Greatest Discoveries of 2004

Oakenson

Oakenson

Nature's Child
Aug 2, 2003
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I'm not talking about albums here, just bands you discovered last year that really made an impression on you. I'm going to keep my list to five and give reasons, but do whatever you want, of course.

01. Sigur Ros
This is the most brilliant discovery I've had since Rhapsody. No words!

02. Wintersun
Jari is simply a god. Ensiferum has always been one of my favorite folk metal acts, but Wintersun takes the cake for metal as far as I am concerned. Everything about this album, is, perfect - what can I say? I'd more or less say this is the best metal album I've got.

03. Qntal
Electronic music with medieval folk elements, an amazing female singer and lyrics in different languages - need I say more?

04. Butterfly Messiah
This is more or less the best straight-up electronic music I've listened to. I love the vocals, the effects and the great arrangements. A balance between dark and light is fantastic.

05. Godspeed You Black Emperor
Holy crap, these guys are awesome. When I bought my first Godspeed album, I was immediatly reminded of the brilliance that is and was Silent Hill (a video game) which is enough for me to forever be obsessed with a band.

Let's see everyone else's discoveries! :D
 
BEST "NEW" BANDS:

Tony Iommi / Glenn Hughes - "The 1996 DEP Sessions".

I had no idea that this music even existed until a few months before it's official release. It's hard to imagine that this material spent 8 years in the can. I really enjoyed "Seventh Star" with Hughes on vocals, but this release is so much better - especially the vocals. I never understood what all the hype about Glenn Hughes voice was until I heard this duo's second collaboration last fall. Glenn's voice drips effortlessly with emotion and feeling. I can't wait for their third collaboration. Supposedly Tony and Glenn are in the studio right now.

Pyramaze - "Melancholy Beast"
Best new band of 2004.

-----

BACK FROM THE DEAD:

Dreamscape - "End of Silence"
I thought these guys mailed it in long ago.

Veni Domine - "IIII"
I thought these guys mailed it in long ago.

-----
 
Orphaned Land, The Vision Bleak, and The Empire Hideous were the best discoveries I've made all year. I really need to check out more of Butterfly Messiah's material.

Since you like Sigur Ros and Godspeed You Black Emperor in addition to metal, do you like Agalloch?
 
Into Eternity
Tad Morose..I know they have been around a long time, but I never heard of them.
Brainstorm..Same thing as Tad Morose.

If it weren't for PP I probably wouldn't have heard of any of these bands. Thanks Glenn!!! :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
 
For me it was definately Mercenary. I purchased 11 Dreams at PP 5.0, and shortly after that I bought their previous two. 11 Dreams went on to become my #1 disc of 2004.

As for off the wall discoveries I'd go with Hammers Of Misfortune. Both of their discs are interesting listens. I have a hard time trying to describe that band, but I like what I hear more often than not.
 
For my top 3 big discoveries of 2004 I have -

1. 3 Inches of Blood - Oldschool Accept/Priest/Manowar mixed with Shadows Fall. Got my album of the year award on Metalreviews.com

2. Pyramaze - Well I had never heard of them before Progpower, but when i met Nathan and Metalrose, they were raving about them. I got the cd and it blew me away. I became such a fan that I am now a mod on their board.

3. Brainstorm - WHERE IN THE HELL HAVE I BEEN? These guys kick ass. I would like to have a petition where we can bend the rules and have them at every progpower until they or Glenn retires.

Brent
 
Finnish melodic power metallers THUNDERSTONE have commenced the mixing process for their third album at Timo Tolkki's (STRATOVARIUS) Goldenworks studio with producer/guitarist Nino Laurenne. 11 songs are being finalized, with the final track listing, album title and release date soon to be announced. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Tool of the Devil", "Welcome to the Real", "I Will Come Again", "Land of Innocence" and "Feed the Fire".

THUNDERSTONE have been confirmed to open for the legendary California rockers MÖTLEY CRÜE at two shows in Finland: Jäähalli in Helsinki on June 7 and Elysee Areena in Turku on June 8. Also set to appear are Finnish rockers PRIVATE LINE and a as-yet-unannounced "very special guest".

THUNDERSTONE's sophomore album, "The Burning", entered the Finnish Album chart at position No. 17 upon its release in January 2004. The follow-up to 2002's "Thunderstone" was recorded at Sonic Pump studios with producer Laurenne and was mixed at Finnvox studios with Mikko Karmila (NIGHTWISH, CHILDREN OF BODOM). Included on the CD is a guest appearance by SYMPHONY X guitarist Michael Romeo in the track "Drawn to the Flame".
***********************************************

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Norwegian power metallers GAIA EPICUS have parted ways with drummer Mikael Duna. "He will put the drumsticks away for good!" the band write on their web site. "He has made this decision because he just didn't feel like playing anymore. GAIA EPICUS says thanks for all the good times and good drumming that he did for the band, and wish him all the best. Mikael will, however, play any shows that might come up until we have found a new drummer.

