Hammers of Misfortune - The August Engine

[Black Winter Day]

i'm wondering why i don't write all my reviews like that... it'd make things so much easier!

Finnugor - whateveritscalled = sucks. it swallowed armadillo dick. 3/10
Madder Mortem = singer sucks. band sucks. music sucks. 1/10
Arcturus - LMI = the winner!!! kicks ass. 10/10

 

[JayKeeley]

I don't really know if you'd like it or not (especially since you never gave the yay or nay to The Power to Believe you bastid ),

Hehehe, I've been afraid and in hiding. Thing about The Power to Believe is that it leaves me a bit dumbfounded. I don't even know where to begin. It is so off the wall to me, at times drifting into free form jazz and what not.

but it is an extremely important album in the grand scheme of things, easily on par with Sgt. Pepper's and Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

And someone then compared The August Engine to it? Wow, that's quite a compliment to HoM.

If I had to describe it in simple terms I would call it hippy acid jazz, but that is not doing it justice. I can see comparisons to The August Engine, mostly in their mastery of the use of dynamics.

It's that "hippy acid jazz" that makes me want to run and hide in granpa's chicken coop.

 

[General Zod]

That's excellent. It will be good (read: extraordinary), just trust me implicitly on this one. What did you base your decision on out of interest?

Mainly, the ridiculous amount of praise you heaped on this disc. I also checked out the sound file, which seemed pretty cool.

Zod

 

[JayKeeley]

Mainly, the ridiculous amount of praise you heaped on this disc. I also checked out the sound file, which seemed pretty cool.

Zod

Yeah man, but I backed it up in the review. I always substantiate my masturbatory source material.

 

[NAD]

I have the patience to sit through Moonchild!

That's the one song that befuddled me for a long time, but now I can enjoy it. Definitely left me confused and angry the first few times.

Hehehe, I've been afraid and in hiding. Thing about The Power to Believe is that it leaves me a bit dumbfounded. I don't even know where to begin. It is so off the wall to me, at times drifting into free form jazz and what not.

SUCK IT UP!!!

It's that "hippy acid jazz" that makes me want to run and hide in granpa's chicken coop.

Yeah, I know. Honestly you could swing either way with ITCotCK. 21st Century Schizoid Man would rock your socks though, no question.

Why you would like the album: because you like Radiohead.
Why you wouldn't: because Porcupine Tree made you physically ill.

 

[JayKeeley]

Porcupine Tree "In Absentia" is not bad, I just find it boring. It doesn't do anything for me. I never hear it calling my name from up on that shelf.

If Steve Wilson influenced Opeth to come up with that Damnation CD then they need to leave him this instant.

 

[JayKeeley]

NOTE: The August Engine is available at Dark Symphonies for $10 incl. shipping.

 

[Demonspell]

The bond between Wilson and Akerfeldt is not likely to be severed any time soon...one confirmed he is producing the next Opeth, the other is making a guest appearance on the next PT album.

 

[General Zod]

Jay,

Initial thoughts... I can live without track two and the final track. Maybe these will grow on me, but I'm not holding my breath (especially for 11 minutes). Beyond that, I dig the CD and feel it has the potential to be a real grower. I love the acid trip induced style of poetic lyrics. The male singer has a very unique voice, and an interesting way of phrasing his melodies. I don't usually go for the under produced sound, but the sound of the CD is just perfect. I enjoy how out front the rythm section is.

Zod

 

[NAD]

I thought the last track sucked the first several times I heard it, but now I really enjoy the way it closes the album. The second track rules though, I don't know what you're talking about.

 

[JayKeeley]

Initial thoughts... I can live without track two and the final track. Maybe these will grow on me, but I'm not holding my breath (especially for 11 minutes).

Heh, track 2. Yeah, it's placed in an odd position, but the way track 1 marries itself to track 2 is cool I think. You know, it goes from all the riffing madness to the acoustic ballad.

The last track is a bit of an epic doom piece. The last 2-3 minutes of that song is very cool, with that melodic break that plays over and over. I like it - it reminds me of early Anathema or Novembers Doom.

Beyond that, I dig the CD and feel it has the potential to be a real grower. I love the acid trip induced style of poetic lyrics. The male singer has a very unique voice, and an interesting way of phrasing his melodies. I don't usually go for the under produced sound, but the sound of the CD is just perfect. I enjoy how out front the rythm section is.

Excellent. I'm sure it will keep growing on you since there's so much depth to it IMO. You're right, the production is very low key. You can tell these are real musicians able to jam and improvise in a live environment. Every now and then you need to take a break from all the overt ProTools production jobs out there and just listen to a band plug straight into their valve amps and blast out a few riffs.

Glad you enjoy. Keep us posted on how your love affair develops.

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Blarguh. Thiss thread keeps popping up, mocking/compeling me to buy this CD.

 

[JayKeeley]

The power of the thread compels you!

By the way, En Vind Av Sorg, is the term "Blarguh" copyrighted? Man, I'm in love that word now!

 

[General Zod]

The second track didn't do it for me at frst listen. It would seem to have a much better shot at winning me over than does the final track. I'm about to give the disc another spin.

Zod

 

[Demonspell]

The power of the thread compels you!

By the way, En Vind Av Sorg, is the term "Blarguh" copyrighted? Man, I'm in love that word now!

That reminds me, Moonsorrow's next album will have one of the most unintentionally hilarious foreign language titles ever: Raah Raah Blaah. I'm not making this up, read the news on Digital Metal.

 

[NAD]

So I half-listened to the Bastard twice... I don't like it. Seems like everything I love about The August Engine just isn't present. Mind you this is a preliminary judgment, but The August Engine blew me away during the first minute of me listening to it, maybe I was hoping the same for the Bastard.

 

[Demonspell]

Another late comment, but I have to agree that the ultra-energetic opening instrumental blending into the tranquil Rainfall is one of the coolest transitions ever.

 

[JayKeeley]

So I half-listened to the Bastard twice... I don't like it. Seems like everything I love about The August Engine just isn't present. Mind you this is a preliminary judgment, but The August Engine blew me away during the first minute of me listening to it, maybe I was hoping the same for the Bastard.

I can't remember what I thought of it on the first few listens, especially with the three way vocals (clean male, clean female, death male) and all the celtic/folk interludes. It might have sounded haphazard. Now, I think I like it more than The August Engine, if that's possible!

Give it a chance. One day you will want to have gay babies with it. All cult releases take their own sweet time to sink in.

 

[NAD]

Another late comment, but I have to agree that the ultra-energetic opening instrumental blending into the tranquil Rainfall is one of the coolest transitions ever.

Doesn't that part just beat all!? First time I heard it I sat there smiling and said "oh man that is just too cool..." to myself.

Give it a chance. One day you will want to have gay babies with it. All cult releases take their own sweet time to sink in.

Oh I will. With all the love I have for The August Engine I'd be stupid not to give it a serious chance.

Oh yeah, my HoM beanie showed up too, coated in a bunch of frickin' dog hairs and questionable curlies (aka possible pubes). Needless to say I'm going to wash it before wearing, but at least it made me laugh instead of hurl.

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh I will. With all the love I have for The August Engine I'd be stupid not to give it a serious chance.

There's a lot of depth there. By the way, I just remembered, the moment I really fell for the album was when I followed along with the lyrics. Because it's in 3 acts, it started to open itself up to me like a play.

Oh yeah, my HoM beanie showed up too, coated in a bunch of frickin' dog hairs and questionable curlies (aka possible pubes). Needless to say I'm going to wash it before wearing, but at least it made me laugh instead of hurl.

Dirty Californian beatnicks.