Musical Enlightenment

[JoeVice]

The only thing I can think of as "form" on Ruun is the constant use of major chords, but hell, it sounds good and has yet to stagnate. Most people listen to Enslaved records the wrong way, anyway. Enslaved is program music. It's supposed to make images in your heads and stir feelings within you. Most of Ruun is so fucking epic. But unlike their other records, Ruun has a very cohesive writing style. All the songs make perfect sense in the linear song logic, but yet they are still very unique. If a band can do that throughout an album, then it will be a very good album. Katatonia does this, too.

i don't know much about black metal, but from what i have heard and read about it, enslaved likes to stay faithfull to what what black metal is about. i agree with you on the "program music" idea. i may not see it exactly like you, but i see it as music that is a constantly displayed image that you have to reach out for. its visually stimulating...almost in the vein of soundscape/atmospheric music. this is what i meant when i said "form" music. it never strays far from the initial message. the pink floyd influence is very strong in this album...there is one section in a song (don't remember which) that is strikingly similar to pink floyd...which i like and dislike. its nice sounding, but almost too similar...which is just a bias that i have because i have heard pink floyd do the same.

 

[NFU]

i don't know much about black metal, but from what i have heard and read about it, enslaved likes to stay faithfull to what what black metal is about. i agree with you on the "program music" idea. i may not see it exactly like you, but i see it as music that is a constantly displayed image that you have to reach out for. its visually stimulating...almost in the vein of soundscape/atmospheric music. this is what i meant when i said "form" music. it never strays far from the initial message. the pink floyd influence is very strong in this album...there is one section in a song (don't remember which) that is strikingly similar to pink floyd...which i like and dislike. its nice sounding, but almost too similar...which is just a bias that i have because i have heard pink floyd do the same.

well in all fairness...enslaved has never really been tied to "what black metal is all about"...theyve always kind of done their own thing and incorporated the musical elements of that genre into it. id say a band like darkthrone fits that description a little better for instance. however, as a "progressive metal" band in the truest and most honest AND consistant sense of the word, id say Enslaved takes the cake above any other really. theyve always reinvented themselves, and been dead set on creating the perfect NEW album for them AND in doing so, have inspired many others to do the same.

so in a weird way, id take your original statement, and remove the term "black metal" and exchange it with "progressive metal". they just happen to have close ties and influence with black metal.

 

[Ten SiSi]

Enslaved is perfect prog metal, straight from the veins of black metal. Ivar and Mikael should do something.

 

[JoeVice]

well in all fairness...enslaved has never really been tied to "what black metal is all about"...theyve always kind of done their own thing and incorporated the musical elements of that genre into it. id say a band like darkthrone fits that description a little better for instance. however, as a "progressive metal" band in the truest and most honest AND consistant sense of the word, id say Enslaved takes the cake above any other really. theyve always reinvented themselves, and been dead set on creating the perfect NEW album for them AND in doing so, have inspired many others to do the same.

so in a weird way, id take your original statement, and remove the term "black metal" and exchange it with "progressive metal". they just happen to have close ties and influence with black metal.

well, thats where our definitions of progressive metal are different. to me, they seem like a black metal band with progressive elements. i'll say, they are progressive within their own limits/cliches....which sounds like a..ummm...(ex. tiny giant)..whatever word that is.

 

[vampyré]

nice contribution. idiot.

You suck.

 

[illidurit]

there are only a few bm riffs on the entire album

 

[Ten SiSi]

The end of Essence is about as black metal as they get nowadays.

 

[illidurit]

and the beginning of fusion of sense and earth

 

[JoeVice]

there are only a few bm riffs on the entire album

oh

 

[NFU]

well, thats where our definitions of progressive metal are different. to me, they seem like a black metal band with progressive elements. i'll say, they are progressive within their own limits/cliches....which sounds like a..ummm...(ex. tiny giant)..whatever word that is.

well i cant help you then. i think you need to step outside of that bubble a little bit. would you also call Opeth a death metal band with progressive elements? i dont think so...

 

[OpethFanEternal]

Hello Everyone!
I'm bored on my lunch break and thought I'd post some stuff I really enjoy, here goes:

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
This album is one of the coolest CD's i own! Perfect as background music at a party, great on the commute around town, etc. The arrangements are very fun, and the vocals (while sometimes out-of-tune) are great to wail along with. Also worth noting, Jeff Mangum is a very original and awesome lyricist.

Sufjan Stevens - Michigan
This is another "indie-rock" album i own, and love very much. Sufjan's vocals are so pleasant to relax to, all the banjo riffs are cool, and i also enjoy the guitar. It is very neat that this guy can play so many instruments so well.

