So Im pretty much a late comer to Hammers, and I dont really feel like reading the whole thread because im lazy. I think I prefer The Bastard to the August Engine honestly, but ive only owned each about 4 or 5 months. Did The August Engine take some people more time to like more? Im just curious, I still think they are both great albums though.
Hammers of Misfortune - The August Engine
- Thread starter JayKeeley
- Start date
Demilich
Remember
took me a hell of a long time to like Hammers at all. maybe a year. not sure why... now i love 'em! i still don't own The Bastard, though.
Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
Demilich
Remember
i've heard it and didn't like it as much, but that would probably change now that im TOTALLY OBSESSED with TAE.
dill_the_devil
OneMetal.com Music Editor
Okay, thirteen pages of this thread have finally convinced me - when I get a spare moment, I'm going to listen to some samples and see what you've all been raving about!
J.
Old Fart
Opeth17 is sending me one of their CDs. I await to see if the hype is deserved or if Hammers is just another Butt Ass Bord
Profanity
The Post Master
The Bastard must contain 1001 riffs. Each one fine tuned to near-perfection. Tremelo speed picking, stomping riffs, downtuned doom structures, folk medleys. The whole celtic/folk feel to it is excellent , what with the soft female vox, Scalzi's 'low brow' vocals, and Cobbet's harsh screams throw together.
Remember - it's a concept album, so each singer (voice) represents a different character, or group of characters. Listen carefully to track 1 with the clean female vox singing over blastbeats, and underlying that are the gr1m screams coming out the woodland....it's such a nice touch, but it really requires close listening to pick out all these nuance -- this applies throughout the album.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, "You should have slain me" is a masterpiece all unto itself.
But yeah, it took AGES to really fall in love with The Bastard, whereas The August Engine was a lot more immediate. It won't hit you in one listen - no classic ever does. There are many, many more subtleties to The Bastard - A tale told in Three Acts than there are in 99% of the albums I own.
Great artwork, fantastic lyrics (really quite profound when you read between the lines), simple production across two 24 track tapes....man, this has it all.
10/10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coming soon to a theater near you.
See review for further details: http://www.royalcarnage.com/Reviews/jaykeeley/hammers of misfortune/bastard_rev.htm
Remember - it's a concept album, so each singer (voice) represents a different character, or group of characters. Listen carefully to track 1 with the clean female vox singing over blastbeats, and underlying that are the gr1m screams coming out the woodland....it's such a nice touch, but it really requires close listening to pick out all these nuance -- this applies throughout the album.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, "You should have slain me" is a masterpiece all unto itself.
But yeah, it took AGES to really fall in love with The Bastard, whereas The August Engine was a lot more immediate. It won't hit you in one listen - no classic ever does. There are many, many more subtleties to The Bastard - A tale told in Three Acts than there are in 99% of the albums I own.
Great artwork, fantastic lyrics (really quite profound when you read between the lines), simple production across two 24 track tapes....man, this has it all.
10/10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coming soon to a theater near you.
See review for further details: http://www.royalcarnage.com/Reviews/jaykeeley/hammers of misfortune/bastard_rev.htm
Black Winter Day
Member
That's got to be the worst attempt to make fun of a band name that I've ever heard!
J.
Old Fart
NAD
What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse
The Bastard took me awhile to appreciate, and it's somewhere around an 8 or 9/10. Dig it, but don't listen to it very often.
The August Engine was a shotgun blast straight to my nutsack, one of those albums that blowded me away from the very beginning and just continued to get better. Listen all the damn time.
Both very different albums, the only real similarities are the clean vocals (obviously the same people) and the lead styles (you can tell it's Scalzi and Cobbett).
The August Engine was a shotgun blast straight to my nutsack, one of those albums that blowded me away from the very beginning and just continued to get better. Listen all the damn time.
Both very different albums, the only real similarities are the clean vocals (obviously the same people) and the lead styles (you can tell it's Scalzi and Cobbett).
J.
Old Fart
After 2 listens, I still don't know if I like The Bastard. I can appreciate it, but I don't see myself wanting to put it on often at all. I am glad I heard it, though. I like it more than Mastodon. 
I think my biggest problem is the vocals. They are not of the gay variety, but for some reason I don't like them, both the male and female vocals. The "grim" vocals are not used enough IMO.
Also, the music does not seem "sinister" or "heavy" enough for my liking. THe overall tone of the album is kind of depressing, but it doesn't necessarily make me feel sad. It's weird, I get a "sad" vibe from the album, but when listening, the album also feels bouncy and happy. 'Tis confusing.
I think it feels that way because this album reminds me of a damn musical with all the different vocalist and song changes.
I think my biggest problem is the vocals. They are not of the gay variety, but for some reason I don't like them, both the male and female vocals. The "grim" vocals are not used enough IMO.
Also, the music does not seem "sinister" or "heavy" enough for my liking. THe overall tone of the album is kind of depressing, but it doesn't necessarily make me feel sad. It's weird, I get a "sad" vibe from the album, but when listening, the album also feels bouncy and happy. 'Tis confusing.
I think it feels that way because this album reminds me of a damn musical with all the different vocalist and song changes.
Yeah, it's somewhat of an 'opera concept', hence the "Tale told in Three Acts" thing. As you can hear, it's riffs galore going across lots of genre type trademarks (occasional blast beats, tremelo picking, doom riffs, etc).
The vocals are not a problem for me. I don't understand how you have this mental block on clean vox, but still, that's your cuppatea so to speak.
Again, it's a tough album to appreciate straight away -- THe August Engine is a lot more immediate (but the vocals will still get in your way).
Look at it this way, it's good trade fodder, and at least you gave it a try. (Although the samples should have given you some indication, no?). Stick with it, trade it, do what you need, but don't dismiss it immediately. You never know....it's difficult to explain with this album, but it tends to have a few tricks up its sleeve. In a week from now, you might put it on and think better off it.
There's no harm in keeping it for a while -- it's value doesn't diminish in anyway if you wish to trade it away in a couple of months or something.
The vocals are not a problem for me. I don't understand how you have this mental block on clean vox, but still, that's your cuppatea so to speak.
Again, it's a tough album to appreciate straight away -- THe August Engine is a lot more immediate (but the vocals will still get in your way).
Look at it this way, it's good trade fodder, and at least you gave it a try. (Although the samples should have given you some indication, no?). Stick with it, trade it, do what you need, but don't dismiss it immediately. You never know....it's difficult to explain with this album, but it tends to have a few tricks up its sleeve. In a week from now, you might put it on and think better off it.
There's no harm in keeping it for a while -- it's value doesn't diminish in anyway if you wish to trade it away in a couple of months or something.
Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
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