Best album of 2011

[Djabthrash]

Symphony X are a bunch of goony, nerdy metallers. (...) They're fucking cheesy as hell too

Sounds like you described my perception of cheesy/übergay/Wacken/prog/heavy/leatherpants-mullet-hairychestopenshirt/guitar hero/keyboards metal here, but i saw Symphony X with Nevermore live and i gotta admit they have something special that make them less embarrassing (and even cool to check out to some extent) to listen to than other bands in that genre : the vocalist has a lot of charisma, his vocals are quite inspired and his technique is great, some riffs are really heavy, and the drummer rocks (very catchy playing, and finesse/technicality used only sparcely/when needed). If they had a side project with no cheesy keyboards/cheesy prog video game guitars/gay vocals, i think i would like it.

 

[AEL89]

Sounds like you described my perception of cheesy/übergay/Wacken/prog/heavy/leatherpants-mullet-hairychestopenshirt/guitar hero/keyboards metal here, but i saw Symphony X with Nevermore live and i gotta admit they have something special that make them less embarrassing (and even cool to check out to some extent) to listen to than other bands in that genre : the vocalist has a lot of charisma, his vocals are quite inspired and his technique is great, some riffs are really heavy, and the drummer rocks (very catchy playing, and finesse/technicality used only sparcely/when needed). If they had a side project with no cheesy keyboards/cheesy prog video game guitars/gay vocals, i think i would like it.

All fair points there dude. I'm sure I'd be more inclined to listen to it without the gay vocals and lame keyboards too!

 

[osum]

Just bought the new Decapitated. Indeed also a really cool album. Krimh is kicking ass on drums

 

[Djabthrash]

All fair points there dude. I'm sure I'd be more inclined to listen to it without the gay vocals and lame keyboards too!

I should add : seeing the crowd go nuts for them live (including the girls who went all mental like some Japanese groupies) helps to not get too serious about it and just enjoy what you can enjoy and ignore the rest (or just make fun of it ).

It feels good to go back to some bands like Pantera (mid/late era) or Sepultura (mid era) or Misery Index where there is nothing sounding embarrassing and everything sounds sick. But then again that's just me and my tastes but you get my point about the "listening to something embarrassing" feeling.

EDIT : Forbidden (new Anthrax album also) and pop-punk acts such as New Found Glory/SetYourGoals have semi-embarrassing vocals to me, but those vocals are part of the identity of those bands, and overall those bands are sick to me so i can get over this original embarrassment.
On the other hand, bands like Foo Fighters/Decapitated/Sepultura/Madball/Pennywise/PearlJam/Down have nothing i could feel embarrassed about, and sound 100% sick to me.

(Sorry for the music embarrassment rant, i just wanted to get my point across.)

 

[Ermz]

It's all about context. No one production fits all situations. Though I have to say that appending the worth of somebody's experience to their musical taste is about as sane as listening to Metallica for groundbreaking songwriting.

 

[Djabthrash]

Just bought the new Decapitated. Indeed also a really cool album. Krimh is kicking ass on drums

This album is a grower. You've been warned. For me the second half is way more interesting than the first half (which is too long and repetitive IMO).

And back to the general topic, i've only listened to the Mastodon 3 times but it's sick. And i think the Textures will grow on me.

Only gave the new Hatesphere one listen, it's a badass album too.

 

[Djabthrash]

It's all about context. No one production fits all situations. Though I have to say that appending the worth of somebody's experience to their musical taste is about as sane as listening to Metallica for groundbreaking songwriting.

Exactly. For example, i hate (the new) EMMURE, their music make me puke. I hate the kind of production they got also. But i think the production they got fits the music perfectly, i.e somebody who digs their music will enjoy it the most with THAT specific production.

EDIT : On a side note, i think i would enjoy them more (or hate them less ) if they had a different production (i.e less Sturgis-ish, more Terry Date/SteveEvetts/RossRobinson/..., which is the kind of production i like (and it has to do with the fact that they produced some of my favourite albums of course)), but that would be because this way (with this different production i mean) the band would sound less like them, whereas a production is meant to make them sound like them and at their best.

EDIT 2 : listening to "living through me (hell's wrath)" on PANTERA's "the great southern trendkill" album : for the intro riff, i guess most people think that guitar tone is horrible, but i love it because :
1) that riff is SICK (i think that song has been melting my face for more than 15 years because of that riff, and this is my first facemelting riff ever i think)
2) it sounds like Dimebag (and not like Gary Holt or Jeff Loomis or Dave Mustaine or James Hetfield or some other dude that may have its own distinct signature "mostly in the hands + some specific gear/settings approach" tone)
3) that's the best tone for this riff IMO
4) i don't mind that tone, actually i like it... well wait i think i LOVE it

I think if you are a Symphony X or Emmure fanboy, you can say the exact same with just replacing the band name in my EDIT 2 post.

