Arsis - A Celebration of Guilt

[J.]

I've listened to it twice. It's OK. Don't really see what the fuss is about.

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

I still think its an awesome album. I listened to it last week for the first time in a month, still has some great riffs and killer drum work.

 

[JayKeeley]

Can you listen to it from beginning to end, in one sitting?

 

[J.]

I could, but not without it becoming background noise. From what I could make of it, the band took Slaughter of the Soul, and simply made it faster without some of the (little) variation that SotS actually has.

Maybe it will grow on me.

 

[NAD]

I pushed play 3 seconds ago...

hahahahahahahaaha I have like 23985792385 promos just like this.

 

[NAD]

Wow, this is on Willowtip? First shitstain for that otherwise revolutionary label. This one is going straight to the Pile of Dead Promos and Festering Disease. I might might let it play all the way through, but it's already becoming highly annoying at track 2.

Melodeath probably wouldn't be so bad if 80% of the new bands I've heard over the last 2 years weren't identical cookie cutters.

 

[JayKeeley]

Hey NAD - did you buy this or do you have a promo?

 

[NAD]

CD-R from Opeth17.

You know what's too bad is I haven't heard any truly awful melodic death (none of these bands are like those piss poor hardcore promos I've received), but they all just sound the damn same so the enjoyment is below zero even if the musicianship and songwriting isn't bad.

 

[JayKeeley]

You know what's too bad is I haven't heard any truly awful melodic death (none of these bands are like those piss poor hardcore promos I've received), but they all just sound the damn same so the enjoyment is below zero even if the musicianship and songwriting isn't bad.

Exactly man. I totally recognize that they are masters of their art, they do push the envelope somewhat, and had this album come out a year after SotS, we would have all been jumping for joy. The thing is, it's about eight years too late.

That's why I asked the question to those who still listen to this regularly even though it's a brand new release, because I'm curious as to how much other 'melo-death' they're exposed to. I do think this album needs to come with a disclaimer: "For fans who aren't yet sick of melo-death and want something new".

 

[NAD]

Why is it that this genre has no real distinction between bands? I've heard countless death metal bands overs the year and can seperate nearly all of them, even ones I haven't heard for eons (or maybe just decades). The only recent melodeth band with something unique was Unmoored. Didn't love them, but at least they tried something different. Actually some of those riffs are still stuck in my head over a year after hearing it... need to revisit that one.

 

[JayKeeley]

It's a recipe. Same with Power Metal. Sure, there are maybe 5 or 6 really good bands in each genre, but for the most part, it's all stagnant. And amazingly enough, they are near identical except for vocals.

Thing is, we don't get any Power Metal promos at RC! It's supposed to be this massively saturated genre, and we aren't on the mailing lists, heh.

 

[NAD]

Haha, I like it when some melodeth dudes bitch and moan about pop-based music being so formulaic.

Yay! This album ended! I just noticed you wrote 2004 on that Mabool CD-R you sent me, expecting to see this in my top 10 this year?

 

[JayKeeley]

It's good to know what's new vs. what's old when it's a CD-R, since it comes with nothing. I did that with all the CD-Rs Doomcifer sent me, I checked each of their release dates to see what was 2004. That's how I decided that Mars de Grises and Uaral will most certainly be in the top list.

P.S. I have three Century Media releases running for a top 10 spot this year: Jag Panzer, Into Eternity, and yes, Orphaned Land. We'll see...

 

[NAD]

Oh okay. Into Eternity is in, Mar de Grises has a definite chance, and so far Mabool needs more attention before deciding. It's pretty cool though.

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh man, I can tell you this now. It'll take 10 listens at least to really appreciate the genius in Mabool. I reviewed it and gave it an 8.5 I think, but now I'd probably go with a 9.

Raggi did a cool review for it very recently - spend 5 mins reading this: http://www.lotfp.com/Reviews/OrphanedLand.htm

 

[SonOfNun]

Can you listen to it from beginning to end, in one sitting?

Yes I can, and enjoy it quite thoroughly in the process. Still listening to it regularly. This band can really break it down and just groove.

The only conclusion I can draw is that you've had this kind of music ruined for you because you say that it sounds like every other band in the genre, but for someone like me who doesn't receive promos, I've actually heard nothing that sounds exactly like this. Receiving free promos sounds good, but I guess it comes with cons as well. I get a chance to research everything and hand pick what I buy, you get bombarded with all kinds of crap involuntarily.

 

[NAD]

You'll enjoy the CD-Rs I burned you, but if I gave you every melodeth promo I have you'd quit the genre altogether.

 

[JayKeeley]

You'll enjoy the CD-Rs I burned you, but if I gave you every melodeth promo I have you'd quit the genre altogether.

And you only get about 25% of them since we have other writers getting equal amounts. I don't even listen to promos anymore before sending them out - I read the cheat sheets and then send you guys the e-mails with the rehashed descriptions to let you decide. If I need to off load some junk, the words "melo-death" and "hardcore" go missing from the said descriptions.

 

[NAD]

If I need to off load some junk, the words "melo-death" and "hardcore" go missing from the said descriptions.

 

[lurch70]

the initial 1-2 punch of this was good, but you are right this has no staying power ... there is one awesome song on it (whose title i don't recall ... so it must not be that awesome)