Queensryche - Empire
I am sure most/all of you know about queensryche, some of you probably hate them. Regardless, this album is kickass! All the songs are top-notch Prog-Rock/Metal, though it is a bit watered down at times. Geoff's vox are stellar, and the song writing i like here more than on any other of their albums. Della Brown is one of my very favorite songs of all time.

Thats probably enough space i just wasted, hope some of you check out the first two, if you haven't already. Thanks!

 

[Ten SiSi]

Hello Everyone!
I'm bored on my lunch break and thought I'd post some stuff I really enjoy, here goes:

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
This album is one of the coolest CD's i own! Perfect as background music at a party, great on the commute around town, etc. The arrangements are very fun, and the vocals (while sometimes out-of-tune) are great to wail along with. Also worth noting, Jeff Mangum is a very original and awesome lyricist.

Sufjan Stevens - Michigan
This is another "indie-rock" album i own, and love very much. Sufjan's vocals are so pleasant to relax to, all the banjo riffs are cool, and i also enjoy the guitar. It is very neat that this guy can play so many instruments so well.

Queensryche - Empire
I am sure most/all of you know about queensryche, some of you probably hate them. Regardless, this album is kickass! All the songs are top-notch Prog-Rock/Metal, though it is a bit watered down at times. Geoff's vox are stellar, and the song writing i like here more than on any other of their albums. Della Brown is one of my very favorite songs of all time.

Thats probably enough space i just wasted, hope some of you check out the first two, if you haven't already. Thanks!

I was thinking "what the hell?" at this post, but I see now that you're from Idaho. So it makes sense.

 

[NFU]

why does it matter that hes(shes?) from idaho?

 

[Ten SiSi]

just messin. good list

 

[Abhorsen]

and now for something completely different...


Sondre Lerche - Two Way Monologue
John Martyn - Solid Air
carole king - tapestry
america - hideaway
edith piaf - la vie en rose
Vast - Music For People
hank marvin - self titled
polly paulusma - scissors in my pocket
scott walker - 4
Valerie Carter - Just a Stones Throw Away
David Sylvian - Secrets Of The Beehive
The Bad Plus - We Are The Vistas

Hideaway? You sure you weren't just in the mood for some skiing there 9 when you were thinking about America albums. I jest in part because I like Harbor, the last album with Dan Peek.

Here's some more:

Talking Heads - Fear of Music, produced and co-written by Brian Eno. The Heads' best album

Peter Lang - The Thing at the Nursery Room Window. In the Fahey/Basho/Kottke school of acoustic guitar, only with more individuality, if that's possible with solo guitar records

Charles Lloyd - Sangam, Lloyd's first live album for ECM. Fantastic jazz trio.

Richard Thompson - Rumour and Sigh. Thompson is the reigning king of British folk artists. This album has it all. Great songwriting and string bending.

Bruce Dicksinson - Skunkworks. I think the Maiden vocalist was channeling Rush when he made this record. Strong from start to finish.

XTC - Skylarking, produced by Todd Rundgren. My favorite XTC record. Pure pop bliss.

Wilco - Kicking Television. Great american band that are hard to categorize and this live album shows why.

Steve Hackett - Defector, underrated 1980 prog album by the former Genesis guitarist.

Tony Banks, while were on a Genesis roll, gotta throw in A Curious Feeling. Banks's first solo album sounds like it were recorded in 1979 and in this case that's not a bad thing. His proggiest solo record and about the only one worth listening to.

Santana - Caravanserai. Prog fans should love this. Guitar players should study it. Santana was never better. I'm not a big Santana fan, but Caravanserai is wonderful.


bang, about the Allman Brothers Band, some of their late 1960's and early 70's records are absolute classics. Some of the finest rock records ever made, but in the last thirty years they've released a lotta shit too and most of it could be missed without missing much

 

[westknife]

bang, about the Allman Brothers Band, some of their late 1960's and early 70's records are absolute classics. Some of the finest rock records ever made, but in the last thirty years they've released a lotta shit too and most of it could be missed without missing much

s/t ---> eat a peach are all untouchable, also anything live from that period

everything else is mediocre at best

 

[Bass4Prez]

good stuff abhorsen

 

[JoeVice]

well i cant help you then. i think you need to step outside of that bubble a little bit. would you also call Opeth a death metal band with progressive elements? i dont think so...

don't start talking about bubbles with me. i've already stepped out of the bubble that you are still in. in fact, i think i'm at least 8 bubbles beyond your bubble. and you're right, i'd say that opeth are progressive before they are metal.

 

[JoeVice]

Sufjan Stevens - Michigan
This is another "indie-rock" album i own, and love very much. Sufjan's vocals are so pleasant to relax to, all the banjo riffs are cool, and i also enjoy the guitar. It is very neat that this guy can play so many instruments so well.

good call, although i haven't heard that album yet. i really like illinoiz.

 

[Ten SiSi]

lol


abhorsen: great list man