("to enjoy something the most" -> proper or ghetto English ?)

 

[dan weapon]

Symphony X are a bunch of goony, nerdy metallers. They're so off the pulse its insane. And of course their production is just the same old guitar tone every boring metal band goes for, Steven Slate on drums and that disgusting vocal. Stale, boring, same old thing we've heard a million times before. They're fucking cheesy as hell too. That's just a fact isn't it?

On the other hand - Brent Hinds has tattooes on his face, wrote Crack The Skye in a week whilst getting high and is generally the man. They're Pink Floyd fused with Led Zeppelin playing heavy music. Definition of cool.

If you can't even appreciate the quality of the production on Crack The Skye or The Hunter then you're simply deaf. Have you even listened to either of those albums?

Cool thanks for the recommendations. I'll stop listening to the music that I like and listen to what you say is good from now on, I wasn't actually aware that I was wrong until now. Thanks again.

 

[AndrewB]

Wasting Light - Foo Fighters
The Fallen - Naberus (it's actually an EP but who gives a fuck )

Actually I hadn't heard of Naberus before last week, but I went to Ermz's studio link, and listened to "The Fallen" by Naberus on the home page, and I LOVED it. So thank you Ermz!

 

[Djabthrash]

Listening to the new Sylosis finally, never really been hooked by their music before (despite the ridiculous tightness and professionalism they have, not to mention the magnificent artwork), but i dig that album, and i feel a huge Gojira vibe in this (especially in the vocals), and it's great.

EDIT : the album is superlong though... 13 tracks of 5 min on average... I think 10 tracks would have been more than enough

 

[osum]

Is this just me or: The title track of Mastodons 'The Hunter' really reminds me of something from Metallicas 'Load'. Even the voice sounds a bit like James?

 

[Mago]

On the other hand - Brent Hinds has tattooes on his face, wrote Crack The Skye in a week whilst getting high and is generally the man.

the unmistakable sign for a great songwriter/musician/band -> has tattooes on his face.

Mastodon is hit or miss for me, some stuff is great other songs/sections are boring as fuck to me.

 

[Empathy]

Musical perspective?

Lay of Thrym by Týr, or
The Unseen Empire by Scary Symmetry

Production perspective?
Stand Up and Fight by Turisas, or
A Rose for the Apocalypse by Draconian

 

[ratsapprentice]

 

[Djabthrash]

Mastodon is hit or miss for me, some stuff is great other songs/sections are boring as fuck to me.

The new album is really straight-to-the-point/catchy, almost "danceable" (and "crack the skye" (which i loved too) was everything but that ). You should check it out.
Songs like "blasteroid" or "octopus has no friends" ("i'm on my waaayyyyyy baaaack hoooooooome") are gems and will put a smile on your face (not to mention the amazing playing and production).

 

[Gelatin]

Listening to the new Sylosis finally, never really been hooked by their music before (despite the ridiculous tightness and professionalism they have, not to mention the magnificent artwork), but i dig that album, and i feel a huge Gojira vibe in this (especially in the vocals), and it's great.

I agree, their new one is a serious contender for my fav album of the year.

Others candidates that I can think of:
Moonsorrow
Vader
Obscura

 

[NNotN-ENN]

Fuck, better add Zola Jesus - Conatus to my list too. Only had it for a couple of days but it's incredible.

 

[AEL89]

Cool thanks for the recommendations. I'll stop listening to the music that I like and listen to what you say is good from now on, I wasn't actually aware that I was wrong until now. Thanks again.

Out of context quoting (though it did make you sound big and clever with your sarcasm). See previous comments:

Music is subjective, as you said

All fair points there dude. I'm sure I'd be more inclined to listen to it without the gay vocals and lame keyboards too!

Symphony X rant was aimed at someone a few pages ago.

HAHAHAHAHA @ Mike Tyson

 

[dan weapon]

Listening to the new Sylosis finally, never really been hooked by their music before (despite the ridiculous tightness and professionalism they have, not to mention the magnificent artwork), but i dig that album, and i feel a huge Gojira vibe in this (especially in the vocals), and it's great.

 

[dan weapon]

Out of context quoting (though it did make you sound big and clever with your sarcasm). See previous comments:
Symphony X rant was aimed at someone a few pages ago.

Yeah I know it wasn't aimed at me. But I'm not quite sure how you can say "music is subjective", but also; "If you can't even appreciate the quality of the production on Crack The Skye or The Hunter then you're simply deaf."

So your ethos is; people can enjoy whatever music they want - but if they don't appreciate the music that you like then they are stupid/have an opinion of zero value? Perhaps I completely misinterpreted the tone of your post(s), in which case I apologise. But the sentence above didn't exactly come across as being laced in irony.

And I'm saying this as someone who has been into Mastodon since they released Remission, so it's not as if I even disagree with your appreciation of that band in particular.