"We are now looking for a replacement. So, if you are an excellent drummer [who] loves our kind of music then please contact us for a audition. P.S.: You must be over
18 years old and live in North of Norway (or be willing to move if you're the right one for the band)."

As previously reported, GAIA EPICUS will have their second album, "Symphony of Glory", mastered on or around January 10 at Bazement Studios (MOB RULES, VANDEN PLAS, SYMPHONY X) in Germany.

"Symphony of Glory" is scheduled for release in February/March via Sound Riot Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Satrap" was recorded and mixed over a five-week period at Top Room Studios (TRISTANIA, VINTERSORG, BORKNAGAR) with producer Børge Finstad and will feature artwork by Michael A. Mueller (MEGADETH).
 
Orphaned Land
Sirenia
Tvangeste
Mnemic
Necrophagist
Cipher System
Faith and the Muse
Amaran
Riverside
Dreamscape
Bathory
Penumbra
Disarmonia Mundi
Satyricon
The Provenance
Anorexia Nervosa (you go, Stephan Forte :))
Suidakra
Omnium Gatherum
Prototype
Bloodrose
Hecate Enthroned
Blinded Colony
Dawn of Relic
Bal-Sagoth
 
my favorite discovery of 2004 was easily Epica. Easily the best debut album I've ever heard since Adagio's Sanctus Ignis (I'm excluding Persuader's Evolution Purgatory since technically its their 2nd album).
 
Oakenson said:
01. Sigur Ros
This is the most brilliant discovery I've had since Rhapsody. No words!

02. Wintersun
Jari is simply a god. Ensiferum has always been one of my favorite folk metal acts, but Wintersun takes the cake for metal as far as I am concerned. Everything about this album, is, perfect - what can I say? I'd more or less say this is the best metal album I've got.

04. Butterfly Messiah
This is more or less the best straight-up electronic music I've listened to. I love the vocals, the effects and the great arrangements. A balance between dark and light is fantastic.

05. Godspeed You Black Emperor
Holy crap, these guys are awesome. When I bought my first Godspeed album, I was immediatly reminded of the brilliance that is and was Silent Hill (a video game) which is enough for me to forever be obsessed with a band.
Click to expand...
Care to share which CDs you like best by these acts? I'm always looking for new stuff, and you've piqued my curiosity on these bands. Also, could you provide a better description of Sigur Ros? Thanks.

Zod
 
More and more I see people mention Riverside, the more I kick my butt for not buying it when I was at Progpower. I might just have to order it.

I did break down and buy the new Nightwish cd (Once) and it is really good. Been spinning that at work for a few days.
 
BABS said:
More and more I see people mention Riverside, the more I kick my butt for not buying it when I was at Progpower. I might just have to order it.

I did break down and buy the new Nightwish cd (Once) and it is really good. Been spinning that at work for a few days.
Click to expand...
I too liked Nightwish's latest (though I like none of their previous works), but the new Riverside is superb. If you like mellow Progressive music, with intense vocals and emotional guitar play, I'd highly recommend it.

Zod
 
General Zod said:
Care to share which CDs you like best by these acts? I'm always looking for new stuff, and you've piqued my curiosity on these bands. Also, could you provide a better description of Sigur Ros? Thanks.

Zod
Click to expand...

No problem.

- - -

Sigur Ros
As lame and as cliche as it may sound, I really cannot describe the music of Sigur Ros that well. However, I can provide you with some links to a few of their songs - enjoy! As for my favorite Sigur Ros album, I'd probably have to say it's a tie between Agaetis Byrjun and ( ) although I still am not too sure.

Untitled #8 - from ( )
Untitled #4 - from ( )
Vidrar Vel Til Loftarasa - from Agaetis Byrjun

If you like what you hear and want more music and even some videos (they're incredible moving, I may add) check out their website at Sigur-Ros.co.uk

Wintersun
Wintersun is more or less a very wonderful mix of power, black and folk metal - with other metal elements too. There is only one Wintersun album out right now, the self-titled album. Here are a couple medleys taken from the Wintersun website that should give you a good idea of what Wintersun is all about.

Medley #1 - the fast stuff
Medley #2 - the slow(er) stuff

Butterfly Messiah
Butterfly Messiah is some excellent electronic music, as I said. I would recommend their album Eternal, which is also the only one I can find (they have another album out called Priestess which I've yet to get my hands on). Here a few MP3 links that are, unfortunatly, all clips, but it should give you an idea.

Eternal - from Eternal
Grey - from Eternal
The Circle - from Eternal

Godspeed You Black Emperor
As with Sigur Ros, Godspeed You Black Emperor is a bit hard to describe. Godspeed's songs are all very long, so I will provide with a link to their disography page that has plenty of samples - I'm a bit too lazy to write out all of their long titles! :p

Disco

- - -

I hope all this helps you out! :)
 
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