I have a [[http://www.last.fm/user/unknown_lamer/][last.fm]] account.
* The Bands I Like the Most
+
** Skyclad
Skyclad is incredible folk metal. The first two albums (*Wayward Sons
of Mother Earth* and *Burnt Offerings for the Bone Idol*) are Testament
-style thrash with a bit of fiddle and keys. The third album, *Jonah's
-Ark*, blunts the edge of the guitars and adds a lot more fiddle and is
-really where the band goes from making good to incredible
-music.
+style thrash with a bit of fiddle and keys and a heavy dose of
+NWOBHM. The third album, *Jonah's Ark*, blunts the edge of the guitars
+and adds a lot more fiddle and is really where the band goes from
+making good to incredible music.
*Prince of the Poverty Line* is about as 'heavy' as the first two
albums, but the the song structures are far more worked out and there
the slow and intense *Badtime Story*. A couple of covers and an
instrumental version of a song follow to pad the EP to album length.
-*The Answer Machine?* is my favorite album in my entire collection. Most
-of the songs have a fuzzy electric guitar and an acoustic guitar going
-at the same time, and the album is music that I have found is
-listenable to people who don't like metal. The fiddle, violin, and
-piano dominate and are backed by interesting bass and just the right
-amount of guitar. The album is a pseudo-concept album; each song is
-about a different quest for the answer to life.
+*The Answer Machine?* was once my favorite album in my entire
+collection. Most of the songs have a fuzzy electric guitar and an
+acoustic guitar going at the same time, and the album is music that I
+have found is listenable to people who don't like metal. The fiddle,
+violin, and piano dominate and are backed by interesting bass and just
+the right amount of guitar. The album is a pseudo-concept album; each
+song is about a different quest for the answer to life. Unfortunately,
+here is also where the influence of their producer can start to be
+felt--a lot of things seem to be done for the sake of *sensibility*.
-The last two Skyclad album with Martin Walkyier (the original singer)
+The last two Skyclad albums with Martin Walkyier (the original singer)
see a two step return to a more metal style, but this time something
resembling *Powerslave* era Maiden with heavy folk overtones rather than
-Testament. Both albums lack any weak songs, and have a few that are
-among the best Skyclad has ever done: "Cancer of the Heart," "A Well
-Beside the River," and "Vintage Whine" on *Vintage Whine*, and "The
-Antibody Politic," "The Disenchanted Forest," and "Think Back and Lie
-of England" on *Folkemon*.
+Testament. Both albums are fairly strong, and have a few songs that
+are among the best Skyclad has ever done: "Cancer of the Heart" and
+"Vintage Whine" on *Vintage Whine*, and "The Antibody Politic," "The
+Disenchanted Forest," and "Think Back and Lie of England" on *Folkémon*.
-Alas, after *Folkemon* Martin left, and the band seems to have lost its
+Alas, after *Folkémon* Martin left, and the band seems to have lost its
magic. It is much like At the Gates; the core members meshed quite
well together and lost some magical chemistry upon a major component
-leaving. Skyclad's first album with the new singer was ok, and perhaps
-the next one will be better. Sadly Martin Walkyier decided to abandon
-music forever.
+leaving. Skyclad's first album with the new singer was ok, and the
+followup was a bit better. Unfortunately Kevin Ridley appears unable
+to sing aggressively.
** Kevin Moore
+
Kevin Moore is the first keyboardist of Dream Theater who left after
*Awake*. His work since then has surpassed the quality of everything
Dream Theater has produced since then for he posesses a unique
*** Chroma Key
-Chroma Key is Kevin Moore's primary project. It is mostly electronic
-and fairly mellow.
+Chroma Key is (was?) Kevin Moore's primary project. It is mostly
+electronic and fairly mellow. Secretly I like it (don't tell anyone I
+listen to anything not metal).
*** OSI
guitar. The first OSI sounded too much like Fates Warning with more
ambient keyboarding; this one has a sound of its own. My ears have
heard this album many times, and will listen again many more.
+
+I'm not really digging *Blood* that much, but it's not bad.
HCoop / clinton / website / site / unknownlamer.org.git / blobdiff