Esoteric - The Maniacal Vale

[Kushantaiidan]

This album is just still huge. I'm still trying to digest the damn thing. And the first song is just incredible. Circle is the most chilling, depressing song i've heard this year, and the rest of the album seems to pale in comparison. The first section of the song sounds introspective, almost hopeful, in a sad kind of way, where as the second section of the song is possibly the most intense peice of music I've ever heard, the discordant riff with the growls slowly evolving into maddened screams, gives me chills down my spine and goosebumps everytime. Third section continues this insanity, then there's the ambient bit, and then the closing riff.. It's just.. I dunno, it's just one of those songs that makes me go a write a pointless thread about for no reason!!

But then the rest of the album, I can't seem to harbour the same enthusiasm for! Maybe the song Circle drains me too much, and by the time I get to track two, my brain cant process anymore? I don't know. I love huge epic albums. But this is just too much.

And after a while the music seems to get a little samey. Caucus Of Mind is an excellently placed track with a different sound and faster intro. But yeah, i know this album is a masterpeice. But what a stubborn long masterpeice.

There's a nice little clip of esoteric playing the first half of Circle in moscow on youtube, with reasonably good sound quality.

Well for now I might just listen to Circle over and over. Hahah.

 

[in_my_time_of_disease]

After all the talk in the now playing thread this does deserve it's own thread. It is the best album of the year, their best and the best metal album I've heard since dso-fas iyam. I pretty much can't not listen to it at least twice a week. I have judged it so hard and I really can't see any flaws. For a while earlier on I felt the length was a little much, but over time and more listens it doesn't remotely bother me now and it just seems to get better the more time you give it. It really has all the ingredients for a top 20 album for me, I won't say it is just yet, but certainly its a masterpiece that I'll continue to come back to again and again.

 

[beast from the east]

I've been thinking about starting a thread on this as well. I am COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY by the awesomeness that is The Maniacal Vale. The atmosphere these guys build in their music is just enormous. This is the Album Of The Year for me, so far. I am in complete agreement about Circle, so fucking epic! The length doesn't bother me at all, I think it's perfect. My other favorites besides Circle are Caucus of Mind and Ignotum Per Ignotius.

Esoteric has become one of my favorite bands. I need to get Metamorphogenesis next.

 

[in_my_time_of_disease]

I first heard them a little after Subconscious Dissolution came out in 04 and really liked it, but never bothered to go backwards through their material. But when I read they were about to release another I started listening to them heaps and tmv amplified listening to Esoteric from a weekly thing to boarding a daily one. While tmv is their best all of their albums are fantastic.

 

[el_serpiente]

It is quite an impressive album. I've had it for quite some time now and it's getting better and better with each time it is in the player.

I really like the first song on the second disc.


(not the best album of the year though, that is AngL)

 

[opeth_353]

This album is pretty lame.




..........

 

[tchocky]

This album is pretty lame.




..........

You got that right! I'd rather roll around in my own shit than listen to this a second more.

 

[philno]

def. best metal album of the year. wondering if enslaved can top it...

 

[BloodSword]

def. best metal album of the year. wondering if enslaved can top it...

While I haven't heard everything in Metal for 2008, TMV is the best so far. Of course, the new Enslaved may top it. TMV is a massive recording. There is so much going on within the music. I don't like the term "funeral doom". This for me is extreme/physcadelic/doom. I swear I hear a "Floydian" structure throughout, although much heavier. Esoteric is rumbling above and beneath are some beautiful, almost tranquil melodies. As far as the length of the album, this is the fastest 141 minutes I've heard. I was listening to "Circle" which is 20 minutes, and it seemed like 9 or 10. The entire album for me has a distinct flow. Never becomes monotonous or boring. Quite an achievement for this band. They demand your attention and suffocate the listener into their torterous world. Phenominal. Should certainly be in the Top 5 for 08.

 

[tchocky]

The entire album for me has a distinct flow. Never becomes monotonous or boring.

That's what I love about Esoteric's music, it's just so atomospherical. They have a definite idea on what they want each track or (if you will) every movement contained in each track (despite a genormous waves of dissonance) that the music is little more than shear atomosphere, and it's that that drives Esoteric's music to seem like it's only about half the length than it really is. Is just encompasses you in it's atomosphere and seldom lets you go.

 

[hibernal_dream]

Is this album as repetitive as their others?

 

[Kushantaiidan]

I got into them when Metamorphogenesis came out.

What i like doing, is like picking an emotion or feeling that i have, and attaching it to the music of the song circle, and letting the music kinda put that emotion/feeling through the ringer, or mincer.. And I come out the other end feeling... Odd.

Hibernal dream, this song may be MORE repetetive than the others. Circle, which is a 20 minute song, literally has four riffs in it. That's it. It's how they present them, and build them up that makes it so amazing. But Esoteric definately isn't for everyone.

Did anyone else notice when it came out, that it jumped up to number 1 on rateyourmusic for a while? That was amuzing.

 

[philno]

yeah, esoteric are definitely one of the top bands in the metal underground nowadays. hibernal, how could you of all people not like esoteric?

 

[FUBAR]

I just got their last album cheap off ebay, is that one any good?

 

[hibernal_dream]

yeah, esoteric are definitely one of the top bands in the metal underground nowadays. hibernal, how could you of all people not like esoteric?

I like them. I just found the repetition on previous releases offered limited opportunities in composition. They found ways around before this by improvising the lead guitar, and I was wondering if the basic format had changed. I'm not sure I could sit through 2 cds of music while at the same time thinking it could be distilled into 1.

 

[el_serpiente]

I just got their last album cheap off ebay, is that one any good?

If you mean "Subconscious Dissolution into the Continuum" it is my favorite.

 

[opeth_353]

[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=CmZHVPgIUEs[/ame]
[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=bPbTHrUGm8o&feature=related[/ame]
[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mqc9RELYqDo[/ame]
[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=jJdodKWzNnU&feature=related[/ame]

Hopefully they'll be playing London this year

 

[in_my_time_of_disease]

^Fuck that's awesome. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see them live one day.

 

[beast from the east]

I've been watching some of their live clips, and it just amazes me that Greg's voice is so powerful. He doesn't even look like he's exerting himself while bellowing out some of the most evil, depths-of-hell screams and growls I've ever heard. Goddamn, I love these guys!!!

 

[el_serpiente]

I saw them live on this tour, in may. It was a nice experience, they played a little over two hours

I think that the voice are heavily distorted so it might not be that difficult to sing. (not that I think that I could do it)