So how is the year shaping up?

Verisakeet is still #1 for me, but I have a feeling that either Summoning or Negura Bunget will take it in the end... probably Negura!
 
Oh I didn't knew that .. yes if it's the only song from The Gallery they play EACH time :Smug:
 
I'm just looking forward to Porcupine Tree's exquisite new release, "Deadwing". I've heard most of it... and it's quite excellent.

Bruce's new album will probably slay. He should just quite Maiden and focus on his solo career, which is IMO far superior.

James Labrie's new solo release is in my hands. Haven't listened to it yet... but the 3 songs I have heard were quite excellent. Great melodies and superb singing.

Labyrinth's "Freeman" is a suprisingly good album. They finally have released a worthy follow-up to 1998's genre-defining "Return to Heaven Denied".

"Frances the Mute" is a monster of an album. Sure... they could definately trim off about 15 minutes of ambient noisescapes... but for the most part... it's a very bold release. They've severed all ties to their ATDI past and have released one of the great progressive rock epics of the 21st century. It's a challenging and forward-thinking work that begs for repeated listens.

Frantic Bleep shows promise. I think they're trying too many things on their debut and get bogged down sometimes. But I look forward to their future endeavors.

I can't remember if I have any other 2005 releases.
 
ProgMetalFan said:
"Frances the Mute" is a monster of an album. Sure... they could definately trim off about 15 minutes of ambient noisescapes... but for the most part... it's a very bold release. They've severed all ties to their ATDI past and have released one of the great progressive rock epics of the 21st century. It's a challenging and forward-thinking work that begs for repeated listens.
I ordered this, it never showed up, got my money back. I'm tired of online distros.
 
It was $7.49 online! I didn't realize it was so cheap in stores until after I ordered it, but now it's gone, so I think next time I go to Target to buy tampons I'll pick it up.
 
I'm really looking forward to the upcoming album from Bohren & der Club of Gore, kind of droning post-rock with the ghost of a saxophone whirling in the background. Their latest release "Black Earth" takes to a deeply unsettling journey somewhere between necro-bass minimalism and a "Mulholland Drive" kind of soundtrack. They're on Ipecac now, I don't know to what extent this should raise my expectation level, but it does... Anyone into their stuff?
 
CDs destined for my Top 10 of 2005 (in no particular order):

Seemless "Seemless"
Primordial "The Gatherwilderness"
Kamelot "The Black Halo"
Bruce Dickinson "Tyranny of Souls"
Dark Tranquillity "Character"

Zod
 
One Inch Man said:
It was $7.49 online! I didn't realize it was so cheap in stores until after I ordered it, but now it's gone, so I think next time I go to Target to buy tampons I'll pick it up.

Agreed, buy the damn thing...the opening track alone is worth the drastically lowered price. Even though it's the only track I don't have any problems with, as a whole I enjoy it more than the debut. But I stopped making sense along time ago.
 
Ellestin said:
I'm really looking forward to the upcoming album from Bohren & der Club of Gore, kind of droning post-rock with the ghost of a saxophone whirling in the background. Their latest release "Black Earth" takes to a deeply unsettling journey somewhere between necro-bass minimalism and a "Mulholland Drive" kind of soundtrack. They're on Ipecac now, I don't know to what extent this should raise my expectation level, but it does... Anyone into their stuff?


YES... I love them. Gore Motel = :worship: as well. It's like ambient doom jazz. If that makes any sense at all.
 
The best of 2005 so far would go something like this:

1. Primordial - The gathering wilderness
2. Taake - Doedskvad
3. Nokturnal Mortum - Weltanschauung
4. Moonsorrow - Verisäkeet
5. Dark Tranquillity - Character
6. Candlemass - Candlemass
7. Bruce Dickinson - Tyranny of souls
8. Judas Priest - Angel of retribution
9. Drudkh - The swan road
10. Sentenced - The funeral album
 
Demonspell said:
Agreed, buy the damn thing...the opening track alone is worth the drastically lowered price. Even though it's the only track I don't have any problems with, as a whole I enjoy it more than the debut. But I stopped making sense along time ago.

I know what you mean... there are problems all over the place on the new album... but the extreme amounts of greatness throughout the album more than make up for it. I'd like to see them tighten things up and get rid of some of the excess for the next album... harness all the good things about their sound into more focused, concise compositions.
 
So let me ask - why has the new Nokturnal Mortum album been given a lukewarm -> above average reception? It doesn't average more than a 7/10 across most reviews. I've even read NM fans saying they were hoping for a lot more. If you were to rank all the NM albums where would it appear? And give me an honest response, not fanboi.