The Boundaries of Metal.

[Frosties]

And I don't see how Opeth ever pushed any boundaries either. Maybe in their earlier material but they have pretty much settled into their own little routine now so I really don't see how they are pushing boundaries at this point in time.

I agree. I think, since My Arms, they haven't shocked us with anything that is entirely new.
Not that it's a bad thing, of course. I can't get enough of a good thing as that.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Um, metal existed before 2006 you know?

it still exists.

 

[Ermz]

Blut Aus Nord - Some of their material is absolutely bone chilling. Really creepy stuff. They recently seem to have ventured further into industrial territory though (which is not necessarily bad since I happen to like industrial).

I'm totally with you there.

I think out of any single band I've ever heard, Blut Aus Nord has the most potential to spring into a band I completely worship... and agree with musically... MUCH moreso than Opeth. But that time hasn't come yet, and I'm not sure if it ever will.

For the time being, I love their industrial stuff.

The thing is that I'm not really sure if they're pushing anything. The music is certainly unique... so I suppose you could say they're pushing the ambient aspect of metal music. Or maybe even pushing dissonance to a point where it becomes musical... but even Emperor did that shit with Prometheus.

I think the only thing I could cite them for is creating journeys rather than songs. It certainly isn't standard music.

 

[Auschwitz]

Later Blut Aus Nord is pretty boring, I thought a lot of dissonance was kind of interesting at first too, but it gets old after a while and the ambient interludes between songs are just plain boring.

That being said, Ultima Thulée is a great album, even if it's copying a lot of elements from Burzum.

 

[N-MAYH]

It sounds like a NES game with badly played guitars. Sorry Oink but it is absoloutley awful.

+1.. no offense or anything.. but i think the guitarist solo/lead person really needs to learn more before continuing with rainwound...(it does sound like NES game lmao)

 

[BrandonS]

+1.. no offense or anything.. but i think the guitarist solo/lead person really needs to learn more before continuing with rainwound...(it does sound like NES game lmao)

It's a demo after all, hehe... the guitars were recorded with a "Rogue" by Squier, the bass isn't exactly in tune, and the synths were programmed in the computer... The final demo will be better considering an acoustic guitar was purchased and the acoustics recorded for final demo, a music keyboard was purchased and some recordings done with it (first few songs so far).. But honestly, I don't see where it sounds like NES apart from the original demo synths being somewhat crappy. Some of the synths ARE from a NES soundfont so that would explain it.

Listen to a few full songs on MySpace..
http://www.myspace.com/rainwound

And maybe read the review there too.

-edit- and this is off topic but unendingly cool, www.myrdinnart.com - Genius artist working with Satanic Dirge, has news item on the front page..

 

[Kenneth R.]

I think you should get a nice guitar if you're playing a Squier

but then, I can't wait to hear these guys tear my LP to shreds too

 

[JoeVice]

have any of you guys ever heard of the minibosses? they are a metal group that covers nintendo songs. i have always loved early nintendo music. it think that its some of the most innovative music that exists. anyway, i think that you can go on their sight and download all of their songs. i recommend "metroid" (its the song from brinstar depths on super smash brothers melee). its one of the coolest progressive songs that i have ever heard.

*edit* damn, can't download that song...but, you guys oughta check them out anyway. they are great musicians who have dedicated themselves to doing metal covers of nintendo music! fucking sweet!

 

[Braighs]

^ that is cool. But only for nostalgic purposes. The music is decent. But how can a cover band be pushing boundaries?

 

[Ermz]

Classic videogame music is just some of the greatest shit out there, period. From the early days of Commodore 64 and the great gianna sisters to the later SNES RPGs like the Final Fantasy series, Chrono Trigger, Terranigma, Secret of Mana etc. etc. Basically Nobuo Uematsu is god, and so were most composers who were affiliated with Square.

Later on we had great music from games such as Total Annihilation, Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries, Baldur's Gate etc.

The fantastic thing about game or movie music is that it's written specifically to complement a visual theme, so it's usually so much more potent than a simple song written for song's sake.

 

[Powers]

There's a massive problem with it though. Within the course of a game or a section of game, the music is simply repeated until the player completes that section. Henceforth the music never reaches any kind of crecshendo or climax. Ironically, if this were done off hand, just as a song by itself and not as part of a game, it would probably be considered avante-garde by some idiots. Such as myself.

Either way the Minibosses pwn.

 

[CAIRATH]

Some other games with incredible music:

American McGee's Alice
Deus Ex
Doom 1 & 2
Eternal Darkness
System Shock 2
The Command & Conquer series
The Silent Hill series (even if you haven't played the games you should check them out, especially the SH2 soundtrack, very eerie mostly instrumental music)

 

[Deadlift]

Theese guys makes computer game music but the metalway or something...

Try Gianna Sisters here: http://www.machinaesupremacy.com/music/machinae_supremacy-gianna_sisters.mp3

If you like it they have more songs there.

Personally i fukin love it ! They are awesome !

 

[Ermz]

Yeah, Machinae are the shit. I got some snare samples off them and they're great. Their Jets'N'Guns OST is great videogame metal

 

[Frosties]

Machinae's Sidstyler is THE BEST COVER SONG IN THE WORLD!

 

[affinityband]

Um, I've listened to everything they've done, from Vargnatt to Blood Inside. Notice how shitty "avant-garde" bands like modern Ulver are using the same pretentious shit as every other "avant-garde" band? Notice how the bands that actually made a difference in music were never classified "avant-garde", ie. Black Sabbath, Slayer, Morbid Angel, Burzum etc? Please do fuck off, these bands aren't pushing any boundaries, they're just producing the same rubbish as everyone else, but at least other bands are honest unlike Ulver, Solefald, Arcturus and the like.

Ulver regardless of what you say are still in the 'extreme' music category. Forget the things you said like ' jazz parts and annoying sample' and listen to it as a whole. Listen to the feeling its giving off. some of those samples and beats and various other touches to their music can give some really odd feelings if your sat there listening to it with your eyes shut or something. Ulver started out as a black metal band and had a scary edge. I still believe they have this scary edge and for you too say that they arent pushing the boundaries by stopping people that are into the hardest of metal and still keep these people interested i think is very ignorant of you.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Nobuo Umetsu owns all videogame music.

 

[Liquid Diamonds]

Just to throw in my opinion, I agree with whoever said Blut Aus Nord and Ephel Duath. Definately pushing the style outward. As for other bands... well, I don't really like them, but Spiral Architecht sound pretty progressive to me, with all the jazzy bass lines and riffs... anyone else think they're pushing boundaries?

 

[JoeVice]

^ that is cool. But only for nostalgic purposes. The music is decent. But how can a cover band be pushing boundaries?

well, its not really pushing the boundries in the creativity of creating music...but, in broader terms, it is quite genious. these guys are excellent musicians (some of the stuff is really technical!), who have done a great job of adding their stamp to metal versions of nintendo music while still remaining faithful to the original song. they don't really "modernize" or "metalize" the songs. they don't add any fancy bells and whistles. the same vibe that is in the original is in their versions too.

 

[MegaMoose]

There's a massive problem with it though. Within the course of a game or a section of game, the music is simply repeated until the player completes that section. Henceforth the music never reaches any kind of crecshendo or climax. Ironically, if this were done off hand, just as a song by itself and not as part of a game, it would probably be considered avante-garde by some idiots. Such as myself.

Either way the Minibosses pwn.

You'd be surprised. There are repeating and non-repeating pieces of music in the Final Fantasy games that DEFINITELY reach a climax.