PP USA VIII: Final Band confirmed

Never have quite understood this opinion of not liking female vocal led bands, but then everyone has their opinion. How could they not like Epica last year? I mean, that chick has it together completely. Hell, watch the video of the making of Phantom Agony, We Will Take You With Us. Truly talented professionals in that band, same can be said for After Forever, although I like Epica better. I'm even looking forward to PPs past '07 for the hope of maybe even seeing Within Temptation among others. I like the idea that Glenn has an open mind enough to see and appreciate variations in prog/power metal, and books accordingly. I've always said to see the band live before you blast them, sadly though looks like in this forum people are complaining who've never even heard After Forever's studio albums, especially the past 2. Being narrow minded is boring those around you, so maybe consider expanding your horizons? My girlfriend knows there's a "No Celine Dion Rule" around me, other than that I try to hear as much different music as possible, and amazingly my horizons have expanded alot over the years. Here, check After Forever out, then you decide. AFTER FOREVER OFFICIAL HOMEPAGE
Mike, you truly have a way with words! :kickass: :headbang: :worship:
 
I doubt you clicked many of the links in my last post, but this one is mine.

That's a solid write-up and you nailed my opinion right on target. Are you the same person who has been editing the Wikipedia entry on this topic? It addresses the same issues.

I wasn't being completely sarcastic with my above comment about After Forever. I really have only heard two albums by them, but both sounded more in the symphonic metal vein to me.

My personal take is that these later bands were "grandfathered in" (if that is the correct term) because of Theatre of Tragedy. They were the first band I can think of that did the beauty/beast full-time and they were pretty durned gothic*. I think the beauty/beast bands that followed got lumped in the category, and then the entire "beast" element was dropped (along with a lot of the genre's intrinsic darkness) in some bands. I personally use the term "Sarah Brightman metal" for a lot of them - and trust me, I consider that a compliment.
 
Mike, you truly have a way with words! :kickass: :headbang: :worship:

Yeah, like, "Buy from Exploding Ned's!"

And I probably will, next week in Atlanta! :headbang:

Mike - can you can bring the XL Katatonia "Tonight's Decision" shirt, and were you able to get your hands on one of those Blind Guardian Grim Reaper shirts?
 
Couldn't agree more Derek. For what it's worth though, mislabeling sadly has a long history in music. As an example, I still run into people who call music psychedelic just because it comes from the same time period as psychedelic's beginnings in the mid to late 60s. To me, goth is the first half dozen Paradise Lost albums, but Nightwish and After Forever aren't. People dissing goth usually are just not that well informed about what goth is (be it goth, goth metal, goth whatever). Same thing applies sometimes to folk among other things. I even used to say I didn't like opera when I was young, then I heard rock opera and metal opera.

Thanks for asking. I actually do see a difference between gothic metal and gothic/goth rock. But to me, any music labelled as "gothic" should have a gothic feel to it - a dark, brooding, but still romantic quality. Tristania's "Widows Weeds" is a great axample of an album I'd consider gothic metal. Paradise Lost's albums (through "Icon" at least) and Theatre of Tragedy's releases (until "Musique" or whatever that was) are also good examples. From an atmospheric standpoint, I'd even consider Opeth's albums to be gothic in nature.

And I just don't hear that same gothic quality from bands like After Forever, Within Temptation (playing on my stereo right now, incidentally), or Nightwish. They are all good bands, they just don't sound particularly gothic.

I get defensive about it because I've met some people in the metal community who write those style of bands off as "that crap that goths listen to." Me and you know that gothic metal and the goth "scene" are two different animals, but not all do. I get annoyed at seeing those bands dissed, but I also get annoyed at people's flat-out ignorance about a subculture they know nothing about. But for the most part, my belaboring is meant to be half-comical anyway. I mean, a lot of us have our personal gimmicks ;)
 
Actually I appreciate the compliments, but in reality I am just expressing my opinion here on this forum. I am not intending it to boost sales for my biz.
I realize it can be a two edged sword putting my two cents worth here, but it's a chance I take because I enjoy learning about metal from others, and discussing it with them.

Yeah, like, "Buy from Exploding Ned's!"

And I probably will, next week in Atlanta! :headbang:

Mike - can you can bring the XL Katatonia "Tonight's Decision" shirt, and were you able to get your hands on one of those Blind Guardian Grim Reaper shirts?
 
Actually I appreciate the compliments, but in reality I am just expressing my opinion here on this forum. I am not intending it to boost sales for my biz.
I realize it can be a two edged sword putting my two cents worth here, but it's a chance I take because I enjoy learning about metal from others, and discussing it with them.

Yeah, by no means did I mean anything by my comments since I can't remember you coming on and hawking your wares. You've always been classy about that. We know who you are, you don't have to "advertise"...until the show coems, of course ;)
 
Wow I just listened to Invisible Circles, that voice actor really is horrendous. He makes that guy who used to narrate for Rhapsody look like Orson Welles.
 
Wow I just listened to Invisible Circles, that voice actor really is horrendous. He makes that guy who used to narrate for Rhapsody look like Orson Welles.

No one is worse than the guy who used to narrate for Rhapsody.
 
Hinder... now that's a scary thought :lol:
Actually, if my girlfriend listened to Hinder that might not be so bad, since she would probably be 18 years old if she did :Smokin:

That's a good rule to have, along with a "No Hinder" rule.

Sorry, I couldn't let a day pass without bashing...well, you get the idea.
 
No one is worse than the guy who used to narrate for Rhapsody.

GO MIGHTY WARRIOR!

Yeah, I have to agree that that was embarrassing stuff. I hate the narration on Invisible Circles more, but more for content than performance.