I've seen Kamelot - The Black Halo appear on many top ten lists (#2 on mine), and a lot of people disputing such sacriledge (some to the extent of "Kamelot Sucks!").
A good friend of mine and I were recently discussing Kamelot. He and I share musical tastes aplenty, but he just doesn't get Kamelot the same way I do. He asked me a specific question that was hard for me to answer on the spot... What is it that you like Kamelot?
I have been aware of Kamelot for about 3 years now, and have owned Fourth Legacy, Karma, and Epica for 2 of those three years. I liked them all. But they have been hit and miss for me. I don't care much for speed metal, plain and simple. There was a little too much of the speedy stuff for me to put them on a pedastal in my musical garden. My favorite songs were the mid-tempo ones, but they were few and far between until 05s The Black Halo.
But why do I like them? It's not really the musicianship like other prog/power/speed metal bands. Other than the occasional riff, fill, or solo, it's very conservative when it comes to noodling or wanking. It's the songwriting that appeals to me, way more important than the speed or shredability. Songwriting, IMO, has always been what Kamelot's about: killer melodies, unique vocals, creative interpretations of their genre (beyond that of the Helloween clones).
And the most important factor: the singer. From opinions I've been reading, Khan is one of those "love 'im or hate 'im" vocalists. I don't understand that, and I'm firmly in the love 'im category. I doubt I'd like Kamelot nearly as much as I do if they had someone different on the lead mic.
I resisted Kamelot as a top band until some of my UMOS friends started harping on me about how good The Black Halo was. I bought it in April on their recommendations, still only liked it. Over the summer though, riding around in the mountains of Montana, I had occasion to spin the disc often. It got me. It took awhile, but Black Halo got me.
If not for my musical fetish with Arjen Lucassen's work, The Black Halo would've landed #1 on my list for 05.
A good friend of mine and I were recently discussing Kamelot. He and I share musical tastes aplenty, but he just doesn't get Kamelot the same way I do. He asked me a specific question that was hard for me to answer on the spot... What is it that you like Kamelot?
I have been aware of Kamelot for about 3 years now, and have owned Fourth Legacy, Karma, and Epica for 2 of those three years. I liked them all. But they have been hit and miss for me. I don't care much for speed metal, plain and simple. There was a little too much of the speedy stuff for me to put them on a pedastal in my musical garden. My favorite songs were the mid-tempo ones, but they were few and far between until 05s The Black Halo.
But why do I like them? It's not really the musicianship like other prog/power/speed metal bands. Other than the occasional riff, fill, or solo, it's very conservative when it comes to noodling or wanking. It's the songwriting that appeals to me, way more important than the speed or shredability. Songwriting, IMO, has always been what Kamelot's about: killer melodies, unique vocals, creative interpretations of their genre (beyond that of the Helloween clones).
And the most important factor: the singer. From opinions I've been reading, Khan is one of those "love 'im or hate 'im" vocalists. I don't understand that, and I'm firmly in the love 'im category. I doubt I'd like Kamelot nearly as much as I do if they had someone different on the lead mic.
I resisted Kamelot as a top band until some of my UMOS friends started harping on me about how good The Black Halo was. I bought it in April on their recommendations, still only liked it. Over the summer though, riding around in the mountains of Montana, I had occasion to spin the disc often. It got me. It took awhile, but Black Halo got me.
If not for my musical fetish with Arjen Lucassen's work, The Black Halo would've landed #1 on my list for 05.
I have nothing to add, agreed 100%.
