Non-gay bro thread a.k.a. Random offtopic stuff.

[The Grayfox]

Does anyone remember when 2 years was the standard amount of time between album releases? In the 70s, sometimes less than a year? Those were good times. I saw a social media post by Beast in Black today saying they're HOPING their next album will be out in late 2025. That means it could realistically be pushed into 2026. For a band that isn't on hiatus, that's fucking disgraceful. Dark Connection came out in 2021 -- that is way, way too long to milk an album. Unfortunately it isn't just them. This seems to be a regular thing now, with bands being more merch company than band these days. I've seen bands that put out a new merch collection every month, but can't seem to keep the music flowing. I'm not supporting that shit anymore. If you're going to be in a band, fucking act like it.

Bands used to go into a studio, write and record an album in 10-14 days and we'd end up with a timeless classic. Now bands need two years in a high tech studio that does all the work for them and what do we get? Some piece of shit that is forgotten a month after release. Get it together, music scene.

 

[Xpyro125]

While part of me would love to defend bands by saying that touring (and merch is how a band makes the most money, recording and putting out an album more often really doesn’t disrupt that aside from having to learn some new songs.

Honestly, what you said here exactly describes how I feel about Mortal Kombat. Deadly Alliance, the behemoth known as Deception, and Armageddon, which has every main MK character people asked for except Tremor and like fucking Hornbuckle or some shit, all came out two years apart. MK9 came out in 2011 (Ngl, shit story), MKX came out in 2015, and while it had issues, it was actually surprisingly fine story and character-wise. MK11 was 2019 and is the Battles of Mortal Kombat. MK1 came out in 2023, and was almost great had WB not insisted on stupid fucking multiverse shit God knows how many years after Endgame. If you’re going to do time shit or multiverse shit, at the very least do it well.

I guess it wouldn’t be so horrible if they didn’t treat the characters like shit, remove all the wacky side modes like Chess Kombat, fucking Mario Kart, and anything not main story, arcade mode, and versus, not have anything that showed the team having fun (Cooking With Scorpion is the best thing ever), have stupid timeline and multiverse shit, introduce Greek mythology in a series entrenched in eastern culture, have grandstanding real world ethical bullshit about this and that in a game whose main gimmick revolves around who can most brutally murder a man, or be $130 for the full game and DLC before microtransactions.

I guess to loop it back to what you said, I miss when big devs and bands made their work out of passion and to make something beautiful. It’s genuinely incredible how I’m just a year, In Flames went from Colony to Clayman, which has the most amount of iconic songs that resonate with the old and new fans alike— Incredible riffs like Pinball Map and the title track, beautiful melodies like Satellites and Astronauts and Suburban Me, a kickass opener in Bullet Ride, and OFTW simply being OFTW. We can’t get anything now that isn’t overproduced to hell and back and isn’t roofed up with Benson autotune.

Meanwhile, Disarmonia Mundi fans have been waiting nine years for a new album, with four of those being spent on Ettore producing and mixing it, only for the production and mixing to ruin the actually really good music. Although it’s not metal, RARE by Hundredth still stings because it’s one of my favorite albums, and the one album and countless singles that have come out afterwards have all been this nu wave synth stuff that’s exactly like the vocalist’s side project— What is the point of keeping your bandmates around if what you’re going to make afterwards just doesn’t include them?

I could very easily be fine with the wait if what we’d end up getting afterwards lived up to what we loved before— Or hell, if there were lineup changes and/or a bunch of shit behind the scenes going on. That much is understandable. I won’t even fault In Flames for taking four years after ITM because if Clayman 2020 is what we got during the pandemic, then I don’t think I’d want their pandemic music. I’m moreso frustrated with them because Foregone is the In Flames album we got after ITM. If it was any other metalcore band, I’d probably find Foregone to be as fine as it is without being insulted, but again, everything I said about Clayman— And I’m pretty sure that album just barely makes or just barely doesn’t make my top 5. I want the melodies back, man.

 

[DE4life]

Yeah I think it's pretty much because albums don't really make bands money. If they're still selling out shows then they don't feel an urgent need to release new music.

Honestly I wish In Flames hadn't bothered between 2011 and 2019. Nobody needed the shit they released in between and it's just made their live shows worse as shit new songs replace good older songs.

 

[eochaid]

It's true that album sales don't help but, as musicians, they should feel a creative urge. But nobody has that urge anymore. It's a shame. I don't see them as real musicians anymore. Just people making music for the money.

And, happy new year to everyone.

 

[DE4life]

Happy new year all... somehow this forum is still alive

 

[Xpyro125]

Until Battles 2 in 2026, my friends. We have a year until The Event.

 

[The Grayfox]

Yeah, albums on their own don’t make much money but it’s still the driving force. Or at least you’d hope so. You need fans to invest in something that isn’t merch. I mean, I don’t go out and buy merch from a band I’ve never heard. Maybe things are just done differently now. In metal specifically though, the music has never made the money. It’s always been touring. Honestly it’s probably like that for any genre. Touring and selling merch on tour is always going to be where the majority of an artist’s money comes from.

