Khanate is here! I'll try to make some time tonight and keep you posted.
Have you ever reviewed it npearce?
Have you ever reviewed it npearce?
EMPYRIUM & NEGURA BUNGET REVIEWS
- Thread starter JayKeeley
- Start date
Nate The Great
What would Nathan do?
I bought Khanate back in '01. I've only been reviewing stuff for about a year, and I pretty much only review new stuff.
These reason I subscribed to UM and began writing for them was because I was so pissed at the review they had for Khanate. I obviously thought they were totally missing the point. Khanate is to doom metal what brain surgery is to the medical world. It is extremely specialized, and not everyone is going to be able to comprehend or have the skill to do it.
These reason I subscribed to UM and began writing for them was because I was so pissed at the review they had for Khanate. I obviously thought they were totally missing the point. Khanate is to doom metal what brain surgery is to the medical world. It is extremely specialized, and not everyone is going to be able to comprehend or have the skill to do it.
Nate The Great
What would Nathan do?
Here's a pretty cool review of Khanate:
http://www.digitalmetal.com/reviews.asp?cid=1893
Here's my interview with James Plotkin. He is the main guy behind Khanate. He produced it and sort of invisioned it. I did the review at the time he released his technoise project Phantomsmasher. His thoughts are VERY interesting.
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=60652
http://www.digitalmetal.com/reviews.asp?cid=1893
Here's my interview with James Plotkin. He is the main guy behind Khanate. He produced it and sort of invisioned it. I did the review at the time he released his technoise project Phantomsmasher. His thoughts are VERY interesting.
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=60652
Listened to about 2 minutes of Khanate tonight. Haddsie was in the other room feeding the baby...she thought there was something wrong with the plumbing and asked me to turn it off!
Khanate is going to be a headphone experience I think.
Khanate is going to be a headphone experience I think.
Papa Josh
Minister of Propaganda
JayKeeley said:
That's how Michelle, my wife, is about some of my death metal, especially the really brutal stuff...
She did enjoy Krisiun very much though when she saw them.
Heather's alright around death metal - as long as it's good stuff like Pestilence etc. But the compromise overall sits at thrash or old-school which makes us a happy household.
Nate The Great
What would Nathan do?
I make my wife listen to stuff like Khanate, Phantomsmasher, and Today is the Day. Torture is the ultimate expression of love.
By the way, JayKeeley, you should really check out Swans, if you haven't ever heard them. I've been getting into them recently. You'd be amazed. There's a reason they are legendary in, not only the metal world, but the world of music in general.
By the way, JayKeeley, you should really check out Swans, if you haven't ever heard them. I've been getting into them recently. You'd be amazed. There's a reason they are legendary in, not only the metal world, but the world of music in general.
npearce said:
Really? Tell me more. I just looked them up on CDuniverse, and Joy Division came up as a cross-sell. That can only be a good thing. Let me guess - a hyper warped version of Radiohead perhaps?
Nate The Great
What would Nathan do?
JayKeeley said:
No. Radiohead is a long way from Swans.
I'd say their closest relatives would be everything from Godflesh to Anathema to Ulver to Agalloch to Marilyn Manson and so much more.
Swans influenced so many bands, it's not even funny.
Here's their official website. All I can say is that their music is not able to be classified. It is VERY dark and the lyrics put pretty much every metal group to shame.
http://swans.pair.com
Check out Chedsey's review of 'The Great Annihilator' (1994).
http://www.ssmt-reviews.com/db/
I've been listening to 'The Great Annihilator' and I have a few more releases by Swans on the way. Amazing, amazing, amazing stuff. Beautiful, disturbing, dark, and moving.
"You know you've found an amazing record when you feel an unstoppable urge to rush out to the CD store to buy the rest of the band's back catalogue, perhaps leaving that one LP for the very last purchase" - SSMT.
I hate when that happens, heh.
So what are you saying npearce - start with The Great Annihilator? How's eBay for Swans?
I hate when that happens, heh.
So what are you saying npearce - start with The Great Annihilator? How's eBay for Swans?
Nate The Great
What would Nathan do?
