First CD or second/iconoclast

[maestro41]

Which one do you prefer?

 

[bigmachine22]

Divine Wings (song) > The Odyssey (song)

 

[Chainrider]

Cinnamon Toast Crunch > Captain Crunch

 

[ElvenShadow]

drinking delicious india pale ale > getting hit in the balls with a sledgehammer

 

[Phanto]

blue...

no, red.

 

[Sabin17]

I can sort of see a single CD working if the weaker songs in the order were axed, but not the one the producers had in mind. It really could've gone:

1. Iconoclast
2. End of Innocence
3. Dehumanized
4. Bastards of the Machine
5. Children of a Faceless God
6. When All is Lost
7. Electric Messiah
8. Prometheus (I Am Alive)
9. Lords of Chaos
10. Reign in Madness

and all would've been well with where the album needed to be. Although, since there is no OFFICIAL Iconoclast thread to mention this, as an honest aside I will say that Reign in Madness is possibly the weakest closer of their career (first album and Masquerade/Frontiers bonuses notwithstanding).

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

It really could've gone:

1. Iconoclast
2. End of Innocence
3. Dehumanized
4. Bastards of the Machine
5. Children of a Faceless God
6. When All is Lost
7. Electric Messiah
8. Prometheus (I Am Alive)
9. Lords of Chaos
10. Reign in Madness

I'd say that would work if you replace Lords with Heretic (although not necessarily in that order). I truly believe that Lords and LUTN are two of the weakest (if not the weakest) songs in the band's entire catalog. Even Shades of fucking Gray is a better song than LUTN (Lords probably beats that one, though).

as an honest aside I will say that Reign in Madness is possibly the weakest closer of their career (first album and Masquerade/Frontiers bonuses notwithstanding).

I have to disagree with that. I think Reign sums up the album as a whole in a great fashion by the fact that it isn't a full-on prog epic like a lot of their past closers. It had some epic parts, but in the end it's just a bone-crushing war-type song that drew the album to a powerful close. Since this album was not supposed to be magical or mythological or anything, I think it fits perfectly. It's a nice opposite-end compliment to the title track.

 

[Lagtastic]

I truly believe that Lords and LUTN are two of the weakest (if not the weakest) songs in the band's entire catalog. Even Shades of fucking Gray is a better song than LUTN (Lords probably beats that one, though).



I have to disagree with that. I think Reign sums up the album as a whole in a great fashion by the fact that it isn't a full-on prog epic like a lot of their past closers.

I don't think I will understand why SX fans don't like LUTN. Sometimes it is the first song I listen to when I want to listen to something from IC. The riffs and drumming are some of my favorite on the album, they fit together so well. Yes, the bridge is a bit weak, and the vocals in general are probably Russell's low point on the album. The instrumental section starting at 2:48 - the badass unison part is fantastic. I used to be a hater of LOC, but it has really grown on me, that pre-chorus buildup is very enjoyable. I like the entire album now.


I agree that Reign is a great song on quite a few levels and great album closer. It's a fist in the air sing along type of song. Bow your heads and abandon hope!

 

[RuRoRul]

Replace Lords Of Chaose with Light Up The Night and I'd go with that tracklist. Also as far as I can tell the title of this thread is first or second CD which was just answered by spam, so I guess I'll say the first CD. The second is actually great, but the first has When All Is Lost and Iconoclast (as well as Bastards Of The Machine), so yeah...

I prefer Reign In Madness to Lady Of The Snow, and maybe Candlelight Fantasia actually (I forgot DWOT wasn't the closer for a second there), and definitely better than the closers from the first two albums, although I love A Winter's Dream. And as a closer it really does fit.

 

[Frontal Lobotomy]

I agree that Reign in Madness is a weak closer as it has not stuck with me even after going through the entire album so many times. Bastards of the Machine is definitely the weakest song in my opinion, and feels like a filler. It has the most boring verse and is simply...forgettable. But the most boring chorus of the entire album has to go to Light up the Night. I have actually started to skip these two when listening to the album because I feel that they actually ruin what is otherwise a fantastic piece of auditory artwork. My favourite is still the very groovy Prometheus but this might change and be replaced with Children of a Faceless God or Electric Messiah. When all is lost is also a fantastic ballad, except for some of the lyrics which make me cringe..."I close my eyes lost in a memory, just like a candle in the wind" ...ick. I couldn't really chose between the two CD's....maybe the second one, if I had to.

I REALLY hope they don't play Bastards or LUTN on the tour. But they'll probably play them both at the expence of the, IMO, better songs

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

My favourite is still the very groovy Prometheus

Nice choice!

I REALLY hope they don't play Bastards or LUTN on the tour. But they'll probably play them both at the expence of the, IMO, better songs

In an interview a while back, the band was asked which of the new songs they'd like to do live. Russ stated that he thought "Bastards" would be really fun live, so I would expect them to do that one. I doubt they'd do LUTN, though. I'm not a big fan of Bastards, but I think it has the potential to be a fun, groovy song live. LUTN is just plain bad, and hopefully the band knows it. It sounds like it was thrown together in five minutes.

 

[Lagtastic]

I am really, really hoping for Children, Iconoclast, and Prometheus this coming tour. Even though we've already heard End of Innocence I think it's a great live song and I hope we see it again. I'm pumped for the US tour and they haven't even announced a single date. I'll probably blow vacation time to go see a few shows again, tell my boss "I'm going to visit my sister" or something.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

I am really, really hoping for Children, Iconoclast, and Prometheus this coming tour. Even though we've already heard End of Innocence I think it's a great live song and I hope we see it again. I'm pumped for the US tour and they haven't even announced a single date. I'll probably blow vacation time to go see a few shows again, tell my boss "I'm going to visit my sister" or something.

I'm sure they'll play Prometheus and the title track on the next US tour. They played the former on the last European tour, and Iconoclast is MJR's favorite song from the new album. As far as Children goes, I'd rather hear something else, but I'm sure it's possible.