But if new music isn’t being made, I’m not going to go support you on tour and just keep hearing the same shit over and over. I made that mistake with In Flames on the RTR cycle. After 3-4 shows, you’re actually bored at a metal show because the setlist is the same and you’re tired of hearing the same songs.

It already just feels like laziness. There are bands that still give a shit and put out new music consistently. But when I start seeing this 4-5 years between releases nonsense, it’s a little aggravating. In Beast in Black’s case, you couldn’t do a live album? An EP that wasn’t just the subpar single you released already months earlier with a few live tracks that is a JAPANESE EXCLUSIVE? Anything remotely substantial would be fine.

Then I see a band like Orbit Culture who don’t stop busting their asses. When they’re not touring, they’re writing and recording. They’re constantly releasing singles, EPs and albums. For me at least, there’s a serious disconnect between myself and these bands that are just coming across as sort of lazy and phoning it in, milking something they released years ago. It’s the fucking Skyrim of music — how many times do we need a re-release or a tour supporting the same tired shit? If you’re gonna wait this long between releases, it should be worth the wait. Most of the time, sadly, it isn’t.

Also, Happy New Year from one grumpy asshole to what I assume is a gaggle of also grumpy assholes.

 

[Xpyro125]

But if new music isn’t being made, I’m not going to go support you on tour and just keep hearing the same shit over and over. I made that mistake with In Flames on the RTR cycle. After 3-4 shows, you’re actually bored at a metal show because the setlist is the same and you’re tired of hearing the same songs.

It already just feels like laziness. There are bands that still give a shit and put out new music consistently. But when I start seeing this 4-5 years between releases nonsense, it’s a little aggravating. In Beast in Black’s case, you couldn’t do a live album? An EP that wasn’t just the subpar single you released already months earlier with a few live tracks that is a JAPANESE EXCLUSIVE? Anything remotely substantial would be fine.

You just reminded me of In This Moment, the band who I think might have possibly the worst fall off I’ve ever heard from one. Mother and Godmode are two albums with some of the least substance I’ve ever heard, and they make me appreciate SC, Battles, and Foregone because at least those could be enjoyable. They constantly tour, and with three years between each recent album where the music made is just so fucking basic, it genuinely feels like it’s made simply to give a reason for people to watch them perform live (Not because the music’s good, that’d take effort, but because there simply is new music) and to change the aesthetic. Next Life is one of the most insane songs I’ve ever heard in the best way I could mean it— Great riffing, harmonized guitars, raw production, and some of the best screams I’ve ever heard. It’s a goddamn shame they went from that to their cover of We Will Rock You or The Purge. Even on something like Blood, there was still Whore, but Black Widow is where they were really gone.

Then I see a band like Orbit Culture who don’t stop busting their asses. When they’re not touring, they’re writing and recording. They’re constantly releasing singles, EPs and albums. For me at least, there’s a serious disconnect between myself and these bands that are just coming across as sort of lazy and phoning it in, milking something they released years ago. It’s the fucking Skyrim of music — how many times do we need a re-release or a tour supporting the same tired shit? If you’re gonna wait this long between releases, it should be worth the wait. Most of the time, sadly, it isn’t.

God, this is insanely true for legacy bands.

Also, Happy New Year from one grumpy asshole to what I assume is a gaggle of also grumpy assholes.

Yep, but surely things might get better soon. Hopefully.

 

[Moonshield_]

New Grima (Siberian atmospheric black metal) album sounds great so far:

 

[Xpyro125]

I bought Skull Gatherers some time after it came out, absolutely beautiful stuff. The best mix of melodic beauty and abrasive black metal, it really doesn’t feel soft or compromised at all. I’ll listen to this new single soon, but yeah, love Skull Gatherers.

 

[Xpyro125]

New Disarmonia Mundi single’s out. The production isn’t nearly as bad, certainly not physically painful like Oathbreaker’s, but I still don’t like the guitar tone whatsoever. Funnily enough, instead of being far too loud, they’re a little too quiet. Funny how a good 3-4 years was on such an amateurish job with the production… But hey, Björn’s back on vocals, so that’s pretty cool.

 

[ThePhobiac]

I suppose the thing with mixing your own music (I assume this is the case for this album?) is that if you listen to it enough times, you get so used to the mix that it sounds normal to you.

I really like the chorus in this song. I also like how it just rides the energy for nearly seven minutes instead of just being another verse chorus verse thing.

 

[DE4life]

Could be the same issue with Cyhra if they're now mixing their own stuff as well. I guess that's why having an impartial party mixing and producing is a good idea, but money in the metal scene is pretty tight, so you can see why bands try to do it in-house.

 

[Xpyro125]

Yeah, Ettore’s always been the one producing and mixing everything, and save for The Isolation Game having surprisingly fine production, it’s definitely been a downward spiral in that regard. I know a lot of people hated Cold Inferno’s production (fair), but this new album’s definitely worse on that front. Big shame too because I absolutely love the songwriting.

