Came across Star One‘s new release “Victims of the modern age“. Now I actually prefer Arjen’s main project Ayreon, but anything by his hand can’t be ignored.

I managed to pick up a new name, too! James Labrie. Not a total fan of the voice so far, but the music is right. Melody with that rougher edge;) If it ditches the minor ‘rock-ish’ /nu sounds I’d be really happy :D It sometimes ticks me off. Listen for yourself [Static Impulse]:

Dimmu Borgir has a new one out [Abrahadabra]. I don’t give a crap most metalheads say “untr00″ and whatnot. At least it’s something you can listen to, instead of that random ear noise that’s usually called “black”. Though I have to agree to what most reviews said: over-orchestrated. There is such a thing as too much choir and orchestra. They need to get it back to where Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia was. In Sorte Diaboli and Death Cult Armageddon were also good albums imho. This one I’ll have to scratch the back of my head over for quite a while and then perhaps appreciate it…

I have no idea why I seem to like it, usually not so fond of the vocals on this type of music.

I must remember to poke friends to see what the brandnew Evergrey is like…

Well, I’m not even in the mood to properly read. So I’ll go by the post later and read again. All I know is, you guys looked ass-tired last ProgPower. I guess when they no longer have the energy on stage it’s not merely the age and a brutal schedule.

Same thing I said about Mercenary: as long as Mikkel (vocalist) has good projects I’m good. I’m guessing Mikkel is focussing on being a dad first.

In any case Tom Englund is such a vocalist for me too. Really good vocalists in metal are hard to come by. Both I just mentioned differ night and day, but they’re special in their own sound.

Nevermore is alive! Apparently this is the album cover for “The Obsidian Conspiracy” coming out somewhere in May/June.

I’ve seen them live perhaps once or twice, I’m not sure I remember the correct amount. In any case, it’s one of the few US bands I’ve always liked as long as they kept it to Progressive that is. I’m not much a fan of Thrash, so the albums “This godless endeaver” and “Enemies of reality” never really got through to me. I heard a little bit of the new album on some blog, but I can’t tell if I’ll like it just yet.

Then to my great surprise another band rises from the ashes. Yes, I’m talking about Rhapsody of Fire. I have no idea why they appended “of Fire” to the name because I thought it was good as it was. As long as the new album “The Frozen Tears of Angels” can match albums such as “Dawn of Victory”, “Power of the dragon flame” and “Rain of a thousand flames” I’m not complaining. Those were the glory days of Rhapsody indeed. I’m curious!

Here are some of my favorite songs by Nevermore.

A metal band called “Contradiction”: “Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done” by a voice I recognize to be Bush with two gunshots fired. Shame it’s not my kind of music. It’s almost “the only good h00min“… I’m seriously in love with that intro haha.

A metal band called “Divinity“: Beg to Consume. Very anti-capitalism. I’m not sure how else to call it. I always think, it’s not necessarily capitalism that’s prominent in the ‘anti’ of it, just the emptiness of existence it tends to hammer on. I’m also not very sure about people that are turned off by metal simply because it contains ‘anarchistic’ messages. I always say it’s just how you wish to interpret it. Not completely my kind of metal,  but an incidental listen it’s ok.

A metal band called “Ashkira“: I liked the title for some reason. “The honor of defeat”. You’re a poor winner if you never experienced defeat. Other than that… not really my style. Usually metal bands get the Feles-kun ™ approval if they don’t start every song the same, the tempo is different and the vocals are interesting. That’s a hard standard to reach for any metal band.

Nailbomb, Cadavera spin off. Is he even alive now? I’m not even sure. Never much liked Sepultura except for that “collab” with the late Pavarotti. Am in love with the Nailbomb song “World of Shit”, opening “Hate is reality”. Funny enough that song really sounds like Sepultura.

Finally! A name I love: Disarmonia Mundi (The Isolation Game). A band that basically collabs with Bjorn Strid (Soilwork). I haven’t heard from Soilwork anymore, but Disarmonia Mundi just released something this year. So indeed it was a new album they were talking about on their site. Perhaps dates on the news archives are a good idea. Though probably better than most albums in this entry, not my favorite Mundi album either.

Sometimes I can’t resist checking out a band because of “insane song titles”. I checked out  “Human” with their new album “Cadaver Academy”. The name already sent me in a giggle. Among the song titles: “Centrifugal skin removal, endangered faeces, roid rage, anal devastation”…. UH…

:smile:

That was a good laugh I tell you XDDD> “Oh dear it’s a bit of roid rage I’m afraid”… “Oh well, no harm done” -> Start brutal metal. Rite. Ies funny though.

“WE COME IN PIECES” HAHAHAHA.

I need to have my sense of humour checked out with a doc, I think. Too many years of the binary.

