Bal Sagoth

[transfixed]

does anyone here like bal sagoth?
i think they're great
a little cheesy, but still quite excellent.

np: Bal Sagoth - The Empyreal Lexicon

 

[Protocol]

'Cheesy' is right. 'A little' is completely wrong. Bal Sagoth is THE cheesiest act I've ever heard, the fromage de la fromage, the kings of yellow fluffiness.

Needless to say, I don't particularly fancy them. >P

 

[FleischBrenner]

Bal-Sagoth is great, I don't care if they're cheesy, they kind of have the Manowar effect where it's so cheesy it's good.

 

[hibernal_dream]

Cheesy? What are you talking about ? In no way are they cheesy... cryptopsy is cheesy, manoway is cheesy, rob halford is cheesy, but not bal-sagoth.

Track 5 on The power cosmic is awesome.

 

[Slynt]

Bal-Sagoth is one of my favorite bands.... and I don't they are cheesy - they have decided on a concept image, and stick with it. Which is good.

 

[Mikael is God]

as ive said before... i dont think things are cheesy.... they are either good music or bad music...... cheesy is not an option....... bal sagoth is one of my fav bands.... some people call them RPG metal becuase of their concept =0 they rule

 

[Demonspell]

I'm in the middle with them...sure they are overblown as all hell, and Byron's growling is positively grating, and their keyboards can get on my nerves, but I do actually like much of their last two albums (when I'm in a good mood) in spite of all these shortcomings. I guess I can admire their unique aesthetic, and at the same time see why some think it is utterly laughable.

 

[Confessor]

Cryptopsy? CHEESY? hahahaha is that a joke
oh wait it is
Anyways thats all i got to say about this thread.
Oh and Bal Sagoth has cheesy keyboards. Indeed.

 

[S4R]

No one can even touch Manowar in the cheesy department

 

[Mr. Black]

No one can even touch Manowar in the cheesy department

you've clearly never heard Luca Turilli then, esp. their song "The Acient Forest of Elves" from the album "The king of nordic twilight"...that song is fucking harilous...the cheesest thing i've ever heard...esp. the "ye olde keyborde solo" which sounds like its done on a mobile phone and "ye olde wise man" voice over naration...you have to hear this stuff to believe it...try and find it on mp3, you'll piss yourself

 

[Juggie]

bal sagoth is good

 

[hibernal_dream]

I wasn't joking about cryptopsy..... but maybe cheesy isn't the right word.. maybe just plain shit?

Who cares anyway? I've never even considered them cheesy until you guys brought it up. why should that stop me from enjoying it? Bal sagoth is a band that uses their instruments in the right way. and in my opinion the ONLY band that uses growling vocals how they should be used. The songs have characters each with different voices... the "evil" ones have growls, the "good" ones have spoken voice.

I'm sure most bands don't understand why they use growls these days. That includes Opeth. Sure, it was ok when they were a satanist band trying to imitate satan, at least there was a point to them, but now... i just don't see the point.

I'm straying off the topic, aren't I

 

[Confessor]

Imitate satan? Did they ever say that?
Or have u ever been in a band urself?
If so, you would know that singers dont do growling vocals to imitate satan. That would be just plain ridiculous and silly!

And about those 'evil' and 'good' characters, reminds me of some cartoon called He-Man, Master Of The Universe!. hahahaha

 

[hibernal_dream]

Ok then would you like to inform me of the purpose of growling then? Its obviously not natural to sing like that, and its not pleasant to listen to, so why else would they use it? Mikael said they started out as a satanist band..

Of course its ridiculous and silly, that was my point. But even more ridiculous is to use growls without a reason. Bal sagoth change vocals when a new character is speaking, Opeth just seem to switch vocals randomly. At first I thought it was like Mikael was being possessed, you know when demons take over the body. This would make sense, but after reading the lyrics, there doesn't appear to be much of a pattern.

Take "The moor",
(growl) vows in ashes
I pledge myself to no-one
Seethed and spiteful
all shudder at the call of my name

then, for no apparent reason, the vocals go clean

(clean) If you'll bear with me
you'll fear of me

can anyone point out a pattern?

 

[D Mullholand]

There's no doubt - Bal Sagoth are the kings of fromage, their lyrics, song titles and interviews are simply hilarious. But I do love their keyboards a lot. They're pompous as hell, sure, but still it's miles ahead of bands like Cradle or Dimburger. "Battle Magic" is a pretty good album - good entertainment and good music.

-----------------------------------------
NP: Prokofiev - Piano sonata No. 7

 

[Confessor]

hibernal_dream:
Well being a satanist band doesnt mean u want to imitate someone.
I cant say theres a purpose of singing like that. I guess they do it because they simply like it. And the whole music is different when there are growling vocals. Can you imagine Morbid Angel or Deicide without them? I cant.
And i noticed too thats theres really no pattern with Mikeals vocals, especially on the last few albums.

Mikeal? Possessed? Yes, hes possessed by demons that gives him the talent he has.

 

[Slynt]

BAL-SAGOTH is great. Their "Battle Magic" and "Starfire Burning..." albums are classics!! A grandiose metal band, though its time Byron uses his incredible death growl again (as he did on the debut album "A Black Moon...")