than Devin Townsend.

DAFUQ IS THIS?!

At 11/22/12 11:06 AM, Bahamut wrote: DAFUQ IS THIS?!

Hahahaha silly, Mago De Oz is spanish for Wizard of Oz lol

At 11/22/12 11:21 AM, ElGhoulio wrote:

At 11/22/12 11:06 AM, Bahamut wrote: DAFUQ IS THIS?!

Hahahaha silly, Mago De Oz is spanish for Wizard of Oz lol

The Oz part is a giveaway but my question is the look of that album cover. It's on the danger level of Manowar's Anthology.

At 11/22/12 11:35 AM, Bahamut wrote:

At 11/22/12 11:21 AM, ElGhoulio wrote:

At 11/22/12 11:06 AM, Bahamut wrote: DAFUQ IS THIS?!

Hahahaha silly, Mago De Oz is spanish for Wizard of Oz lol

The Oz part is a giveaway but my question is the look of that album cover. It's on the danger level of Manowar's Anthology.

Cheese doesn't bother me, though, which is why I like Tuirbo. ;)

At 11/22/12 12:27 PM, ElGhoulio wrote: Cheese doesn't bother me, though, which is why I like Tuirbo. ;)

I can enjoy cheese myself but damn, some things are not meant to seen.

Dat one dressed as Dorothy....

At 11/22/12 11:35 AM, Bahamut wrote:

At 11/22/12 11:21 AM, ElGhoulio wrote:

At 11/22/12 11:06 AM, Bahamut wrote: DAFUQ IS THIS?!

Hahahaha silly, Mago De Oz is spanish for Wizard of Oz lol

The Oz part is a giveaway but my question is the look of that album cover. It's on the danger level of Manowar's Anthology.

Fuck them and their silly covers. Nobody in the metal community will ever take these guys seriously with such covers. There is no other band that would dare doing this.

Right...?

At 11/22/12 04:43 PM, HeavenDuff wrote: Right...?

Yeah man, how did this band get popular with such crappy artworks like this????

At 11/22/12 05:32 PM, Bahamut wrote:

At 11/22/12 04:43 PM, HeavenDuff wrote: Right...?

Yeah man, how did this band get popular with such crappy artworks like this????

Is that a seal's head ?

At 11/22/12 06:38 PM, HeavenDuff wrote:

At 11/22/12 05:32 PM, Bahamut wrote:

At 11/22/12 04:43 PM, HeavenDuff wrote: Right...?

Yeah man, how did this band get popular with such crappy artworks like this????

Is that a seal's head ?

I honestly don't think anyone really knows.

At 11/22/12 10:26 PM, Zodir wrote:

At 11/22/12 06:38 PM, HeavenDuff wrote: Is that a seal's head ?

I honestly don't think anyone really knows.

You might as well say it's a seal head since we're that clueless. :P

Also, if we do want really bad for album artwork, something that does draw the line for me and I wouldn't even listen to it, yet alone have it on CD, is Autopsy's Shitfun. I have their first two albums and would like to get Macabre Eternal eventually but Shitfun? Forget it.