Black Metal.

[Death Aflame]

so what about Negura Bunget labelling the tracks on N Crugu Bradului simply "I, II, III, IV" or Darkspace doing something similar?

track titles, at the most, should reflect the lyrical content, but if you need them in order to judge a band more critically, then perhaps your time would be better spent pouring over philosophical texts for grammar errors instead of listening to metal.

Good point.

 

[thisisaformicatable]

so what about Negura Bunget labelling the tracks on N Crugu Bradului simply "I, II, III, IV" or Darkspace doing something similar?

Deliberately obscuring meaning, creating a "mysterious" aura, emphasizing the importance of the album as a whole over individual compositions, any number of purposes.

track titles, at the most, should reflect the lyrical content, but if you need them in order to judge a band more critically, then perhaps your time would be better spent pouring over philosophical texts for grammar errors instead of listening to metal.

The band's engrish has absolutely nothing to do with whether you are able to enjoy their music or not.

Appropriate lyrics and titles are an added bonus. Especially in metal where 99% of the bands write the music first and lyrics second. To think otherwise is just stupid.

If you aren't interested in the music as anything more than entertainment that's fine, but don't sell the art short just because you aren't interested in it on a deeper level.

 

[Death Aflame]

If you aren't interested in the music as anything more than entertainment that's fine, but don't sell the art short just because you aren't interested in it on a deeper level.

The 'art' and depth of music resides within the music itself, not the packaging it is presented in. I admit that great lyrics and imagery can enhance an overall work but, ultimately, if the music produced is worthy itself while the lyrics and titles are not there is still a strong possibility that the work could be considered great.

Edit: Molested's Blod Draum is a strong example of this. Horrible band name, ridiculous song titles but the music itself contains amazingly unique atmospheric death metal; one of the best in its genre.

 

[Cythraul]

I always wondered about that band Molested and if they thought their name was really brutal and awesome. It's more like kind of creepy rather than brutal.

edit: btw, Molested is a fucking great band.

 

[thisisaformicatable]

The art *is* the complete package. Separating it into different pieces and ignoring facets of it is nothing more than selective perception.

 

[Cythraul]

The art *is* the complete package. Separating it into different pieces and ignoring facets of it is nothing more than selective perception.

This is true, and I often find that poor lyrics, or at least poor lyrical concepts, retarded imagery, etc. can ruin an album for me.

 

[cookiecutter]

Because the title is part of the music, if you look at the big picture. If Fenriz had named the first Neptune Towers album not Caravans To Empire Algol but Taking A Dump In A Dirty Public Toilet wouldn't that totally change your interpretation of the music? Unless, again, you're just putting the album on in the background and don't care about the music's meaning either way. At least that's the theory.

But the titles are just bad version of what would be a good title. It's not like they named them something stupid. "Be Resented for Livelihood" sounds like bad grammar to me not like Taking A Dump In A Dirty Public Toilet.

As for lyrics, they are in the booklet. Buy it ! If you really want them, I'll upload some to M-A.

 

[Tallerthanatree]

I'm probably going to order Weakling. Waiting for the link on another forum.

 

[thisisaformicatable]

But the titles are just bad version of what would be a good title. It's not like they named them something stupid. "Be Resented for Livelihood" sounds like bad grammar to me not like Taking A Dump In A Dirty Public Toilet.

The Neptune Towers example was to show that the song title can and should affect your interpretation of the music, not to relate directly to Be Persecuted.

The *did* name the songs something stupid, the song is forever branded as "Be Resented for Livelihood", not the grammatically correct equivalent. And I'd also disagree that they would otherwise be good titles, I mentioned "Suicide Forest" not because it displays the band's poor language skills but because it displays their knack for picking generic themes to go along with their generic music.

As for lyrics, they are in the booklet. Buy it ! If you really want them, I'll upload some to M-A.

Please do, I'm sure they're hilarious.

 

[Jreg]

The 'art' and depth of music resides within the music itself, not the packaging it is presented in. I admit that great lyrics and imagery can enhance an overall work but, ultimately, if the music produced is worthy itself while the lyrics and titles are not there is still a strong possibility that the work could be considered great.

But the lyrics are a part of the art, not the packaging as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps they are less important in the extreme metal realm where words are barely decipherable half of the time (and I won't lie, lyrics are often secondary to me due in part to this). But I still value good diction. Like you said, lyrics and packaging aesthetics DO enhance music. So why not enhance as much as possible? Why just create great music and stop there? Maybe some people would call me superficial for having that attitude, and ultimately the strength of the music itself will dictate what I listen to most of the time. But I just think if musicians have all these other tools at their disposal (cover art, lyrics, live show, hell even band photos) they might as well make the most of them. I'm not saying everyone needs to have a Shakespeare-like grasp on language and wording, as there's a lot of great music with fairly dumb lyrics. It would just be nice if it added to the overall impact of the music, whatever it takes to do so.