 

[Xpyro125]

I know that probably nobody here listens to As I Lay Dying (myself included, never gave them a chance), but the Tim Lambesis situation got even worse. I fully expected the reports about him being aggressive with bandmates and with his current wife, but some indoor surveillance footage where he kicks his dog in one part then hits his dog and goes back up to him/her as if he’s ready to do it again in another part just came out, and it’s fucking aggravating. Aggravating’s not quite the right word, but it’s as close as I’ll get. I already hated the guy, but I would’ve never suspected him of being an animal abuser on top of the list of shit he did. I really wish someone would just put a bullet in him already.

I won’t link a video or anything here, but it’s not tough to find if you want to make sure for yourself.

 

[The Grayfox]

I decided to pass on the dog video. I watched the other ones when they came out. Dude definitely has serious mental health issues. I think most people knew it years ago, but decided to give the guy a second chance. He went to prison and did a decent job convincing people he was recovered and did a lot of work on himself, when clearly he didn't. He is definitely out of chances at this point. Nobody is going to give him the time of day after the video evidence came out. He can try and swerve it in his favor all he wants, nobody is buying it. He's obviously a piece of garbage.

 

[Xpyro125]

I don’t blame you for passing on it. I only watched it because one guy said that he didn’t hit the dog that hard— And sure, he definitely didn’t hit the dog like he’d hit a man, but that doesn’t make it any less horrible. It wasn’t playful, he had time to think over his actions, and it was over multiple points in the day. Fuck the guy who commented that.

It’s fascinating that he and his wife are both alleging that the other abused them. I believe her due to the pattern of his behavior, but I’m not closed off to the possibility that maybe, just maybe he’s telling the truth, but it’ll take a lot of evidence to sway me. Even then with the details of her claims, particularly with the attempts to silence her, that’s all proof that’ll either come out in the divorce and show that maybe he was the victim for once in his life. I don’t think there’s a certifiable depth to his depravity, save for not having anything towards children, which should be the bare minimum.

I feel lucky that I didn’t listen to the band in their prime, I feel lucky that I still haven’t. I’ve only ever given some iTunes previews a chance, and I’ll be real, I genuinely enjoyed what I heard off the new album— It’s everything I’d want modern metalcore to be. That being said, it’s Tim’s band, Tim would get the money, so I won’t buy a single thing until he’s in the ground. When he’s dead and gone, I’ll go and enjoy the material I heard.

 

[The Grayfox]

I actually do like As I Lay Dying and the new album is quite excellent I must say. I didn't buy it though. They're one of the quintessential metalcore bands, imo. They really helped define the genre and they do have some really, really good tunes. I enjoyed them a lot back in the day before anyone knew anything about Tim and then when it came out that he hired a hit man, I just assumed we'd never hear from AILD again. I was shocked when they reunited in 2018, but I figured 'hey, if the guys in the band decided to reunite, they must think Tim has reformed.' And it did seem that way for a while. But then it really fell apart. I think him losing two full bands back-to-back is proof enough that he's the problem. If you go on YouTube and watch their sitdown discussion about reuniting, you can see how uncomfortable and awkward it is. The rest of the guys in the band make overtures that they've decided to move on and forgive, but you can tell there is still a lot of animosity and weirdness going on there, especially coming from Nick and Josh who were the first ones to leave after the reunion.

One would assume that being on tour and in the studio with Tim, they saw a lot of red flags and probably thought "this dude hasn't changed at all." I think Tim is good at faking it. Watch any of his interviews from the last few years. He comes across as a quiet, calm, reserved individual when it is abundantly clear from the videos that he is anything but those things. He's quite the actor. Everyone assumed roid rage was responsible in 2012, but I think the dude really just has some serious mental problems that need to be addressed. He comes across as a fucking psychopath in those videos.

 

[DE4life]

I've never been into As I Lay Dying so I can't really comment music-wise, but animal abuse is one of the most cowardly things a human can do. A pet can't speak out or escape (unless they get lucky), and dogs especially are hardwired to be loyal and will take a lot of abuse without retaliating - and if it does retaliate, it's usually going to be the one that's punished, not the abuser, as the dog can't say 'I did this because I was being abused'. I volunteer at an animal shelter and it's intensely sad when you see these cases, because you can't explain to the animal that they're safe. You'll never be able to clearly communicate that some humans are just pieces of shit, but not all of us are. Some of them do intrinsically understand, over time, but others don't and they end up being euthanised through no fault of their own.

For some people an animal is just an animal, but to me it's a living creature that deserves the same dignity and respect as any other sentient being. We may have a higher intelligence, but if anything that places more responsibility on us to look out for animals we choose to have live with us - and who share the planet with us. It doesn't give us the right to treat them however we decide, simply because evolution arbitrarily gave us an advantage in terms of general intelligence. As a species that intelligence only means something if it's used to make things better, otherwise it has no positive value at all.

 

[eochaid]

For a dog, we are their lives. We are everything and the most important that they have because they are also totally dependant on us.