I believe I saw a copy of 'The Great Annihilator' on half.com for $8.99. 'The Great Annihilator' seems to be the easiest to find, and I can tell you for sure that it is amazing. It's a little tricky to get some of their stuff on EBAY. I recently found a copy of the 1990 CD reissue of the 1982 EP/Filth (1983) for $8.99. I've seen it sell for as much as $65 other places.
Definitely check out 'The Great Annihilator', though. I'll keep you informed of other releases, as I get them.
Definitely check out 'The Great Annihilator', though. I'll keep you informed of other releases, as I get them.
Nate The Great
What would Nathan do?
I've listened to it several times. I can't say I'm really down with the German operatic vocals, but that would be my only complaint. I like the way Ulver used similar vocals very sparingly on Kveldsanger.
As far as the actual album as a whole, I would say it is one that suits certain times very well. It is VERY somber. I like that. I was in the shower one night while listening to track 7. I dropped the soap about the time those violins come on at the end, and I just didn't feel like picking it back up. I just didn't care at all. Those violins made me want to give up on everything. That is a very sad song.
Overall 'Weiland' is good, but I personally feel Kveldsanger is more atmospheric. I'm not sure if that is a proper comparison, though. I'll keep listening to it.
You were right, though, DO NOT listen to it while you drive.
As far as the actual album as a whole, I would say it is one that suits certain times very well. It is VERY somber. I like that. I was in the shower one night while listening to track 7. I dropped the soap about the time those violins come on at the end, and I just didn't feel like picking it back up. I just didn't care at all. Those violins made me want to give up on everything. That is a very sad song.
Overall 'Weiland' is good, but I personally feel Kveldsanger is more atmospheric. I'm not sure if that is a proper comparison, though. I'll keep listening to it.
You were right, though, DO NOT listen to it while you drive.
npearce said:
Yeah I had to mention that album in the context of Weiland. Try to check out some Tenhi too if you can. If you have Tenhi, Ulver, Empyrium, and Agalloch, you never have to venture into the great outdoors ever again.
Tell me about it. That song stops me in my tracks. Now you know what I meant about the whole coffin thing in the review.
Fair enough - different moods though, like you say. Ulver isn't half as saddening, but it is head turning.
They need to put this on a sticker on the CD front cover.
Nate The Great
What would Nathan do?
I just had a thought about Kveldssanger vs Weiland.
Weiland is pure somberness and sadness. Like wandering into the woods and giving up on life. Like wanting to lay down and sleep . . . forever.
Kveldssanger is like a night by a fire in a warm cabin in the cold northern woods on a blustery winter night . . . with several mugs of ale as your company.
What do you think about Khanate?
Weiland is pure somberness and sadness. Like wandering into the woods and giving up on life. Like wanting to lay down and sleep . . . forever.
Kveldssanger is like a night by a fire in a warm cabin in the cold northern woods on a blustery winter night . . . with several mugs of ale as your company.
What do you think about Khanate?
I have everything by Empyrium (other than the demo). I would say that "Kveldssanger" is still not quite as 'dark' as "Where at Night.." - Empyrium seem to have that night time thing pretty much cornered I think.
npearce said:
Nice. This was my take:
"..Kveldssanger brings forth the folklore of a winter mountain setting at daybreak and Weiland sits at the foot of that hill, entrenched within its own forestry and water-smoothed river stones.."
You have to have passed a certain barrier in life to be able to absorb it. It's at the end of the spectrum. Kind of like what I said in the Thorr's Hammer write up, Khanate is your soundtrack to running into a hailstorm of bullets. A blitzkrieg.
For some reason, I think these are the sounds that were going through soldiers minds and emotions before they came out of their trenches to meet their doom.
Or you know when you've drunk too much beer, and the roller coaster effect starts to take effect, and you fight the urge to puke, but no matter what you do, it just gets worse. And the more you think about it, the worse it becomes?
That's where Khanate takes me. Puke and death. No specific analogy to wartime really, I just think the same would apply to anyone who's about to snuff it or regurgitate their lunch.
Nate The Great
What would Nathan do?
JayKeeley said:
Awesome!
Use that for your review! Then send it to James Plotkin. I bet he'll love the hell out of it. He might even put it in an ad for the new album due later this year.
I repeatedly listened to that album during a dark, depressing, hateful time a while back. It slowly grew on me to the point that I felt it was part of me. It makes me see the point of being a serial killer. It makes me want to see everything die a painful, sickening death.