 

[Cythraul]

"Be Resented for Livelihood"

I'm now realizing that this title is absolutely hilarious.

 

[Jreg]

"If you are a false don't entry
because you'll be burned and died"

Reading Sarcofago lyrics always gets me through the day.

 

[Hatebreeder]

I find it odd that people often categorize The Cult Is Alive as having more of a crust punk sound than their earlier albums, because to me, it sounds very similar to their early albums. The drums are the only really noticeable difference.

 

[Matt]

"If you are a false don't entry
because you'll be burned and died"

 

[wagontrain]

This whole lyrics and song titles argument is utterly ridiculous. I feel like I walked into an argument between Bob Dylan fans and black metal fans.

It is entirely up to the individual to analyze, pour over, or interpret in any way imaginable all the non-musical aspects about an album - lyrics, artwork, song titles, band names, etc. But if you think (and clearly some of you do, from your posts) that those who choose to utterly and completely ignore all of these things are somehow getting less out of the music than you are, you are narrow-minded, ignorant, and just plain fucking stupid. You aren't elite, you don't have good taste and you aren't more refined, you're just uneducated and unaware. To put it bluntly.

 

[wagontrain]

Wagontrain, I have about 99% of those downloaded. (Yes I'm a download whore also, why? - to explore what music is out there and then if I like it I buy the album). I will be certain to check out your recommended ones. Personally, I find it hard to make a top list for anything, it would take me forever to decide.

If you have 99% of these, that means you probably also have other shit that I don't have. In which case, you need to send me some recommendations of good stuff I might be missing. Please

Hey Montu, I'm going to print a shirt (he didn't produce any) with Grimlair's first full-length album. Already got a huge resolution pic

I want one. Grimlair kicks ass. Great name too.

So, do you listen to other genres of metal at all?

Sort of. I listen to a very small amount of doom, power, and viking/folk. I listen to a lot of other genres though, and have lists for electronic, ambient, and other instrumental music for this year as well, though they aren't nearly as extensive as the BM list. I also have like a top 8 or so "other metal" list which has stuff like Asunder, Moonsorrow, etc.

You aren't even aware of the concept of 'female,' are you?

Damn, I felt that one.

If you aren't interested in the music as anything more than entertainment that's fine, but don't sell the art short just because you aren't interested in it on a deeper level.

This is the part where whomever you are arguing with smiles, nods, and walks away chuckling at you.

 

[thisisaformicatable]

This whole lyrics and song titles argument is utterly ridiculous. I feel like I walked into an argument between Bob Dylan fans and black metal fans.

It is entirely up to the individual to analyze, pour over, or interpret in any way imaginable all the non-musical aspects about an album - lyrics, artwork, song titles, band names, etc. But if you think (and clearly some of you do, from your posts) that those who choose to utterly and completely ignore all of these things are somehow getting less out of the music than you are, you are narrow-minded, ignorant, and just plain fucking stupid. You aren't elite, you don't have good taste and you aren't more refined, you're just uneducated and unaware. To put it bluntly.

They are, factually, getting less out of the music. Ignore all the non-aural aspects of the art and you get to know what the music sounds like. That's it. Take the entire piece of art into account and you get to know not only what the music sounds like but also interesting things such as what those sounds mean and what the music is about. While you make a good argument (and by "good argument" I mean unsupported name calling and insults) I must disagree.

 

[Vossyrus]

If you have 99% of these, that means you probably also have other shit that I don't have. In which case, you need to send me some recommendations of good stuff I might be missing. Please

Ok, I'd have to go look really, I have a list of what I've downloaded but there's a ton I have to sort through and re-tag. Right off the bat, I don't think I saw Gurtholfinn's demo "The Forest of Long Awaiting" on your list - I really recommend that one. It's kind of like, a very raw version of something like Agalloch in that's its very atmospheric and nature-based. Fantastic demo, albeit the duo could work on some stuff but they definitely have potential. It's over an hour long too.

 

[Koude Haat]

If you have 99% of these, that means you probably also have other shit that I don't have. In which case, you need to send me some recommendations of good stuff I might be missing. Please


I want one. Grimlair kicks ass. Great name too.


Sort of. I listen to a very small amount of doom, power, and viking/folk. I listen to a lot of other genres though, and have lists for electronic, ambient, and other instrumental music for this year as well, though they aren't nearly as extensive as the BM list. I also have like a top 8 or so "other metal" list which has stuff like Asunder, Moonsorrow, etc.


Damn, I felt that one.


This is the part where whomever you are arguing with smiles, nods, and walks away chuckling at you.

you didn't add peste noire -Folkfuck Folie to your top 35?
it's excellent.

 

[Evil?]

I have seen quite a few negative things about that album. Have not heard it for myself however.