The new Townsend album, Addicted. I never really was a big fan, though I could appreciate some songs. I always come up with the analogy “wall of sound” when it comes to Devin, pretty much the correct saying. My very very first metal concert was Strapping Young Lad (Townsend) & Fear Factory. It is _still_ the most memorable concert imho. I’ve never seen mosh pits as active as that, unless if you count festivals.

Zonaria (Melodeath, Sweden)
I like these guys because they have a pretty cool drum track under most songs.  The more (and faster) the bass the better. <3!  Plus, if there’s grunting vocals, Zonaria’s is actually low enough to enjoy. Trust me, it’s pretty hard to find a vocalist that does that well. If it still sounds h00min, and not vermin, this metal is besides the point. This one spawned right out of hell. Pretty good job.

Old Man’s Child (Meloblack, Norway)
I actually read something about ‘an attachment to Dimmu’. I didn’t read on, wasn’t interested. Some of the influences can be heard though. I don’t care if your tru0ness doesn’t agree to the commercial Dimmu Borgir. I still think they’re cool and so is Old Man’s Child. It does miss that extra bite here and there though. It differentiates just enough for me to like it, but if the genre wasn’t meloblack I think I would have passed on it.

Enter Shikari (genre “Wtf”, UK)
That music is just insane. I have no way to label it really. Last.fm says it’s trancecore/post-hardcore. It combines hardcore and (…) trance music. Now that’s a weird combination. I like! I absolutely don’t like hardcore metal, but for some reason this strange combination is totally cool.

Diablo (Melodeath, Finland)
This metalband has been around for ages so it seems from the last.fm profile page. Howcome I never noticed them? It may be because of the lame name. It kind of reminds of that 80s hair metal type thing with pink leather pants. In any case, it’s nothing like that. Definitely good, straight melodeath. I have yet to discover a song that sticks out. Good vocalist and includes regular singing!

Before the dawn (Melodeath, Finland)
Not one of the greatest bands, but definitely enough to keep my interest. Sometimes I think they have this thing going that’s the same as the Haunted. I’m not much a fan of that, but as long as they make songs that stay away from that sound I’m good.

Circus Maximus (Progressive, Norway)
Waw, now this is interesting music like I haven’t heard interesting in a while. You’ll have to listen to the track “Sane to More” to find out what I mean. Progressive has always had enough differentiation for me to find the genre attractive, but they take it to a new level entirely.

Blinded Colony (Melodeath, Sweden)
Very much like In Flames, which I used to love before that last album they put out. It has some of that old glory, though not quite up to the standard yet.

Mnemic (Industrial, Denmark)
Aaaah, wonderful! I was looking for this for quite some time. When I started liking metal I started out with Fear Factory, and ever since, I just wanted to hear more good industrial. That was barely ever rewarded. I found some of it back in SYBREED, and I’d definitely like to add this band to the list too. Finally! Some industrial as industrial is meant! More agression than any kind of other metal: death and black is basically for pansies if you count industrial.

And again I review my list and go “Why wasn’t I born in Gothenburg?”. No US bands as usual. For some reason US metal really turns me off.

Ayreon: just released 01011001, but announced new project “The guilt machine” in February.
Evergrey: just released Torn, and is having problems with the tour schedule right now. Usually I always go see these guys.
SYBREED: new album name “The pulse of awakening”, finishing up in April but so far I see no release date.
Ensiferum: announced new album, no title known (unless it’s 13/4?), to be released September 9th.
Scar Symmetry: no news, and I missed their April 8th gig. Shit. *COME BACK GODDAMNIT*
Disarmonia Mundi: Bjorn Strid continues with this band (also known from Soilwork). New album is titled “The isolation game”. Boy do they need dates on their news archive.
In Flames: Still jester racing. Nothing new.
In Extremo: releasing a new live DVD on the 15th of May “Am Goldenen Rhein” (I so want it!).
Mercenary: Probably taking a well deserved break.
Mors Principium Est: Recently announced new guitar player, are working on something after a long long time.
Naildown: welcomes a new drummer, and are going to work as well.
Nevermore: been dead for a couple of years. This is one of those bands everyone expects to retire lol. Do not want!
Threat Signal: Has finished recording new album “Wearing a martyr’s crown”. June 23rd is mentioned, but I think it might be later (wording not clear).
Opeth: always slow to release. Last thing they did was a live album I believe. Am waiting for the new stuff, but long back to the early days.
Rammstein: 4 years of silence.
Skyfire: releasing a new album called “Esoteric”. No known release date.
Symphony X: last thing they did was “Paradise Lost”. Wants new! But no news.
Threat Signal: Just completed recording, so something is in the loop. Oh yes, was on the Fear Factory homepage and saw their name there as well. I don’t care. I want Fear Factory to release something new. lol.

I have totally depleted the melodeath genre, that I’m sure of. Got tips? Send them in. I want to hear new stuff.